Interview with alumni, Ryan Powell on his interdisciplinary work as a composer and student
Ryan Powell is one of many New York Arts Program alumni who has built a life, career and creative practice in New York City. Ryan is graduating from NYU with his master’s in Screen Scoring this semester.
Read about his time with the Program and beyond in this interview below
When did you do the New York Arts Program? Where was your internship(s)? Where did you go to college?
I was part of the New York Arts Program in the fall of 2018 while working towards a bachelors at Albion College in Michigan. My NYAP internships were with Q Department, a music production house for advertisements; and with Christopher North, a film composer whom I assisted. During the time, I also held a remote internship with a NASA arts program for their Psyche Asteroid Mission.
What projects are you working on right now?
One of my recent gigs is with Columbia University neuroscience where I'm writing music which will be part of a scientific study conducted on music and the brain. A couple other composers and I wrote music for a few separate emotions and states of mind, which we weaved into larger tracks. Volunteering subjects will have their brains scanned while listening to our music to see how they light up! The study is the first of its kind to match the sound of the fMRI machine to the tempo of the music.
I am also currently working on two commissions, one for whale research out of University of Tromsø, and one from University of Michigan Aerospace cube-satellite technology. I'm tasked with writing a song/story centered around the science project (specific whale's journey, and journey of specific cubesat) and creating something engaging that will excite people about the topic. This allows for a lot of creative freedom to tell odd little stories, often personifying the subjects to strike a balance of emotional engagement with loose scientific explanation.
And I've recently started a (brand new!) small music production company with two friends. We're called The Brew Canoe and are focusing on music for streamers and content creators.
Make it stand out
“Push yourself as far as you can out of your comfort zone. New York Arts Program is the perfect chance to stretch yourself both professionally and socially.”
How did the New York Arts Program help get you where you are now?
New York Arts Program was the beginning of me planting my roots in NYC. The relationships made within the internships were vital, but I wound up gaining so much in other areas as well. For example, I met the singer for one of my NASA projects by happenstance at a mutual friend’s get-together. I also got to know the city and NYU, which led to my applying and earning my master’s degree the two years following. I’m sure I would not have been accepted into the degree program if not for the experience of my internships. Since the New York Arts Program, so many of the relationships I formed inside and out of internships have grown, led to greater things, and led to the expansion of my roots in the city.
What do you love about NYC?
I love how diverse NYC is, both culturally and with industry. It’s a mish-mash of so many different types of things and people, all tightly packed and in walking distance. Being able to walk from the best of fashion in the country, to the best of theatre, to the best bagel, is energizing and part of what has allowed my creativity to thrive here. I’m a big walker so that’s got to be my favorite aspect, not to mention no car upkeep or needing to uber home after a night out.
People talk about the fast-paced energy of the city, which is certainly a thing… but there are also beautiful parks sprinkled all around that are perfect for taking a breath and smelling the roses. I’ve found the people to be very pleasant as well, contrary to the stereotype. It feels good to live amongst a diverse set of like-minded people with similar motivations.
What advice would you give to a New York Arts Program student?
I would say push yourself as far as you can out of your comfort zone. New York Arts Program is the perfect chance to stretch yourself both professionally and socially. Whether that means going to that networking event, or trying that new food, or going to that art show. It’s harder to predict the opportunities that could come out of the little things like these, but I can’t state enough how much I took away from them in ways that are difficult to quantify.
I would recommend taking the opportunity to get to know the city inside and out as well, and getting involved in culture and events is a great way to see if the city resonates with you. Plus there’s always something to do, so it’s hard to be bored— budget-friendly things too! There are free shows all around (those are often the best ones if you ask me) and plenty of cheap food if you do some digging online.