Josh Trentadue is a self-published composer, Music Copyist at Tiberio Music Design and Publishing, President of the Millennium Composers Initiative, and Project Manager and Composer for Symphony No. 1.

What experiences did you have at MSU that prepared you to be successful today?

The relationships that I formed with my professors and colleagues during my time at MSU has been invaluable to me in every regard, as well as beneficial to building the confidence that I needed in pursuing a full-time compositional career. Having a high level of support for someone’s artistic work is crucial for building upon a sustainable, healthy, and successful career in this ever-changing business. On top of this, the fantastic experiences I had when I was a part of MSU’s band program also helped to make me a better composer, and a better human being, in the long run. I would not be where I am today without these people in my life, as well as these experiences I was so fortunate to have at MSU.

What skills do you believe are most important to have as a musician today?

Networking is crucial to thriving in this profession, especially in this day and age. If you aren’t building upon the professional relationships that you’ve made, then you hurt your chances of creating a sustainable and viable career path for yourself. If you aren’t actively sharing your work with the people in your profession, or even the people closest to you, then you risk hurting your chances of connecting with those who will invest in you, your work, and your art in the long run.

Versatility is important to know as well. For me, at least, I don’t consider myself to be a composer that exclusively writes for band, or film, or chamber music, and so on - I’m just a composer. Versatility in this profession will open the door for you to an even wider range of new opportunities you may not necessarily have if you limit yourself to one specific field, or genre of music. Other skills that I think are important to know include learning how to be resilient during difficult times; being reliable, efficient, and flexible; and, finding the means to be able to create multiple, and sustainable, income revenue opportunities.

Finally, more importantly than anything else, just be a good person. Be kind to others and care about them, care about what they’re accomplishing, and support their work, because this profession is about who you know as equally as what you know. Be confident in yourself. Don’t take any opportunities for granted, but equally as important, know what you want for yourself too. All of these things will lead to more opportunities for you in the long run.

How have you had to adjust your professional life in response to COVID-19?

Practically my entire professional life at this point has shifted to using technology as a means to continue my work; communicate with my friends, colleagues and collaborators; and, keep building upon my professional network. This transition was relatively smooth - technology had already become a major, and critical, component of my career over the past few years, whether working on commissions for concert music and multimedia projects (such as scores for short films) or continuing to build upon a professional presence on social media. My compositional output since the pandemic began has ranged from electronic music projects, to a few chamber music pieces, to creating adaptable/flex ensemble music for groups meeting in-person or virtually, and (as a long-term project) to the symphony I’m currently writing and collaborating with a group of amazing people on (a group that includes several MSU alum). All of this has continued to keep me busy this year, and I’m so grateful to my collaborators and commissioners for what they have each brought to these projects, for believing in them, and for supporting them during this difficult time.

What have you done to keep up your mental health throughout the difficulties of this year?

Because of how devastating this pandemic has become, and the necessity of prioritizing the need to keep ourselves safe and healthy (which is far more important at this time than anything else, in my mind), it hurt at first being unable to connect with artists and ensembles in person. That greatly impacted my mental health when all of this started, and that’s the thing I currently miss the most. We need that human, in-person connection of sharing the joy of music together. I’m all about that Zoom life when it comes to keeping in touch with my friends and colleagues, and this has led to additional collaborative opportunities of creating new music and sharing it virtually with the community. The experience is different, though. It’s not the same as physically immersing yourself in a concert hall, or performance space, to hear somebody perform or hear the premiere of a new piece for the very first time. As we continue to circumvent this pandemic, we are continuing to find ways to safely create live music together wherever possible. All the same, it's just different.

So, my mental health has been all over the place this year - some days have been better than others, and some have been far worse. Keeping busy with my current projects has helped, occasionally. Taking time for myself, however, has helped far more. I've immersed myself in nature walks as frequently and safely as possible. I enjoy cooking and often cook for my wife after she’s had a long day of work, usually with a Bon Iver or Pink Floyd record playing in the background. Staying in touch virtually with my friends, colleagues, and collaborators has helped me a lot. Therapy and meditation have also kept me grounded during this time. Finally, since I started working on my symphony, I’ve also been exploring one specific meditative practice that’s made a positive improvement on my mental health known as sound healing, which one of my collaborators (a certified sound healing practitioner and music therapist) will be incorporating in the piece.

Self-care, and taking time for yourself away from your work, is critical. Continuing to communicate with your friends, family, colleagues, and community is crucial. Were it not for all of these things, I firmly believe that my mental health would be in a far worse state than it currently is this year.

Ivette Herryman Rodriguez is currently Assistant Professor of Music Theory and Composition at the Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam.

What summer experiences while you were a student have been the most meaningful to your career?

I didn't participate on festivals or anything of that sort during my summers at MSU, since I used that time to visit my family in Cuba.

How did your time at MSU influence you as a musician?

There are several things that were very valuable to me as a musician that came directly from my time at MSU. The one that I can think of right now is the relationships that were formed with both the professors and my classmates. These relationships have extended beyond my time at MSU and are of incalculable value to me as a young professional.

What skills do you believe are most important to have in music today?

Overall, seeking to be as versatile as a musician as one can possibly be.