LucCianfarani4/6/182017ArtsAwardOutcomeReport

SummerCompositionInternship

FormyrisingfourthyearartsawardIrequestedagranttooffsetthecostsofhousinginLosAngeleswhereIwouldbeinterningforcomposerChadCannon.TheresultingexperiencesfromthisinternshipwereamongsomeofthemostvaluableIhadduringmytimeatUVAandIleftLosAngeleswithnewconnections,friends,andagreaterdeterminationtobecomeaprofessionalcomposer. IfoundChadCannonaftercomingacrossthedocumentary“PaperLanterns,forwhichChadwasnominatedforbestoriginalscoreinadocumentarybytheInternationalFilmMusicCriticsAssociation.IsentChadacoldcallemailinearlyFebruaryoflastyearandheagreedtotakemeonasaninternforthesummer.Ihadmanyresponsibilitieswhileinterning.Onthemusicalsideofthings,Iwasresponsiblefororchestrating,proofreading,arrangingandtranscribingboththeworksofChadandthoseofothercomposers.Eachweekbroughtsomethingdifferentandprojectsrangedfromworkonfilmmusic,toworkonconcertmusic,toevenworkonaChristianrockalbum.IncludedinthiswasworkforJapanesefilmcomposerJoeHisaishiinpreparationforaconcertofhismusicinParis. Inadditiontomymusicalwork,Iwasalsoexposedtothebusinesssideofcomposition.Ilearnedwhatitwasliketorunacomposercollective,howtoschedulerecordingsessionsandfindmusiciansforthesesessions,andhowtomarketyourownwork.Equallyasimportant,Ilearnedfilmmusicjargonthathasallowedmetocommunicatemoreeffectivelywithmanypeopleintheindustry.ThesearelessonsthatcouldnothavebeenlearnedinsideofaclassroomandIfeelconfidentnowthatwhenIstartmycareerIwillbeaheadofthecurve. ChadwentoutofhiswaytomakesurethatIwouldlearnthebusinesssideoftheindustrybybringingmealongtoeverymeetingandbusinesslunchhewentto.Iwasbroughtalongtosounddesignmeetings,luncheswithpotentialcollaboratorsandfilmmakers,andImetwithprofessionalmusiciansbasedinL.A.IhadtheopportunityofattendingarecordingsessionatCapitolRecordsinHollywoodandIwasabletotalkwithrenownedsoloists.Throughoutalloftheseexperiences,Ilearnedhowtoactasbothamusicianandasabusinessperson. InterningwithChadalsomademeabettercomposer.SpendingalldaylookingattheworksofothercomposersletmeseewhatIdidanddidnotlike.ThisallowedmetofurtherrefinemycompositionalstyleanddecidewhatIwantedtosayasanartist.Onamorepracticalside,myDAWskillsandmyabilitytocreatemock-upsalsogreatlyimproved.Icannowcreatemock-upsthatsoundlife-likeandthatpresentmyworkataprofessionalstandard.Thisskillhasallowedmetopickupmorejobsinthepastyearandhaspushedmycareerahead.

GoingintolastsummerIwasunsureifIwouldpursuepianoperformanceorcompositionprofessionally.However,afterinterningIwasconvincedthatIwantedtobecomeaprofessionalcomposer.IreturnedtoUVAandenrolledinprivatelessonswithProf.LeahReid.Havingasmallportfolio,Iworkedthroughoutthefallsemestertodevelopthisportfoliointoonethatwassubstantialenoughtouseforgraduateschoolapplications.IwassuccessfulindevelopingmyportfolioandIwasacceptedintofourofthesevenmaster’sprogramsthatIappliedto.IdecidedtoattendBostonUniversitywhereIwillbebeginningmycourseofstudyinthefall. I’dliketothanktheMillerArtsScholarswithprovidingmethefundsthatmadethislifechangingsummerpossible.I’dliketoespeciallythankSandyandVinieMillerandEvieandStephenColbert.TheMillerArtsScholarprogramhadaprofoundimpactonmymusicaleducationthroughoutmyundergraduateeducationandIamconfidentthatIwouldnotbeattendinggraduateschoolincompositionwithoutthisexperience.AsImoveonafterUVA,Iwilldomybesttofurthercapitalizeupontheinvestmentthattheprogramanditsdonorshaveputintomyeducation.

AttendingarecordingsessionatCapitolRecords

Workinginthestudio

PerformingsomeofChad’smusicinthestudio