Farfy Foundation Gift Spurs Student-Led Music Festival

The Department of Music is no stranger to these ambitions. Thanks to the department's concert production–nearly 200 are held each year–students are regularly exposed to the latest technologies, like a new spatial sound acoustics system in the department’s Experimental Theater. Donors Londei and Wang were inspired to make a gift after meeting students and faculty who are pushing the boundaries of musical creation and performance.

Though both have careers in the sciences—Londei a medical doctor in the biotech industry and Wang a principal scientist studying the delivery of therapeutic drugs to the brain—they believe that the arts contribute to developing well-rounded, creative individuals. “Supporting education is the central theme of our foundation,” shared Wang. “We believe the arts and music heighten a person's sensitivity to creativity.”

Their recent $90K gift has spurred “The Arcades: An Undergraduate Music Festival.” In the first quarter of the course, students will learn directly from industry specialists in programming, logistics, publicity, marketing and budget management, with one expert visiting the class each week. In the second quarter, faculty will mentor students in planning and executing the festival.

“UC San Diego’s Department of Music has innovative and brilliant professors, such as Steven Schick, Kamau Kenyatta and Lei Liang,” said Wang. “We believe the festival project will provide undergraduates firsthand exposure to such masters. More importantly they will learn how to work collaboratively and organize complex tasks—valuable skills and experiences that will prepare them to thrive in the real world. We are proud to enable such an opportunity.”

Their final project will involve activating the entire Conrad Prebys Music Center into a site of simultaneous performance, the planning and logistics of which are supported by the Farfy Foundation’s gift. The large-scale concert will center on the theme “Living in the Natural World: The Soundscape of San Diego.” Listeners will receive a map and schedule and will be invited to explore numerous simultaneous events–from soloists and chamber ensembles to large-scale performances. 

“It’s an unprecedented opportunity for undergraduate students to conceive, plan and execute a festival that represents their musical vision–all thanks to the generous support of the Farfy Foundation,” said Steven Schick, distinguished professor of music and Reed Family presidential chair. “From performance and composition to scholarship and improvisation, ‘The Arcades’ festival will spotlight undergraduate musicians—performed, curated and produced by the undergraduates themselves. That is so exciting!”

Aspiring recording artists develop as studio professionals

This is not the first time that Wang and Londei have supported hands-on learning. In 2022 they provided a $100K gift to the Department of Music to establish a student apprenticeship program that promotes work-based learning for undergraduates. Eight scholars were chosen to be trained to assist in recording, production/post production and archiving, each compensated as a student employee. Over the past year they have been applying the proficiency they learn in class to media production in a real-world setting.

Senior Kristina Tran is an Interdisciplinary Computing in the Arts and Music (ICAM) major and for the past year has served as a recording assistant and audio archival assistant. “Not only do I have responsibilities to prep our studios and independently run live recordings for our professional concerts, I also get to work with industry-standard equipment and expectations,” she said.

A creative songwriter and music composer, Tran’s ultimate goal is to be able to produce and release an original album of her own. “Having the resources–the studios, equipment and professional connections–all around me, I feel more empowered than ever to make this idea a reality,” said Tran.

Senior Dan Bakir also expressed gratitude for the chance to develop skills in live broadcasting, recording and video editing. As a recording assistant, he has captured video of concert halls, led a recording session from the booth at the Conrad Prebys Concert Hall with an artist in residency and edited video footage to be archived in the department. “I have learned valuable skills that I have been able to apply both inside and outside of my position,” said Bakir.

For the past four years, Bakir has been recording, engineering and producing music, including his own compositions. His role in the apprenticeship program has inspired confidence in his ability to combine audio and video tools to realize his vision. “I have felt empowered to develop new skills that I’ve been able to incorporate into my own work and hope to continue growing.”

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