hi, i need your help!
as some of you might know i am planning on auditioning for berklee school of music this april 4 because they're dropping by fullerton, ca. we live 20 minutes away from the place, and sakto lang because i was really about to go there for summer anyway. i'm taking my chances. i know, the competition is stiff. i'm getting really scared. but i'm more than willing to give this a shot.
so, i need everyone's help. i'm posting here my application form under a cut. can you please read it and comment? positive, negative, grammatical errors, anything. you can say good luck, too! THANK YOU THANK YOU
What are the qualities of a successful musician?
A successful musician must be able to attain contentment and happiness through his music, regardless whether they are professional or amateur, signed or unsigned. What matters is that you are happy with the notes you are playing and the beats you are drumming. It sounds simple but it takes time to find that kind of happiness and comfort with music. My happiness rests on being able to connect to people through music, regardless of genre or style.
What are your musical strengths?
I am very flexible when it comes to musical styles and genres. For example, I love hip-hop and funk, but I play drums for a metalcore/post-hardcore band. I can also play the guitar, too - I have a bluesy band, and one where we play sleep music (e.g. Explosions in the Sky). I was also a part of my university's drum corps, and had the privilege of composing pieces for performances. I have also ventured into DJ-ing. I'm a fast learner, and I'm able to appreciate almost anything that is music, but I hope to improve on my knowledge, especially in theory.
What is your favorite part of being a musician?
I love being able to share my knowledge in the very primal level of what sounds good. A simple note progression or a 2/4 beat can sound either good or bad, depending on what situation you use them. As a musician, I am so happy to be able to share my knowledge of what sounds good through knowing where to place the right notes and beats. The next level is self-expression. I like being able to express myself through music. My favorite part is when I garner that kind of empathy from the crowd whether through lyrical or musical aspects of my music. The feeling of being able to connect to people is very tantamount to the experience.
Why go to Berklee?
I want to go to Berklee because I want to learn more. All these years, I have never gone through formal training. Making music an academic exercise, for me, is an achievement. I love learning and I hope to be a member of the academe someday. To make my passion turn into something academic is a big achievement for me because this way I am able to learn what I love, and at the same time, actually have something to do with it in the long run. It's establishing my musicianship through academic exercise.
What career opportunities would you like to take advantage of in the music industry?
I dream of being a producer. The industry has made everything readily available for everyone. I admire independent artists who take advantage of the fact that the art of music has no reservations anymore: modes of production have been easier, etc. I want to be a stand-alone record producer and be able to share my music knowledge and experience through this kind of occupation.
What benefits do music theory and instrumental training have in your chosen field of interest?
I want to learn theory and undergo instrumental training because I believe that some heights cannot be reached by only playing by feel. I remember Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers saying that way back, some time before Christ was born, the studies of Math were done through music. I think there is an intellectual reserve in everyone's brain for music. If one wants to take music seriously, they should consider theory because it helps explain that being a musician is not only a practice of exhibition and feeling good; it is also intellectual through its academic facets -- and THEN, learning how to make music a practice of relaxation, etc. through application of such theories.
What inspired you to pursue a career in music?
What inspired me to pursue a career in music was the almost unnoticeable observation that music is everywhere. And if one would be serious about being a musician, he would want to be a part of that grand ensemble. I dream of contributing to this great scheme of self-expression and empathy through sound.
What has been your most significant achievement so far? What motivates you?
My most significant achievement so far is the application of my music knowledge through several bands. I have played in numerous different circumstances and situations; meaning a variation of expectations from me, from one situation to another. Being able to bend myself through all sorts of styles and genres allows me to have an open mind to appreciating all sorts of music. What motivates me is
What has been the biggest challenge in your musical learning and growth? How have you overcome it?
The biggest challenge in my musical growth is my lack of theoretical knowledge. I have been trying my best to overcome it through training myself in sight-reading every once in a while, and I dream of going to Berklee in order to become more well-rounded in this department. I can't say that I'll be perfect after a possible stint in Berklee, but I'm sure to be better. For me, being a musician is a never-ending learning process.
What would you like a press release to say about you as a person? About you as a musician?
First of all, my contributions. I dream of taking music to new heights and multiple facets. I would like to be known for genre exploration. Experimental music, I believe, can have a wider scope through learning music theory - and learning how to bend it. Secondly, I want to be recognized as a Filipino. I believe that the roots of a musician have almost everything to do with his or her musicality. Music is in the blood and it's only right that I salute to my origins through my music, too. Finally, I would like to be known as someone who was contented and happy with his one passion for life: music. I want the world to know that I could not ask for more than being a musician.
In what ways do you feel your talents will enhance the quality of life and music in the Berklee community?
I do believe that I can contribute to Berklee's community through my ability to easily build personal relationships with people. More than just performing, being a musician is also about community and building networks. I would like to affect Berklee not only with my being multi-faceted musician, but also with my friendliness. Creative difference has always been the cancer of the artist, and I believe the solution to that is just to be open-minded not only with musical genres and styles, but also with personalities. I believe that I have those traits and through them, I can contribute to the Berklee community.
How have your life experiences influenced your musical development?
I think every artist has the right to say that they have gone through a lot of things in life, and that's what drives them. Their life experiences have influenced their musical development, and that's only right. But for me, it's the other way around - my music and musical development have influenced my life experiences. I live and breathe music; it is my passion. Music is my pride and joy and all of my experiences have been affected by music through its plurality and capacity to embrace moments with particular songs, from lyrics to progressions and even up to the fading out of a song. Every experience that I've had in life is always capped by a song.
p.s. i will most probably post my audition piece (video) here in a week. patulong rin dun, thanks! :)
so, i need everyone's help. i'm posting here my application form under a cut. can you please read it and comment? positive, negative, grammatical errors, anything. you can say good luck, too! THANK YOU THANK YOU
What are the qualities of a successful musician?
A successful musician must be able to attain contentment and happiness through his music, regardless whether they are professional or amateur, signed or unsigned. What matters is that you are happy with the notes you are playing and the beats you are drumming. It sounds simple but it takes time to find that kind of happiness and comfort with music. My happiness rests on being able to connect to people through music, regardless of genre or style.
What are your musical strengths?
I am very flexible when it comes to musical styles and genres. For example, I love hip-hop and funk, but I play drums for a metalcore/post-hardcore band. I can also play the guitar, too - I have a bluesy band, and one where we play sleep music (e.g. Explosions in the Sky). I was also a part of my university's drum corps, and had the privilege of composing pieces for performances. I have also ventured into DJ-ing. I'm a fast learner, and I'm able to appreciate almost anything that is music, but I hope to improve on my knowledge, especially in theory.
What is your favorite part of being a musician?
I love being able to share my knowledge in the very primal level of what sounds good. A simple note progression or a 2/4 beat can sound either good or bad, depending on what situation you use them. As a musician, I am so happy to be able to share my knowledge of what sounds good through knowing where to place the right notes and beats. The next level is self-expression. I like being able to express myself through music. My favorite part is when I garner that kind of empathy from the crowd whether through lyrical or musical aspects of my music. The feeling of being able to connect to people is very tantamount to the experience.
Why go to Berklee?
I want to go to Berklee because I want to learn more. All these years, I have never gone through formal training. Making music an academic exercise, for me, is an achievement. I love learning and I hope to be a member of the academe someday. To make my passion turn into something academic is a big achievement for me because this way I am able to learn what I love, and at the same time, actually have something to do with it in the long run. It's establishing my musicianship through academic exercise.
What career opportunities would you like to take advantage of in the music industry?
I dream of being a producer. The industry has made everything readily available for everyone. I admire independent artists who take advantage of the fact that the art of music has no reservations anymore: modes of production have been easier, etc. I want to be a stand-alone record producer and be able to share my music knowledge and experience through this kind of occupation.
What benefits do music theory and instrumental training have in your chosen field of interest?
I want to learn theory and undergo instrumental training because I believe that some heights cannot be reached by only playing by feel. I remember Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers saying that way back, some time before Christ was born, the studies of Math were done through music. I think there is an intellectual reserve in everyone's brain for music. If one wants to take music seriously, they should consider theory because it helps explain that being a musician is not only a practice of exhibition and feeling good; it is also intellectual through its academic facets -- and THEN, learning how to make music a practice of relaxation, etc. through application of such theories.
What inspired you to pursue a career in music?
What inspired me to pursue a career in music was the almost unnoticeable observation that music is everywhere. And if one would be serious about being a musician, he would want to be a part of that grand ensemble. I dream of contributing to this great scheme of self-expression and empathy through sound.
What has been your most significant achievement so far? What motivates you?
My most significant achievement so far is the application of my music knowledge through several bands. I have played in numerous different circumstances and situations; meaning a variation of expectations from me, from one situation to another. Being able to bend myself through all sorts of styles and genres allows me to have an open mind to appreciating all sorts of music. What motivates me is
What has been the biggest challenge in your musical learning and growth? How have you overcome it?
The biggest challenge in my musical growth is my lack of theoretical knowledge. I have been trying my best to overcome it through training myself in sight-reading every once in a while, and I dream of going to Berklee in order to become more well-rounded in this department. I can't say that I'll be perfect after a possible stint in Berklee, but I'm sure to be better. For me, being a musician is a never-ending learning process.
What would you like a press release to say about you as a person? About you as a musician?
First of all, my contributions. I dream of taking music to new heights and multiple facets. I would like to be known for genre exploration. Experimental music, I believe, can have a wider scope through learning music theory - and learning how to bend it. Secondly, I want to be recognized as a Filipino. I believe that the roots of a musician have almost everything to do with his or her musicality. Music is in the blood and it's only right that I salute to my origins through my music, too. Finally, I would like to be known as someone who was contented and happy with his one passion for life: music. I want the world to know that I could not ask for more than being a musician.
In what ways do you feel your talents will enhance the quality of life and music in the Berklee community?
I do believe that I can contribute to Berklee's community through my ability to easily build personal relationships with people. More than just performing, being a musician is also about community and building networks. I would like to affect Berklee not only with my being multi-faceted musician, but also with my friendliness. Creative difference has always been the cancer of the artist, and I believe the solution to that is just to be open-minded not only with musical genres and styles, but also with personalities. I believe that I have those traits and through them, I can contribute to the Berklee community.
How have your life experiences influenced your musical development?
I think every artist has the right to say that they have gone through a lot of things in life, and that's what drives them. Their life experiences have influenced their musical development, and that's only right. But for me, it's the other way around - my music and musical development have influenced my life experiences. I live and breathe music; it is my passion. Music is my pride and joy and all of my experiences have been affected by music through its plurality and capacity to embrace moments with particular songs, from lyrics to progressions and even up to the fading out of a song. Every experience that I've had in life is always capped by a song.
p.s. i will most probably post my audition piece (video) here in a week. patulong rin dun, thanks! :)