The Revenant Composer

Well, I sent my thank-you emails this past week; I hope I got my information correct, and didn’t stick my metaphorical foot in my mouth. No response yet, though I don’t necessarily anticipate one.

I had also reached out to the PhD student at Mason Gross who sat in on my interview – by text, only because he had been kind enough to share his phone number with me. I don’t want to jump to conclusions or overstep myself, but I felt like we had made a connection around our mutual love of heavy metal, and when it came up in interview that one of my compositions was literally for metal band and orchestra, he seemed pretty excited!

As with the professors, I hadn’t necessarily been expecting a response, but lo and behold – a couple of days ago I received a reply!

Great meeting you man!

Random PhD student who I have no other connection with and was under absolutely no obligation to even reply to me

Obviously I was over the moon that he replied at all, never mind in such an enthusiastic manner – after all, he would have been a part of numerous interviews that day, and many more yet to come. Now, normally I would retreat into my introvert’s hidey-hole and let that be as it was, but I thought to myself – this a new career path I’m trying to embark on; I might as well put everything on the table. So, I replied back – obviously mentioning how pleased I was to have met him too – and further added that if he was at all interested, I’d be glad to share more of my music with him, including the full album of metal/orchestral music.

And he said yes!

So just a few minutes ago, I emailed over a very large attachment (I hope it arrives) containing the entire album. Of course, it’s entirely possible that he was just placating me and has no real intention of actually listening to it, but even then I wouldn’t be terribly disappointed; this is a connection I’ve made in the field I want to work in, and that alone is exciting enough for me. If he actually were to listen to my music, and – forbid it – actually enjoy it, I don’t think I can overstate how ecstatic I would be!

I know more interviews are being conducted at Mason Gross this coming Saturday, but after that – it’s decision time. Sometime between next week and April first, I’m supposed to hear back about my application – and whether I got in. Funnily enough, now I’m starting to feel oddly nervous, rather than before the interview. Perhaps because, even being on campus and meeting the people I’d potentially be working with, I was still wholly in my world and life as it stands now – not what it could be in the future. Now, a week later, I’m starting to realize that I had my shot – and whether I made it or not is no longer in my control.

Still, until I hear otherwise I will remain hopeful, and even if I don’t make it into Rutgers this year, I’ve nonetheless made an industry connection, which is itself a great thing that I’ve accomplished.