Meet Jennifer Desantis!
How old are you?
22
Where are you from?
A very small town called Danville, Pennsylvania.
Why did you come to Oneonta?
I came to Oneonta for the Music Industry Program. It’s very advanced and the professors all have a very impressive background. I really liked the campus. Not too big, not too small. It just seemed right.
What do you study at Oneonta?
Music Industry with an Audio Production minor
What do you do for fun?
I love to write songs and produce tracks on Logic Pro X, and also playing at open mics on campus. I love playing the piano in the practice rooms. I love sketching and painting. Working out is so important to me as well, though I haven’t really gotten around to it this semester. (Oops.) Also, shopping and hanging out with friends.
What advice would you give someone going into your major as a freshman?
I’d say be prepared to be stressed out if you’re also doing an audio production minor. It’s a lot of TA hours and time. Be prepared to do a bunch of music projects in the studio and also you will meet the most amazing professors ever. You need to have good time management but you’ll have fun with the major! If the music business or music itself is what you love, you’ll succeed. The professors are also so friendly if you need to talk to them during office hours.
What are your plans for your future?
I plan to finish my single “Someone Else” in the summer and have it on Spotify, Bandcamp, and iTunes. I also plan on finishing the music video for it as well. Gabe Vargas has been filming it for me and has done an excellent job so far. In July, I plan to do a tour in Nashville to promote my single and meet a very well-known producer/songwriter/performer, Shannon McArthur. Hopefully, I can get a job making music for films and TV. I would love to have my music played on commercials as well. My future entails working with as many people in the industry as I can, touring, and being a part of a publishing company one day. Performing around the world would be my ultimate dream. Who knows? For now, I’ll see where my music takes me.
What have you accomplished with your music so far in college?
I’ve been on e-board for the past three years for the Songwriting Club. I’ve been PR, Vice President, and now President. I’ve organized multiple open mics on and off campus for the club including the Urban Hip Hop Show, SWC Showcase, and many more. I was the pianist for Voices of Serenity and the SUNY Oneonta gospel choir as a sophomore while also hosting my own open mic every Thursday at Gallagher’s Bar. Also as a sophomore and junior, I interned at SubCat Studios, a nationally known music studio in Syracuse. Billy Cook, a SUNY Oneonta graduate from the Music Industry program, produced my song “Sweet Lies” there which will be on my upcoming album. During the summer of junior year, I was also a venue manager at Funk N Waffles in Syracuse. This was a difficult but wonderful experience. Some of the projects I worked on involve making music were for a short movie clip for my Audio Production 2 class, performing an original composition, “Crazy” for the Parent’s Weekend show, producing my original “How Beautiful You Are” with my Audio 1 project, being in Rock Combo, playing at a visual art/experimental jam show for students, being in The Light Full, and EMG. I also performed and scratched live on my own original piece for my Beat Production show. Last but not least, I’ve currently been in the studio with Fred Rigollaud who has been recording my upcoming album while also shooting a music video with the help of Gabe Vargas.
Thanks for taking the time to get to know her!
-Samara Forman