Aspiring Musician? Make Your Dreams Come True at NYU

I wasn’t sure about studying the trombone in college. But I knew for years that I wanted to go to college in an urban setting. After visiting New York City a couple of times, taking a campus tour, and attending a masterclass for the Brass Studies program—featuring a French horn player from the New York Philharmonic—I was hooked.

I was immediately attracted to the fast-paced environment and the intimate atmosphere of the brass program. The amount of personal attention I have received, the excellent quality of the faculty—especially the trombone professor, Tom Hutchinson—and the opportunities I have found in every corner are unparalleled. And this is bolstered by location. New York City, in my opinion, is the best place in the country to go all in as a musician. Every day brings a new form of excitement and unique opportunity into the mix.

One of my favorite things about majoring in this department is that I get to fully immerse myself in music. I also appreciate how much NYU lets you tailor your musical education. There are general classes almost all MPAP majors have to take, but then you have several paths to choose from. Do you want to explore music technology and composition as an Instrumental Performance major? There are plenty of classes to take. Do you want to perform in ensembles or take instrumental lessons as a Composition major? You can do that! Do you want to read Broadway musicals and attend masterclasses led by illustrious Broadway musicians? NYU has a dedicated Broadway Orchestra. In short, I like the unique opportunities that the MPAP department at NYU brings to its students.

During my first two years at NYU, I studied one-on-one with Dave Pietro. As artists, our music and our art are so intertwined with us as people. Dave was able to guide me on how to develop as both a musician and as a person. He helped me realize that some things I was neglecting in my life were affecting my playing negatively. He not only then helped me work through those issues but also helped me improve my musical skills. The experience truly exceeded my expectations.

I’ve been fortunate enough that the faculty I’ve studied with have seen me grow and have seen how hungry I am to succeed. I’m now at a point where, for the past year and a half or so, they’ve been hiring me to play gigs. From there, that’s how your network builds. You meet more people, they hear you play, and they hire you to play shows. The faculty have really helped inject me into the music scene here. And I’m very thankful for that. I’m also grateful to have performed at venues like Smalls Jazz Club, Blue Note Jazz Club, Birdland Jazz Club, and Carnegie Hall.

The thing that drove me to NYU in particular was the sheer diversity of ensembles and performance opportunities. For one, I’ve participated in the Percussion Ensemble, where we play standard percussion ensemble repertoire. Sometimes, we even collaborate with other students in the MPAP department. This semester, for example, we’re performing about a dozen pieces from the Composition students.

In addition, I’ve performed in the NYU Steel band and the African Gyil and Percussion Ensemble, which is taught by Valerie Naranjo, who performs on Saturday Night Live as a percussionist. This year, I joined the Broadway Orchestra. Every week, we sight-read a new Broadway show, which is super cool to do as a musician. Being able to explore different genres has given me a solid musical foundation and helped me pinpoint what I want to do and what I don’t want to do after graduation. Basically, at NYU, you can pretty much do anything and explore any avenue, no matter how niche it is.

I was part of the New York Youth Symphony for two years, which is now conducted by Andrew Kim. It’s an orchestra, so we played standard repertoire as well as new pieces at Carnegie Hall three times a year. Also, I attended the Percussive Arts Society International Convention with Valerie Naranjo, the professor and director of the African Gyil and Percussion Ensemble I mentioned. We played traditional West African music there. I’ve performed at the Players Theater, which is an off-Broadway theater, as a substitute musician. This past December, I got to play A Christmas Carol, which was a blast. Pretty soon, I’ll be subbing on Beauty and the Beast. 

As a premed student hoping to eventually attend medical school, NYU allowed me to be a Piano Performance major while also completing all of my required science courses. In the MPAP department, I’ve been able to study with incredible faculty members and musicians across various disciplines of classical music. Whether collaborating with my peers in a wide variety of chamber ensembles, furthering my knowledge of music theory, or developing my technique with my private teacher, the MPAP program gave me the resources I needed to transform me into a more complete musician.

Having the option to pursue music alongside my academic interests would not have been possible had I attended a conservatory. NYU has provided me with the best of both worlds.

The faculty at NYU have given me a great deal of perspective about my studies. I am very fortunate to have an incredible bond with my private teacher, Professor Eduardus Halim, and am forever indebted to him for taking such intense care of my development as a musician. However, I can confidently say that Professor Halim is not an anomaly at NYU. All of the faculty members here take a strong interest in their students, whether in the practice room or outside it.