FALL 2019 PRESIDENT’S AWARD BACHELOR of MUSIC in SONGWRITING AND PRODUCTION SCHOLARSHIP WINNER: Julian Lee

MI faculty member Chris Buzea (l.) with Julian Lee

Julian Lee is the winner of the President’s Award Bachelor of Music in Songwriting and Production Scholarship at Musicians Institute.  

The newly enrolling Bachelor’s Degree in Songwriting and Production Program (guitar) student comes to MI by way of Yakima, Washington, having composed original music primarily in the singer-songwriter, and acoustic genres.  

Upon learning about his award, Julian explained that he chose to study at MI because “it seemed to be one of the best contemporary music schools around and it was affordable. I also like the variety of classes I can take.”

During his studies, he plans to focus on “refining my skills, learning new aspects of songwriting and music, and somehow combining everything into making a voice for myself. I want to eventually find my voice and my style of music to write upon graduation from MI.”

After MI, Julian’s primary career aspirations are to: “become a singer/songwriter! I would love to be able to be a creator as a job, and standing on stage would make me so happy. I want to make music, and then sing that music for people across the world, and show people my honest self – I hope someday I can do this and that people would appreciate and become inspired by it.”  

Everyone at Musicians Institute congratulates Julian on this achievement, which marks a great beginning to his studies. We look forward to seeing him reach his full potential while at MI.

Special thanks to MI’s Executive President, Histake Shibuya for generously sponsoring this scholarship, which helps to provide talented students like Julian with the support, tools and recognition they need to launch successful and creative careers in the music industry.

2019 GuideStar Platinum Seal of Transparency

Fall 2019 President’s Award Vocal Scholarship Winner: Saasha Small

MI faculty member Brian “Hacksaw” Williams with Saasha Small

The 2019 President’s Award Vocal Scholarship has been awarded to Musicians Institute Vocal Program student: Saasha Small.  She comes to MI by way of New Iberia, Louisiana, having earned the prestigious award with a strong demonstration of her musical skills and specialization in singing R&B and Neo-soul genres.

Describing her reasons for coming to MI, Saasha states, “MI came highly recommended. The connections and teachers and info. that you learn is incredible.”  While at MI she plans to focus on “learning more Harmony and Theory, learn why things sound the way they sound. I want to develop my musicianship and learn why things sound good, or bad.”

She sees her education as an important pathway to achieving her career goals of being able to “be an entertainer, make a good living and provide for myself doing what I love.”

Everyone at MI would like to congratulate Saasha on winning this prestigious award.

Special thanks to MI’s longtime owner Histake Shibuya for generously sponsoring this scholarship, which helps to provide talented students like Saasha with the support, tools and recognition they need to launch successful and creative careers in the music industry.

2019 GuideStar Platinum Seal of Transparency

2019 LA Breakfast Club Foundation Bachelor of Music Performance Scholarship at Musicians Institute WINNER: Joseph Caster

MI Faculty Member Chris Buzea (l.) with Joseph Caster

Talented guitarist Joseph Caster is the winner of the third annual LA Breakfast Club Foundation Bachelor of Music Performance Scholarship at Musicians Institute.  The newly enrolling Bachelor of Music in Performance Program (Guitar/Audio Production Emphasis) student comes to MI by way of Rogers, Arkansas having performed and composed music in a wide variety of musical genres including rhythm and blues, funk, reggae, and jazz.

Joseph has been playing guitar and bass for 11 years and writing music for 10 years, and shared that during his studies at MI, he plans to focus on “perfecting my craft as a songwriter and as a performerI I think of music as an extension of myself and I believe studying at MI will help my playing and writing become more second nature.”

He chose to study at Musicians Institute because “I know I will be able to start my life as a musician as soon as I begin school through people I meet and friends that I make. I’m beyond excited to begin performing in LA and I plan on booking and playing gigs as many nights as possible a week.”

Joseph describes his career and future aspirations as follows: “my dream simply is to be able to financially support myself as a songwriter, performer, and audio engineer. ”  He added, “my biggest goal is to write music and to inspire other people to write and perform music.”

Everyone at MI congratulates Joseph on this achievement, which marks a great beginning to his studies. We look forward to seeing him reach his full potential while at MI.

Special thanks to The LA Breakfast Club Foundation for generously sponsoring this scholarship, which helps to provide talented students like Joseph with the support, tools and recognition they need to launch successful and creative careers in the music industry.

2019 GuideStar Platinum Seal of Transparency

Fall 2019 Evans Drum Scholarship Winner: Hayden Loewen

Drum faculty member Jeff Bowders (l.) with Hayden Loewen

The Drum Program at Musicians Institute and The Musicians Foundation are pleased to announce that Hayden Loewen, from Las Vegas Nevada has been named the winner of the prestigious Evans Drumhead Scholarship for fall 2019.

The Prog-rock and alternative rock drummer has been playing and performing for the past 9 years.  During his studies at MI, Hayden plans to focus on “learning how to record and produce drums as well as my knowledge of music in general.  I want to continue to expand my vocabulary as a player and network with as many other musicians as possible and much more.”

Upon receiving his scholarship award, Hayden acknowledged that he chose to study at Musicians Institute because “I was so captivated by the program and the amount of opportunities available within the industry.”

He described his future professional goals as follows: ”I want to be a successful drummer within the music industry, whether it’s in a band, as a performer, studio artist, or session drummer.”

Everyone at MI congratulates Hayden on this achievement, which marks a great beginning to his studies. We look forward to seeing his reach his full potential while at MI.

Special thanks to our longtime industry partner, Evans Drumheads and The D’Addario Music Foundation for generously sponsoring this scholarship, which helps to provide talented students like Hayden with the support, tools and recognition they need to launch successful and creative careers in the music industry. 

Evans has been a pioneer in drumhead design for over 50 years and is a committed supporter and advocate of music education.

To learn more about the full line of Evans Drumhead products click here.

2019 GuideStar Platinum Seal of Transparency

 

FALL 2019 PAJWELL FOUNDATION BACHELOR OF MUSIC IN COMPOSITION FOR VISUAL MEDIA SCHOLARSHIP WINNER: Landon Myres

MI faculty member Chris Buzea (l.) with Landon Myres

Talented guitarist, Landon Myres is the winner of the first-ever Pajwell Foundation Bachelor of Music in Composition for Visual Media Scholarship at Musicians Institute. Landon comes to MI by way of Little Rock, AK having composed music in a variety of musical genres, with an emphasis on “epic cinematic orchestral music”.

During his Bachelor’s Program studies, he plans to focus on “learning more about orchestration, counterpoint, arranging, conducting, music production, and how to successfully infiltrate into the game/film industry. One of the main reasons I chose MI is because it’s located in the heart of the film industry. In addition to the amount of unique courses MI offers that you can’t find anywhere else in the world. With the help of MI’s experienced staff I believe I can accomplish my goals.”

Landon describes his career and future aspirations as follows: “my dream is to become a successful composer. I want to compose music for games, films, and television. I hope to create music that connects with people emotionally and has a positive impact on their lives.”

Everyone at MI congratulates Landon on this achievement,  we look forward to seeing him reach his full potential while at MI.

Special thanks to The Pajwell Foundation for generously sponsoring this scholarship, which helps to provide talented students like Landon with the support, tools and recognition they need to launch successful and creative careers in the music industry.

2019 GuideStar Platinum Seal of Transparency

FALL 2019 HOSA TECHNOLOGY AUDIO ENGINEERING SCHOLARSHIP WINNER: Andrew Spinello

Dean of the School of Industry Studies and Audio Engineering Program Chair: Jonathan Newkirk (l.) with Andrew Spinello

The Audio Engineering Program at Musicians Institute is pleased to announce Andrew Spinello as the winner of the sixth annual Hosa Technology Audio Engineering Scholarship at MI.  

In winning this award, the Valencia, CA native convincingly and clearly articulated his career goals in his scholarship essay submission.  Andrew comes to MI with a strong interest in EDM, Synthpop, electronic rock and other genres.

Asked why he chose to study in the Audio Engineering Program at MI, Andrew shared that “I chose to study at MI because it has the most appealing curriculum, location, and reputation.”   While at MI, Andrew’s goals as a student will be to focus on “learning enough to give me options for different careers in the music industry.”

Regarding his future career goals and aspirations, Andrew added, “I want to make people happy with my art.”

Everyone at MI congratulates Andrew on winning this prestigious award, and we welcome him as he begins his studies and enjoys the many great experiences ahead at MI!

Special thanks to our industry partner, Hosa Technology for generously sponsoring this scholarship, which helps to provide students like Andrew with the support, tools and recognition they need to launch successful and creative careers in the music industry.

2019 GuideStar Platinum Seal of Transparency

FALL 2019 UNIVERSAL CITYWALK HOLLYWOOD VOCAL SCHOLARSHIP WINNER: Jiwoo Kim

Jiwoo Kim (l.) with Debra Byrd MI Vocal Dept. Chair

The fall 2019 Universal Citywalk Hollywood Vocal Scholarship has been awarded to Musicians Institute Vocal Program student: Jiwoo Kim.  The South Korean native earned the prestigious award with a strong demonstration of her versatile musical skills.

During her studies at MI, she shared that “I hope to learn performing skills while at MI, I’m especially looking forward to the Live Performance Workshops because I’ve always wanted to have an ensemble with musicians from various countries.”  Describing her reasons for coming to MI, Jiwoo states, “by combining people from different cultures with different genres of music, I expect to learn something bigger and more important in music than what I can learn in Korea. This is why I choose to study at MI.”

She sees her education as an important key to achieving her longterm career goals of being able to “be a real musician with lots of musical knowledge while excelling in vocal performance.  With these skills and proficiency, I can really express to the audience what I think and genuinely feel about the song.  I want to heal the people thru music with genuine and sincere lyrics that come directly from my own experience. If I work hard to achieve these goals, I’ll be a successful and well-known musician.”

Everyone at MI would like to congratulate Jiwoo on winning this prestigious award.

Special thanks to our industry partner Universal Citywalk Hollywood, for generously sponsoring this scholarship, which helps to provide talented students like Jiwoo with the support, tools and recognition they need to launch successful and creative careers in the music industry.

To learn more about Universal Citywalk Hollywood, click here.

2019 GuideStar Platinum Seal of Transparency

FALL 2019 Melodic Soloing Guitar Scholarship WINNER: Joseph Peterson

Guitar Dept. Chair Stig Mathisen (l.) with Joe Peterson

Musicians Institute and The Musicians Foundation are pleased to announce that Joseph Peterson is the recipient of the Fall 2019 Melodic Soloing Guitar Scholarship.

Joseph comes to MI’s Guitar Program from Dyer, Indiana with 6 years of playing experience and in possession of solid melodic soloing skills with a specialization in Metal and ’80’s Hair Metal genres.

During his studies at MI, he will focus on “gaining a good understanding of music theory and studying other genres of music.”  When asked why he chose to study at MI, Joseph added “I chose MI because of the school’s reputation, resources and the location of the school in Los Angeles”

He describes his professional goals and aspirations as follows: “my dreams and aspirations are probably similar to all of the other students at MI, in that I want to be in my own touring band making music I love with people I enjoy working with.”

Everyone at MI congratulates Joseph on winning this very prestigious scholarship award, and we welcome him as he begins his studies and the many great experiences ahead at MI!

Special thanks to an anonymous MI Guitar Program alumnus (GIT class of 1980) for generously sponsoring this scholarship, which helps to provide talented students like Joseph with the support, tools and recognition they need to launch successful careers in the music industry.

To learn more about the MI Alumni Community click HERE and HERE

2019 GuideStar Platinum Seal of Transparency

 

 

FALL 2019 SEYMOUR DUNCAN GUITAR SCHOLARSHIP WINNER: Dale Scoville

Guitar Dept. Chair Stig Mathisen (l.) with Dale Scoville

The winner of the Fall 2019 Seymour Duncan Guitar Scholarship at Musicians Institute is the talented Dale Scoville who comes to MI from Claremont, CA with a specialization in performing alternative/indie rock.

Dale explains that he chose to study in MI’s Guitar Program because “they have great resources for students and have taught many great musicians, many of whom I look up to and hope to emulate.”  

During his studies at MI, he will focus on “learning and refining new techniques, being able to play efficiently in varied genres and styles, becoming a better performer and learning to write music that people will be inspired by.”

He describes his longterm goals and aspirations as follows: “There are many things I would love to be able to do as a career in the music industry, primarily writing, performing, recording and producing music and creating musical instruments. No matter what career path or paths I pursue, I want to make something that can be loved and used to create more art from. Music has helped me through a lot and I want to write and play music that can help others too.”

Everyone at MI congratulates Dale on this achievement, which marks a great beginning to his studies. We look forward to seeing him reach his full potential while at MI.

Special thanks to our very special industry partner, Seymour Duncan for generously sponsoring this scholarship, which helps to provide talented students like Dale with the support, tools and recognition they need to launch successful and creative careers in the music industry. The scholarship was created thru the generous support of Seymour Duncan Pickups and Pedals to honor innovative guitar legend Seymour Duncan.

To learn more about the full line of Seymour Duncan Products click here

 

 

2019 GuideStar Platinum Seal of Transparency

FALL 2019 SEYMOUR DUNCAN GUITAR CRAFT SCHOLARSHIP WINNER: Brandt Jewell

Brandt Jewell (l.) with Michael Phifer- Director of Guitar Craft Academy (GCA) Nashville

The winner of the fall 2019 Seymour Duncan Guitar Craft Academy Scholarship is Brandt Jewell.  We welcome Brandt as an incoming student at our GCA Nashville Campus!

The Franklin, Tennessee native explains that he decided to study at Musicians Institute’s Guitar Craft Academy  because “it seemed like a perfect fit for me. There aren’t many schools that teach you how to build guitars and there wasn’t anyone that could offer guidance on how to get into this industry in high school or college. When I saw MI’s booth at Summer NAMM 2 years ago and that they would be starting a school in Nashville, it was a dream come true. Finally I had an avenue to develop my passion. With MI’s reputation and name, they have respected industry professionals giving you a hands-on education. It was a no-brainer.”

During his studies at Musicians Institute, Brandt intends to “learn anything and everything, and be properly taught by industry professionals at MI! Drafting, finishing, working a CNC machine. I want to learn how to cut and file a nut with the proper technique and how to make/wind my own pickups. I want to take in as much of it as I possibly can!”

His future goals and aspirations are “to one day start my own business/brand. But first, I think I’d like to gain some experience and networking by going out on the road and tech for an artist or band. I always dreamed about what it must be like to be The Edge’s guitar tech, Dallas Schoo, and how challenging/ fun it must be to manage that array of gear. Then I’d like to work for a respected brand and learn how a good guitar business runs. Hopefully that will give me the experience I need to start “Jewell” guitars in the future!”

He also adds “not long after I started playing, and again partly because of The Edge I became interested in building and repairing instruments. I wanted to dissect how he got those amazing guitar tones, so I learned all about effects/guitar pedals, why single coil pickups sounded different from hum-buckers and why different woods were used for different guitars.  I also built my own parts-casters.  The Seymour Duncan Guitar Craft Scholarship means so much to me. To be chosen for this scholarship that bears the name of one of the most respected brands in the industry is such a humbling honor. It gives me the opportunity to turn my passion into a career. I have the drive and determination, but not the financial backing so this is a massive aid to helping me achieve my goals. It means so much to me and I cannot wait to get started this fall!”

Everyone at MI congratulates Brandt on this achievement, which marks a great beginning to his studies. We look forward to seeing him reach his full potential while at MI.

Special thanks to our very special industry partner, Seymour Duncan for generously sponsoring this scholarship, which helps to provide talented students like Brandt with the support, tools and recognition they need to launch successful and creative careers in the music industry.  The scholarship was created thru the generous support of Seymour Duncan Pickups and Pedals to honor innovative guitar legend Seymour Duncan.

To learn more about the full line of Seymour Duncan products click here

 

 

 

 

2019 GuideStar Platinum Seal of Transparency