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The Boy Who Painted the Sky
Madeleine Ackley
2024What would you do if you only had three months left to live? Inspired by true events, The Boy Who Painted the Sky follows twenty-four year old Walden Gray, who after receiving a terminal diagnosis, embarks on the Appalachian Trail in search of his long lost father who he believes might be able to cure him with trail magic. Aided by his trail guide Chiara, he encounters quirky hikers with trail names like Steak Sauce and Epic Falls as his worried mother and Chiara’s uncle Angus race to find him. Featuring a folk/rock score colored by the sounds of country and bluegrass, The Boy Who Painted the Sky invites you to consider: what does it mean to live a truly full life?
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Elysium
Juan Acosta
2024Elysium is an immersive art installation based on the premise of what happens after death, where the viewers themselves become the main performers through visual content that is also motion reactive. The installation takes the viewers into a journey that consists of three stages: The first one takes place in front of the LED screen, where a short compilation of abstract 3D videos will be projected to provide context for the viewers as to what to expect from the art installation. The second stage consists of three forty-five-degree square-shaped acrylics that will work as a pepper’s ghost canvas for the audience’s self. On these canvases, random ghostly abstract shapes in motion will be projected, and ethereal surround sound will accompany them. Cameras will be put behind each of the pepper’s ghost to capture the movements of the viewers, which will later be translated into reactive imagery of themselves, triggered by Touch Designer, and onto the acrylic canvas; at this stage the people will find the afterlife state. In the third and final stage, once the viewers leave the exhibit, they will go back to the LED screen zone, where they will see abstract images to close the journey.
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PRINCESA URBANA
Frida Arias
2024Derived from the Urban Latin Pop genre, “Princesa Urbana” by Frida Arias embodies attributes of confidence, sophistication, and empowerment with a feminine touch in the character of her artist name, ARIA. A princess's attitude in her daily life experiences in NYC. Her background in Mexico has built her up to be strong, knowing what she wants and committing to it. Taking influences and inspiration from major Pop Stars such as Rosalía, Kali Uchis, Karol G, Beyoncé, Ariana Grande, Rihanna and more, led her to aspire to the same path in her career as an artist and in her journey she started to discover what distinguishes her from them. Introducing innovative sounds to the Urban Latin Pop landscape, she challenges conventional trends, asserting her individuality and leaving a distinct mark on the industry through her authentic voice and personal narratives. Princesa Urbana is a five-track EP centered on themes of romance and interpersonal relationships. The artist wants women between the ages of 18 and 25 to be able to relate to the lyrical, production, and visual elements, which will enable them to use the music to find their own sense of confidence, sensuality, and style. The ultimate intention is for every listener to feel empowered and resonate with Princesa Urbana's spirit.
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Coretta
Neil Baker
2024The musical Coretta is a story that’s meant to shine a light on the woman behind Martin Luther King Jr., Coretta Scott King. Coretta was a determined woman who had her own dreams of singing center stage in the classical world. Then, she met Martin, and the spotlight shifted to him, forcing her and her dream backwards into the shadow of another. With this story, we aim to educate and share the importance of what Coretta did, what she gave up, and how it changed the way she had envisioned her life going. The idea for Coretta the musical was formed in October 2023, and has morphed into a story that we believe everybody can relate to. Whether faced with struggles of racism, sexism, marriage, peer pressure or even in school competitions, we have all experienced it in some shape or form, and we can all find our spotlight, just like Coretta.
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DISCONTINUUM
Anuraj Bhagat
2024DISCONTINUUM' is a five-song Disco E.P. that explores the genre's evolution through a blend of traditional and contemporary elements. The project serves as a personal and chronological journey, beginning with classic 70s Disco sounds and transitioning to modern interpretations that incorporate influences from Italo Disco, New Wave, French house, and K-pop. Each track embodies a distinct era and features a range of collaborations with artists from diverse genres, enhancing its eclectic and innovative nature.
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The Boy Who Painted The Sky
Katie Brady
2024What would you do if you only had three months left to live? Inspired by true events, The Boy Who Painted the Sky follows twenty-four year old Walden Gray, who after receiving a terminal diagnosis, embarks on the Appalachian Trail in search of his long lost father who he believes might be able to cure him with trail magic. Aided by his trail guide Chiara, he encounters quirky hikers with trail names like Steak Sauce and Epic Falls as his worried mother and Chiara’s uncle Angus race to find him. Featuring a folk/rock score colored by the sounds of country and bluegrass, The Boy Who Painted the Sky invites you to consider: what does it mean to live a truly full life?
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Psych Beach Funk
Owen Braithwaite
2024The beach holds a timeless and rejuvenating energy for many people. Seemingly untouched by the modernization of the rest of the world, the shore has been a constant near- paradise for centuries. There’s great power in the blankness of endless sand dunes, which acts as a foil to the visual and mental frenzy imbued in cities, as well as the vast and unforgiving ocean, which can be both soothing and turbulent. The place where sand meets water can serve as a cleansing haven during life’s big transition points, with its natural simplicity encouraging one to reflect with a newfound clarity. In its worry-free environment, the beach can also spur unbridled joy and enthusiasm. With a massive sandbox terrain for people to play, as well as a relentless barrage of ocean waves to combat, the beach is a setting for exciting activity. There’s a strong lack of inhibition that develops at the beach, allowing people to fully express their desires and passions. “Enchanté” is a 9-track album that explores the mysterious and influential effect that the beach has over people’s emotions, ranging from maniacally energetic to meditatively peaceful. Drawing musical inspiration from funk, R&B, soul, surf rock, and psych rock, “Enchanté” emerges in a new genre, dubbed “Psych Beach Funk”. This is the second project released under Owen’s artist name Momo Chapin, pivoting towards a groovier and more hypnotic sound in his catalogue.
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Reharmonization
Filippo Bubbico
2024This project is dedicated to exploring harmony and developing new songs that feature distinctive and original harmonic-melodic combinations. It employs a unique three-phase method. In the first phase, a melody is crafted using simple chord progressions. The second phase involves selectively removing parts of the harmonic progression to create space and interest. The final phase is the reharmonization of the melody, aiming to produce a simple yet effective tune that is supported by an innovative and captivating harmonic progression. The purpose of this project goes beyond merely demonstrating harmonic expertise. It seeks to deeply investigate the realm of harmony, with the intention of contributing to the evolution of new harmonic-melodic solutions. Through this methodical approach, the project aspires to push the boundaries of musical composition, offering fresh and engaging musical experiences.
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Coretta
Letitia Bullard
2024The musical Coretta is a story that’s meant to shine a light on the woman behind Martin Luther King Jr., Coretta Scott King. Coretta was a determined woman who had her own dreams of singing center stage in the classical world. Then, she met Martin, and the spotlight shifted to him, forcing her and her dream backwards into the shadow of another. With this story, we aim to educate and share the importance of what Coretta did, what she gave up, and how it changed the way she had envisioned her life going. The idea for Coretta the musical was formed in October 2023, and has morphed into a story that we believe everybody can relate to. Whether faced with struggles of racism, sexism, marriage, peer pressure or even in school competitions, we have all experienced it in some shape or form, and we can all find our spotlight, just like Coretta.
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Magia
Letitia Bullard
2024Magia is an imaginative fantasy musical that follows Leilani, a teen girl who attempts to save her ailing father by stealing a wish from the magical island, Tekoha. In our story, the island of Tekoha has magia to grant a wish to its citizens when they come of age. However, every time a wish is granted in Tekoha, something of equal value is taken away from a neighboring island called Deyo, where Leilani lives. Magia explores themes of cultural identity, social inequality and unbalanced levels of power in a Latin-Caribbean inspired allegory, ultimately asking the question “What is real magic and how can we access it in a society that accepts the status quo?” As we work towards bringing new audiences to the theater, Magia aims to bring an informality and “laid-back” tone to the storytelling, taking the social pressure off of being in a theater, so all can have a comfortable experience.
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Caged
Isaac Carbajal Moreno
2024This project aims to explore new ways to incorporate the use of multi-speaker setups for live performance applications. Through in an immersive live musical experience called “Caged”, the audience is transported into the intimate world of the performer, metaphorically depicted as a caged bird in a forest. The narrative explores the journey of a girl who faces extensive criticism and bullying during her growth. Visuals were designed with Touchdesigner and synchronized with background tracks from Ableton Live through linear timecode. 5 songs were produced (3 originals, 2 covers) having a 7.4.4 speaker system in mind. For Atmospheric sounds, I made different recordings in ambisonics format from forest areas in Massachusetts, Connecticut and Tennessee and blended them with sound effects. The stage design had to be changed during the development of the project due to limitations of the lighting plot and space in the venue. I hope this project motivates future students to design other experiences focusing on the use of the latest immersive audio technology formats.
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A Family Reunion
Caleb Cassell
2024A Family Reunion is a horror musical that follows a financially unstable young married couple, Diane and Victor, as they accept a surprise New Year’s invitation to the sprawling estate of Victor’s estranged father under the pretenses of a reunion with his long-lost mother. Once there, they become entangled in a web of murder and intrigue. The house is a place of memory and mystery; Victor never found out what happened to his mother, and his father, Howard, is an unpredictable figure to say the least. This piece walks a tightrope between serious thrills and outrageous comedy - its heightened reality interacts with its characters’ real motivations. The values, methods, and belief systems of the central characters are in constant conflict, with an undercurrent of gaming and manipulation. How does each character seek to achieve their ends? How do they react to their extreme circumstances? How far are they willing to go?
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The Internet Broke My Heart & Singles
Jonathon Cauble
2024Living in an era of society where online personalities and connections are often made and seen as realer than in person counterparts. Jon created The Internet Broke My Heart, is a short EP based on real life experiences of the internet. The entire world thrives from online platforms whether it's for entertainment, work, or just socializing. The purpose of this EP is to create a genre of internet music people can relate to with the dominance of the internet. Simultaneously Jon has been a hip hop artist primarily inspired by artists such as Juice WRLD. This body of work is used to demonstrate a transitional period for his artist project from hip hop to something completely different and new including 3 singles to help his transition into his new sound. This project demonstrates not only the growth of Jon as an artist but his interest in mending internet culture into something more meaningful in a musical body of work. The EP includes 6 tracks from hiphop to hyperpop and is intended to help Jon transition into something that truly represents who he is as an artist and person.
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Joie de Vivre
Siobhan Chapman
2024Siobhan Chapman, also known as vonnie whatever, is a 26-year-old queer Brooklyn-based songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist. She merges various genres to create her own sonic world. Having built a following through performances at various New York City venues, Siobhan uses irony and humor in her work to make serious personal topics more approachable. Her six-song EP "Joie de Vivre" explores mental health struggles, featuring an eclectic production style. The EP tackles themes of escapism, from existential to playful reflections, and includes innovative production elements, like found sounds. The work features innovative lyrical and sonic ideas. Throughout the EP's creation, Siobhan developed numerous skills. Her collaborative experiences and marketing efforts have enriched her creative process and professional development, despite challenges such as mastering new production skills and balancing live performances with studio work. Looking forward, Siobhan's goals include fostering an inclusive music community, creating impactful music, and supporting bands she believes in.
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MISS SYMPHONY
Keris Choi
2024This project is a 5 song EP and it is about my transition from classical music to pop music. To me, classical music and pop music are on either ends of the musical spectrum. I always felt like I was in the middle and wanted to express this in this EP by incorporating both classical elements such as strings, with a rough texture of the rock/pop genre. By using these contrasting elements, I created a sound that introduces my roots in classical violin, as well as my new career in pop music. I wanted the EP to sound raw like band music, so I recorded most of the instruments in the studio. I plan to use this project to rebrand my artist image to engage a mostly Asian-American audience from 18-28 who enjoy music by artists such as beabadoobee, wave to earth, Yerin Baek, and 88 rising.
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Agape
Yun Chieh Chu
2024I wrote 5 songs describing 4 types of love: God's love, familial love, romantic love, and friendship love with 5 different rock fusion styles and re-amped vocals with guitar amps.
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Tech-Scape
Viktor Cich
2024I am pleased to present you with Tech-Scape - a varied and diversified body of work for my CE. The 5 Tech-House songs in this EP demonstrate my originality, adaptability, and desire to explore new sounds and genres. Each track is meticulously customized to meet the artists needs while staying within the tech-house genre, reflecting the diverse and collaborative nature of the project and highlighting the blend of different musical backgrounds and ethnicities. Every song is a breath of fresh air, uniquely tailored to the artist's needs.
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Cimbalom Guy: A Cimbalom Journey Inter-Connected
Matej Cip
2024The purpose of my Culminating Experience project, "Cimbalom Guy: A Cimbalom Journey Inter-Connected," is to explore and showcase the cimbalom's potential to bridge cultures and connect people through music. In a world filled with superficial connections, this project seeks to rekindle genuine human ties across continents, languages, and distances, using the emotive power of the cimbalom. By blending performing arts with digital narratives, I created an immersive concert that goes beyond entertainment, inviting the audience on a journey of discovery and emotional connection. Through storytelling and vivid visuals, each musical piece not only introduces the audience to the cimbalom's rich heritage but also celebrates our shared cultural heritage. This project, performed at the Bohemian National Hall, highlights my growth as an artist and performer, emphasizing the importance of music in fostering a deeper, more meaningful global community.
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Taming Instincts
Leonardo Cococcia
2024The aim of this project is to emphasize the main features in my musical background that were partially present in my past work, but never clearly in focus. As a producer and guitarist, I want to spotlight both my guitar expertise and my producer skills to create a distinct sound, and I did so by creating a producer playlist that emphasizes the contrast between instinctive improvised ideas coming from guitar and rigid patterns derived from minimalism. I was encouraged to use the guitar as my artistic voice in multiple valuable feedback sessions, so I decided to enrich the songs with an original guitar system for which I designed a tuning. The minimal production/ improvisation contrast and this original system will be not only at the core of my refined artistic identity, but also of my career plans, which are described in detail.
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Seven Steps Around the Fire
Emielyn Das
2024Is it possible to find your soulmate again in the next lifetime? What about in seven lifetimes? Seven Steps Around the Fire follows Kareena, a queer Indian-American woman who must find a way to break free from traditional Hindu vows that bound her to a man she did not love, in order to be reunited with her true soulmate. When her parents re-introduce the generational expectation to get an arranged marriage, she is, for the seventh time, forced to choose between her culture and identity. Featuring a dark dance-pop score drawing on the sounds of Indian classical music, Seven Steps Around the Fire explores a timeless question of the LGBTQ experience through a culturally specific lens: what is a worthy sacrifice in the name of love?
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Esprit De Corps
Nathaniel Daviau
2024The goal of my culminating experience was to create something of quality that was effectively conceived, arranged and executed on my own. I had made and released albums before starting this program but having lacked certain skills in production, mixing and arranging, my vision would get lost somewhere due to the necessity of collaboration and I wouldn’t feel pride or ownership over the end product. I developed a concept for an EP called ‘Esprit De Corps’. It would be created through a streamlined production method which, for folk music, relied heavily on synthesis and realistic sounding sample-based instrumentation. I gained all the skills I would need to execute a professional sound and aesthetic without involving too many collaborators including mixing, synthesis, programming drums and bass and engineering with basic outboard gear. I also found a unique way to create content and promotional material for the EP while maintaining spontaneity and avoiding banality. Though I encountered setbacks in arranging and mixing I was able to persevere by seeking out guidance from experienced producers and engineers and I managed to develop a comprehensive plan for marketing and release.
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OddFoot
Anthony DeFalco
2024My Culminating Experience titled OddFoot is a five song EP. A collection of hyper-pop, indie-rock and hiphop inspired tracks, OddFoot is a dense, humorous, and distinct work blending personal and sincere narratives about occurrences in my life with an ironic lyrical tone and an original electronic landscape. The strongest and most unifying aspect is the lyrics, heavily focused on rhyme to a comical extent. They discuss intimate topics under jarring layers of imagery and irony in a humorous and awkward manner such that the listener may not be sure if the artist is truly joking, or what the artist’s intention truly is. It is nevertheless funny, interesting, emotionally vulnerable and captivating, and sonically novel and stimulating not only as an instrumental, but also by the interaction of the sound design with the unique lyrics and tone. The songs are “I Hate”, “Chris n’ Alyssa”, “Sour Candy”, “Rigor Mortis”, and “Happy Again”, respectively about my frustrating experience and mental state during the BNYC program, my bother’s wedding, a sugary, toxic-relationship metaphor taken comically too far, the death of my grandmother, and the enduring longing and hope of a long-distance relationship.
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PROJECT RED
Ailin Deng
2024An electro pop album that includes techno, hardbass and pop. Perfect blend of both cold electronic production and warm vocal performance, nourishing the spirit with electronic contemporary music.
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Anemoia
Proudmany Dheva-aksorn
2024As we accumulate memories, experiences, and years, we naturally view our lives as a linear journey—one event happens, fades away, and a new one occurs. It's difficult to grasp the reality of past events if they exist only in our memories. What if something that defines your truth is something you never actually get to experience? Can we try to live it through someone else or some other medium? Despite this perception, we are not linear beings. Who we are today is shaped by every moment and experience we've collected over our lifetimes. Film’s desire to blend experiences and identities from various stages of her life led to the creation of “Anemoia,” a project aimed at translating the human experience—both personal and collective—into a cohesive body of work.
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I Told the Sunset About U
Yuantian Ding
2024The purpose of my project is to take on multiple roles and complete all the steps of a song independently from the perspective of an Asian singer. I Told the Sunset About You is a 6-song EP inspired by “You know, one loves the sunset when one is so sad”, from Antoine de Saint-Exupery's "The Little Prince." The sunset, while beautiful and romantic, makes me feel lonely and depressed, symbolizing the passing of life. The EP reflects my journey of loss and growth after my grandmother's passing. The EP's theme is life, time, love, and letting go of family issues while becoming self-aware and accepting imperfections. It's about bidding farewell to the past and embracing gratitude while cherishing relationships and maintaining a sense of childlike wonder. I combined elements from electronic, dance, disco, K-pop, R&B, and hip-hop to create synthetic, upbeat road trip tracks that express the lonely thoughts hidden behind a happy, childlike vibe through a combination of imagery description and inner monologue. I aim to create universal songs that offer comfort and support by sharing my experiences. The lyrics, written in English, reflect Asian cultural perspectives and implicit language habits, providing a unique blend of direct and euphemistic expression.
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