2021 ESP ROCK GUITAR SCHOLARSHIP at Musicians Institute Winner: Cody Cadena

ESP Rock Guitar Scholarship winner Cody Cadena with his new ESP LTD

Musicians Institute is pleased to announce that Cody Cadena is the recipient of the Spring 2021  ESP Rock Guitar Scholarship.  Cody comes to MI’s Guitar Program from Woodland Hills, CA with several years of guitar playing experience specializing in Classic Rock and Blues genres.

During his studies at MI, Cody will focus on: “improving upon my songwriting and improvisation skills, so that I can work as a session guitarist and/or composer. Not just for the rock genre, but also progressive rock/metal and/or jazz/rock fusion!!”

When asked why he chose to study at MI, he shared: “a mentor of mine, Bonnie McIntocsh, studied at Musicians Institute and recommended it to me. Additionally, it is close to where I live and is one of the few schools that offers a comprehensive education in rock/metal and business literacy.”

He shared that winning this scholarship “confirms that I am able to reap the benefits of my hard work as a guitarist/musician. It gives me more confidence to move forward in the career that I’ve chosen for myself. It’s nice to know that hard work can pay off!”

Cody sees his education as an important key to achieving his dream of one day being able to “make a living as a session guitarist, doing work for a variety of artists. However, my ultimate goal as a musician is to make a living as a video game composer, while also being able to score for films and television. I may have to do all of this simultaneously, but I’m confident that I can put in the hard work to be successful.”

Everyone at MI congratulates Cody on winning this prestigious scholarship award as he begins his studies at MI!

Special thanks to our longtime industry partner, ESP Guitars for generously sponsoring this scholarship, which helps to provide talented students like Cody with the support, tools and recognition they need to launch successful careers in the music industry.

Be sure to visit ESP Electric Guitars, and their industry partner: Takamine Guitars  to learn more their full line of guitar products.

Everyone at MI congratulates Cody on winning this very prestigious award!

 

The Musicians Foundation:
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D’Addario Women in Guitar Scholarship at Musicians Institute Winner: Hisako Ozawa

Hisako Ozawa with Travis Newlon (Interim Guitar Program Chair)

Talented guitarist Hisako Ozawa has been named as winner of the first-ever D’Addario Women in Guitar Scholarship, sponsored by The D’Addario Music Foundation as a part of its Music Education for Girls Initiative.

Coming to Musicians Institute from Tokyo Japan, Hisako brings a versatile array of playing experiences, and also shared that “I perform various styles of music but I enjoy performing rock music the most. I’m in several rock bands right now and have really come to love the genre.”

Hisako decided to attend MI because “there are many reasons why I chose to study at MI. Everyone knows that MI has a rich history of successful alumni. The professors are all world class musicians, composers and engineers who offer a wealth of knowledge and skill. MI also has a great support system for current students and for past alumni. For example, career counseling, workshops, and audition support.  I feel very lucky to be studying here.”  She added, “my main interest is guitar techniques and music composition, specifically composing for film.  I’m also interested in MI’s audio engineering program because I feel it will complement my film composing skills quite well.”

Hisako sees these skills as an important key to achieving her dream of one day being able to “be a professional guitar player who has the skills to play a wide range of music styles while exhibiting a strong stage presence, and to be a successful film composer (and represent women in the world of film music), and creating my own original music.”

Everyone at MI congratulates Hisako on winning this very prestigious award, and we look forward to her success as she continues to excel in her studies within the Bachelor’s program.

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

To learn more about the full line of D’Addario Products click here: http://www.daddario.com

“Music is a universally powerful tool for self-expression and self-empowerment. The D’Addario Foundation hopes to encourage and nurture more female musicians. It is our goal to help promote more music created by women, and foster new opportunities that enable more young women to thrive in the music industry and beyond.”

– Suzanne D’Addario Brouder, Executive Director of the D’Addario Foundation

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