MORE ABOUT ALEX
Graduation Date:
June 2012
Hometown:
Morton Grove, Illinois
High School:
Maine East High School
Current Employment:
- DePaul Screamin’ Demons Pep Band
- Brand/Sales Representative for Equilibrium Unit
Campus Involvement:
- Jazz Workshop
- Wind Symphony
- Play Out Loud DePaul
- Asian Cultural Exchange
Awards & Achievements:
- Played in the Jazz Workshop with legendary jazz saxophonist Phil Woods
Alex Paguirigan
Area of Study:
Sound Recording Technology with a minor in Physics
I chose my major because… I wake up every morning knowing that all I can do for the rest of my life is music. However, I don’t wake up wanting to perform or teach forever. My love for all different genres of music as well as film drove me to choose the Sound Recording Technology (SRT) program. I also have always excelled in the sciences regardless of my interest in them, so I think that majoring in SRT is a perfect combination of what I’m good at and what I love.
The learning environment here at DePaul is… just right. Classes are intimate enough to the point where every student gets attention, yet large enough to not feel too pressured. In my experience, professors have always been willing to meet outside of class for their students.
My favorite professor at DePaul is… Tom Miller. He’s so knowledgeable in sound recording technology and an incredibly friendly and helpful person. I am looking forward to working with him more in the future.
When I have free time, I like to… broadcast a live video streaming music show. The show usually consists of me taking requests to cover popular songs or play and sing originals. When I’m not in the playing mood I’m usually hosting a game of “Name That Tune.” You can check out my show at blogtv.com/people/AlexJohn
One thing I didn’t know about DePaul before coming was… its Vincentian mission. Prior to my freshman orientation, I had no idea how progressive DePaul University was – I always saw the university as a traditional Catholic school.
The greatest thing about going to school in Chicago is… there are so many places for eating, shopping and entertainment — and everything is accessible by public transit! The U-Pass that DePaul includes in one’s tuition allows for unlimited public transit rides around the city, which has personally come in handy numerous times so far.
DePaul University’s School of Music appealed to me as a student and as a musician because… DePaul’s approach to the music curriculum was a defining factor in my choice to apply to the school. The idea that I could focus almost all of my time on music while still having the ability to take other elective courses in film, Japanese, etc. was very appealing. Also, I had previous positive interactions with various faculty from the School of Music, all of with which I wanted to work.
The benefits of attending an urban university when it comes to performance, either on-campus at the Concert Hall or the Merle Reskin Theatre, or off-campus are… Chicago has an incredible number of musical venues, some of which provide discounts for students. Also, throughout the year, the DePaul School of Music hosts some sort of musical event almost every day. This all means plenty of opportunities for one to experience the Chicago music scene on any given day.
After graduation, I plan to… find a job in a studio immediately. I haven’t decided what type of sound recording work I want to do just yet, but I’d love to work for a movie studio like Pixar. If I learn enough Japanese throughout my college career, I’d also like to move to Japan and work as a recording engineer.
The one thing I’d like to say to students considering DePaul… make sure to see the campus and facilities with your own eyes! There’s only so much the Internet can show and tell you. For me, actually experiencing the urban setting of DePaul University sealed the deal.
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