May 15, 2019

Eight St. Bonaventure University music majors traveled to Hollywood, California, earlier this month for a first-hand look at the music industry and the career opportunities it presents.

The students, accompanied by Dr. Leslie Sabina, professor of music and chair of the Department of Visual and Performing Arts at St. Bonaventure, and Laura Peterson, music lecturer, attended the annual “I Create Music” EXPO, May 1-4, sponsored by the American Society of Composers Authors and Publishers (ASCAP).

The trip was made possible by a grant from the university’s Keenan-Martine Endowment.

The students attended workshops, master classes, panels and showcases, where they were exposed to a variety of career opportunities in the music industry. They were able to learn from, and collaborate or network with, some of the most successful and influential people in the industry, including composers, songwriters, producers and promoters, such as Wyclef Jean, Questlove, Lee Ann Womack, Siddhartha Khosla (composer for the hit TV show “This Is Us”), and many others.

“Few people outside of the arts realize that the music industry is a multi-billion dollar business — ASCAP alone generated more than $1.2 billion in revenues in 2018,” said Sabina. “At the EXPO, our students saw how important it is to collaborate, interact, promote, innovate, and to understand and respect other people’s viewpoints and experiences in working toward a goal of creating and marketing great music.

“The arts present tremendous career opportunities, and there is absolutely no reason why our students cannot eventually be part of it, especially when one considers that the above-mentioned skills are exactly what they learn while at SBU.”

The students included seniors Cameron Hurst, Noelle Acaso and William Vink; juniors Angelina Giglio, Michelle Onofrio and Kathleen Garvey; and sophomores Jessica Matias and Christina Giglio.

All were eager participants who were grateful for the opportunity, said Peterson.

“This was an invaluable experience for our music students,” she said. “To be surrounded by musicians of all ages, at all stages of their professional careers, helped our students to understand the wealth of career opportunities that exist in music, and the ways that they could pursue those careers.

“The atmosphere was extremely supportive of young musicians as well, which I think surprised the students. It was a pleasure to be a part of this experience with them, and I know that each one of them was incredibly appreciative.”

Sabina said the EXPO was inspiring. “It has jump-started some new projects,” he said. “I am truly grateful that the Keenan-Martine Endowment was able to provide this opportunity to our students.”

The Keenan-Martine Endowment is named for two longtime former faculty members, the late Dr. Leo E. Keenan Jr. and James J. Martine. Funded through a gift from Leslie C. Quick III, a 1975 St. Bonaventure graduate and former St. Bonaventure University Board of Trustees chair, and his wife, Eileen, the grants are intended to improve the quality of teaching and learning at the university.

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About the University: The nation’s first Franciscan university, we believe in the goodness of every person and in the ability of every person to do extraordinary things. St. Bonaventure University cultivates graduates who are confident and creative communicators, collaborative leaders and team members, and innovative problem solvers who are respectful of themselves, others, and the diverse world around them. Named the #1 regional university value in New York and #2 in the North by U.S. News and World Report, we are establishing pathways to internships, graduate schools and careers in the context of our renowned liberal arts tradition.