Participants

Music and Longevity: How Music Shapes Our Lives

Indie’s capstone paper and short film are dedicated to showcasing how music promotes longevity through wellbeing. Indie was inspired by a life filled with music, as well as how her grandfather connected to and was soothed by music during his struggle with Alzheimer’s disease. While music’s connection to the brain is largely researched, this project seeks to synthesize that research into answering how music shapes our lives while improving our quality of life in respect to both physical and mental health.

Off the Record

"Off The Record" spotlights underrepresented voices in UCLA's music scene and Los Angeles, providing a sanctuary for genuine expression through interviews, photography, art, and other mediums. It is a passion-driven initiative at the confluence of writing and music, empowering and uplifting through storytelling, and contributing to a more equitable music community. The project's growth involves a collaborative team of writers, photographers, and artists. Live shows accompany zine releases, adding a dynamic dimension, while the website serves as a central hub for engaging with diverse stories and fostering community connection.

Instagram, LinkedIn

Film in Concert

Sound is the most important part of a film. To conclude her time at UCLA, Julia has composed original music for a short film and arranged a live performance of the score accompanying the picture. For her capstone, she has composed the score, edited audio in post-production, and set up a film concert. Julia would like to thank her mentors, collaborators, peers, friends, family, and everyone present for their continued support.

LinkedIn

Making a Concerted Effort: Exploring Strategies to Improve Ticket Distribution Practices

In recent years, tickets for live events have become increasingly difficult to purchase. With the implementation of systems such as randomly selected presale access and dynamic pricing, attending live events is now more of a luxury than ever, accessible only to a small subset of privileged consumers. This paper explores the ethics and legality of current ticket distribution practices in the live music industry and discusses existing and possible approaches to make ticket sales more transparent and fair.

Conquerors LP

Wesley Bitgood will be presenting an excerpt from his music discography he has created. Wesley has created 50 pieces, comprised of pop instrumentals, orchestral pieces, electronic dance music tracks and more. Wesley will be showcasing a representative snippet of the work he has done, with an attempt to show his breadth as a musician.

Instagram, LinkedIn

Bluest of Nights

Bluest of Nights is the title of Eduardo Cantu Huante’s debut EP, released with his band Learn To Forget. The five song collection showcases Eduardo’s budding musical styles as an artist, with its release imparting upon Eduardo knowledge from various facets of the music industry. Earning insight into the worlds of music distribution, marketing, publicity, radio, live gigging, and beyond, Eduardo is poised for an ambitious career post graduation.

Tonic Abacus: How Music Connects With Math

“Tonic Abacus” is a captivating exploration of the relationship between historical mathematics and music theory. This interdisciplinary project illuminates the historical, cultural, and theoretical connections between these fields, offering a unique perspective for STEM enthusiasts and music aficionados alike.

Instagram, TikTok

Tommy de Bourbon

Tommy de Bourbon by Tommy de Bourbon is an instrumental EP driven by the sound of the pedal steel guitar. Blending elements of traditional folk music with modern production and experimentation, Tommy de Bourbon demonstrates the versatile capabilities of the pedal steel beyond country music. This EP serves both as an artistic expression, and as a demonstration of his musicality to further his career as a session/live musician.

Instagram

Virtual Reality in Music

Virtual Reality is securing its foothold in the music industry. Built-in programs that teach people how to play instruments. Front row seats to concerts broadcasted straight to your living room. Major investors have already taken notice, and soon, the Virtual World will be one of the top mediums in which we listen to our music.

Starcrossed

Jordan’s Bruin-all Student Artist Consulting Club at UCLA (Bruin SAC) is dedicated to empowering artists by offering custom-tailored strategic marketing and promotional guidance. This club not only helps artists excel in the competitive music industry but also aims to inspire students in their professional development with real-world artist management experience. This year, Bruin SAC is working with jazz artist Potsu, aiming to transition him from a lo-fi producer to a celebrated jazz artist with his new release, "Starcrossed." By leveraging UCLA's resources, Bruin SAC has orchestrated a comprehensive campaign for Potsu, including merchandise, a listening party, and a live showcase. Bruin SAC aims to continue its momentum, scouting new talent and refining strategies, solidifying our reputation as a hub for artist development and innovative music industry practices.

What Lovers Do

Ashley Nicole Greene’s EP What Lovers Do is a culmination of many years’ worth of personal development and vocal refinement. In this EP, Ashley reflects on the many faces of love, explores the complexities and nuances of romance, while addressing her subconscious mind and its preconceptions of love.

LinkedIn

K-POP's New Era: Embracing Industrial Transitions Using AI and the Metaverse for Global Dominance

Despite concerns over losing its identity due to changes in genre and foreign oriented marketing strategies, the K-pop industry is undergoing the most dramatic and risky transitions in its history to avoid a passive decline in the global music market. This paper will thoroughly research the industry's current trends, identify K-pop and suggest creative ideas using AI and the Metaverse for it to be a sustainable and fair enterprise worldwide.

Instagram, LinkedIn

De-Orchestrating Video Game Music

My project is about de-orchestrating video game music with a focus on instrumentation. I want to release my work with sheet music instead of the standard audio files, as I want people to play my arrangements. I will focus on what changes happen during the arrangement process, such as what parts I need to omit or add during the presentation.

Instagram

Settling the Score: How the Labor Economics of Digital Music Scoring Disadvantage the Composer

In the era of digital music production, film scoring has become a solitary effort, transforming with the rise of "guerilla film scoring." While accessibility has expanded creative possibilities, industry practices erode composer ownership and compensation. As I composed and solo-produced the score for the short film, The Last Tour, entirely with digital tools, I have hands-on experience with modern composing practices. My presentation delves into the increased responsibilities of composers in the post-digital era, examining industry doctrines like "work-for-hire" agreements and insufficient royalty rates that stifle bargaining power and creativity, contrasting with pre-digital practices.

Instagram

Bruin Student Artist Consulting (BSAC)

Bruin Student Artist Consulting (BSAC) is dedicated to creating and executing promotional plans for artists in order to increase their reach and strengthen their existing fanbase. The club’s first client is potsu, who fuses jazz, bossa nova, and lofi to craft uplifting musical pieces. BSAC has taken measures to infuse his brand into his online presence in the form of various content, as well as increase his reach and engagement with his fans.

A Lifetime in the Crates

Tae Lee’s capstone presentation is a love letter to sampling and record collecting through a piece of video content documenting his creative process in music production, personal record collection, and his ethos of record culture. As a natural introvert who spent years struggling with imposter syndrome and the unshakable feeling of inferiority, this presentation will be a representation of breaking out of his comfort zone.

Instagram, LinkedIn

Music Industry Career Fair

In the contemporary employment landscape that focuses on digital job applications, due to increased applicant pools, screening resumes through AI-generated filtering, and lack of in-person communication, many undergraduate students have found it increasingly difficult to obtain a job emerging from college. That is why the music industry department at the Herb Alpert School of Music will be teaming up with undergraduate student Scarlett Long to produce the first-ever music industry-exclusive job fair. This event, held on Friday, April 5th, 2024, from 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM, in the Ostin Music Center Ensemble Room, will provide a professional and comfortable environment for students to have insightful conversations with entertainment company representatives at places like Live Nation, BMI, and more who can provide constructive feedback on cover letters, resumes, and the overall interview process.

Instagram

TikTalks in K-pop

TikTalks in K-pop aims to broaden the understanding of topics within K-pop and language by creating accessible content on TikTok. Focusing on K-pop music, my videos explore the impact of language, addressing topics such as cultural appropriation and cross-cultural collaboration that have brought communities from around the world together either through heated debate or understanding and support. These short videos delve into the misusage of AAVE, the hybrid usage of English and Korean in K-pop fanbases, and the inclusion of other languages in the lyrics through trending music from countries other than the US. By encouraging viewer interaction and providing additional resources, the objective is to spark discussions that extend beyond the app, fostering a deeper appreciation for global music beyond Western perspectives.

Instagram

Sonic Snapshot: The Creation of a College Era EP

Performing three of her original songs, Maya Mougey has created an EP which she has sung, written, and helped co-produce the tracks. Serving as a time capsule for the current era of her life, the EP encapsulates experiences of college and moving across the country. Maya has devised a social media marketing campaign for each song, complete with visual mood boards and promotional videos to further develop a story for each track across online platforms.

Instagram

Sequential Choppage

Sequential Choppage is an EP reflecting on poignant moments in my recent life. Since I have little patience when it comes to creating music by myself, my artistic style is ambiguous but this lack of patience, although frustrating, has allowed me to recognize my style. Everything I make is a quickly thrown together compilation of different things I’ve learned or observed in a certain amount of time, and that is my style, organized chaos.

Instagram, LinkedIn

As I Am

Dani Nollenberger is a senior at UCLA studying Music History and Industry. Passionate about serving her community through music, she is creating an EP titled As I Am that she hopes will give listeners a soft place to land through relatable lyrics and catchy indie/folk instrumentation. With this project, she will gain experience in promotion, marketing, live events, and production while creating a body of work that represents her musical and industrial growth. She hopes to work in marketing, management, or A&R post-graduation and continue making music.

A Celebration of Black Art

My Senior Capstone titled A Celebration of Black Art is a performance recital showcasing the importance of Black art and its influence on some of the most prominent and influential forms of entertainment we consume today. This recital incorporates poetry, visuals, artwork and live performance that will showcase the music and culture that has shaped me as an artist. I want to capture what it means to be surrounded by the power of Black culture.

Instagram

The Butterfly Effect

“The Butterfly Effect” by Reed Rosenberg is a narrative research essay that interweaves three different topics; His last time competing in one of the most reputable music competitions in the world, the creation of an EP, and the most surefire way to earn a steady position in the music industry.

Sounds of Exploitation: The Contemporary Songwriting Industry

Songwriters faced a setback in 1984 when the National Labor Relations Board denied them union status, leaving them vulnerable to the predatory practices of film studios. Stifled by antitrust laws, songwriters have struggled to organize for 40 years. Now, amidst shrinking streaming payouts and AI threats, songwriters need protections more than ever. Gabriella Ruggeiro's paper advocates for unionization, citing the importance of fair compensation in a rapidly evolving industry. Drawing from the WGA strikes, this paper advocates for mandatory songwriter and session fees to improve industry labor standards.

Instagram

Let’s Not Waste Time

Let’s Not Waste Time is Viet’s debut EP. Releasing four tracks, this is his first time creating as a recording artist. Viet is a primarily R&B based musician from the Bay Area. With this project, he will create with his friends from back home along with friends he has made along the way at UCLA.