The music industry department invited touring bass player Brandon Gilliard to host a film score recording masterclass on Jan. 29 in the Kassab Recital Hall in the Hyman Fine Arts Center.
During this session, Gilliard spoke with students about his experience in film scoring and advised them on how students can succeed in the industry.
Gilliard began with a brief introduction about himself and highlighted some of his best work. In an introductory video shown at the beginning of the session, Gilliard spoke in an interview about one of his encounters with well-known American singer Prince. While engaging with students and faculty in attendance, Gilliard was able to offer a firsthand account of his experience working with artists such as Lecrae, Janelle Monáe, Kirk Franklin and many others.
He has also performed at the White House on various occasions. Gilliard has had his work featured in award-winning soundtracks such as “RIO 2,” “Migration” and Emmy-winner “Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie.”
As the musician continued to talk about his experiences within the industry, attending students began to formulate a series of questions for Gilliard. One of the biggest highlights from the session was Gilliard’s emphasis on networking with the right people.
“People in a gig will do this thing where they [kind of] gravitate to the person who seems the most important,” Gilliard said. “My point being that everybody is equally as important. You never know where work is going to come along.”
While touching on the practical aspects of an extensive career in film scoring, the musician shared valuable advice with students on the importance of having a portfolio and navigating the industry with elevated levels of competition. He strongly encouraged students to explore the industry and experiment with different sounds to develop a versatile skill set. Students who may have done anything on television but have not received any income were encouraged to visit the Film Musicians Secondary Markets Fund website.
“The purpose of this is if you have done any kind of TV stuff and have not seen any money from it, this will connect you there,” Gilliard said. “They collect money for musicians… A lot of musicians do not know about this.”
Along with meeting the musician, students could connect with Gilliard one-on-one at the session’s closure. During this time, they were able to ask questions and receive personalized advice from Gilliard. As the aspiring musicians embark on their own creative journeys, armed with the guidance of Gilliard and a much broader perspective on the industry, the lessons taught during the masterclass were designed to resonate throughout their musical journeys.
Students left this session with technical knowledge and an idea of how to excel in film scoring. As Gilliard’s recording masterclass concluded, the words of inspiration set aspiring musicians on their own creative paths.