Sophia Alvarez is an undergraduate student at the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music. In summer 2015 she went to Berlin for the five-week Tisch Multimedia Projects Workshop and took the courses Live Video Performance Art with Max Nova and Creative Computing with Shawn van Every. Here Sophia shares her experience in the program and tells us what studying abroad has done for her.
As a Recorded Music major, what interested you in the courses Live Video Performance Art and Creative Computing?
I became interested in Live Video Performance because I developed a new interest in performance art. I wanted to make my performances as a singer/songwriter more interactive, immersive, and different. I thought that Live Video Performance Art would be perfect because I would be learning a new medium which could potentially change the way I see myself as an artist and the world, in general. I had no idea what I was getting into when I got into Creative Computing, and was immediately overwhelmed by how difficult it is to learn a new language that we, paradoxically, use every day! I ended up loving that class because I understood the power of computers and how they can change the world in infinite ways. I learned how to become an author and discovered originality through building something from scratch on Processing. I also learned to value the hard work and intelligence that is put into technology, specifically lighting and visuals.
Tell us about the projects you worked on and how they challenged you.
We had to make a project on Processing which, at first, seemed impossible. I thought, "How am I going to create something out of nothing? Out of code?" I truly surprised myself when I made filters for a music video out of Processing. It pushed me to learn more, so the following semester I took a class on Live Digital Performance in the Polytech school [NYU Tandon School of Engineering] to learn more about Processing and how to integrate it into my live performances.
As a Recorded Music major, what interested you in the courses Live Video Performance Art and Creative Computing?
I became interested in Live Video Performance because I developed a new interest in performance art. I wanted to make my performances as a singer/songwriter more interactive, immersive, and different. I thought that Live Video Performance Art would be perfect because I would be learning a new medium which could potentially change the way I see myself as an artist and the world, in general. I had no idea what I was getting into when I got into Creative Computing, and was immediately overwhelmed by how difficult it is to learn a new language that we, paradoxically, use every day! I ended up loving that class because I understood the power of computers and how they can change the world in infinite ways. I learned how to become an author and discovered originality through building something from scratch on Processing. I also learned to value the hard work and intelligence that is put into technology, specifically lighting and visuals.
Tell us about the projects you worked on and how they challenged you.
We had to make a project on Processing which, at first, seemed impossible. I thought, "How am I going to create something out of nothing? Out of code?" I truly surprised myself when I made filters for a music video out of Processing. It pushed me to learn more, so the following semester I took a class on Live Digital Performance in the Polytech school [NYU Tandon School of Engineering] to learn more about Processing and how to integrate it into my live performances.
As a Recorded Music major, what interested you in the courses Live Video Performance Art and Creative Computing?
I became interested in Live Video Performance because I developed a new interest in performance art. I wanted to make my performances as a singer/songwriter more interactive, immersive, and different. I thought that Live Video Performance Art would be perfect because I would be learning a new medium which could potentially change the way I see myself as an artist and the world, in general. I had no idea what I was getting into when I got into Creative Computing, and was immediately overwhelmed by how difficult it is to learn a new language that we, paradoxically, use every day! I ended up loving that class because I understood the power of computers and how they can change the world in infinite ways. I learned how to become an author and discovered originality through building something from scratch on Processing. I also learned to value the hard work and intelligence that is put into technology, specifically lighting and visuals.
Tell us about the projects you worked on and how they challenged you.
We had to make a project on Processing which, at first, seemed impossible. I thought, "How am I going to create something out of nothing? Out of code?" I truly surprised myself when I made filters for a music video out of Processing. It pushed me to learn more, so the following semester I took a class on Live Digital Performance in the Polytech school [NYU Tandon School of Engineering] to learn more about Processing and how to integrate it into my live performances.
As a Recorded Music major, what interested you in the courses Live Video Performance Art and Creative Computing?
I became interested in Live Video Performance because I developed a new interest in performance art. I wanted to make my performances as a singer/songwriter more interactive, immersive, and different. I thought that Live Video Performance Art would be perfect because I would be learning a new medium which could potentially change the way I see myself as an artist and the world, in general. I had no idea what I was getting into when I got into Creative Computing, and was immediately overwhelmed by how difficult it is to learn a new language that we, paradoxically, use every day! I ended up loving that class because I understood the power of computers and how they can change the world in infinite ways. I learned how to become an author and discovered originality through building something from scratch on Processing. I also learned to value the hard work and intelligence that is put into technology, specifically lighting and visuals.
Tell us about the projects you worked on and how they challenged you.
We had to make a project on Processing which, at first, seemed impossible. I thought, "How am I going to create something out of nothing? Out of code?" I truly surprised myself when I made filters for a music video out of Processing. It pushed me to learn more, so the following semester I took a class on Live Digital Performance in the Polytech school [NYU Tandon School of Engineering] to learn more about Processing and how to integrate it into my live performances.
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Berlin Multimedia Workshop
How has studying off-campus in Berlin enriched your overall educational experience?
I learned to appreciate a culture that was completely foreign to me. I also had the privilege to record a ton of footage that none of my other friends would have and use it for several other projects. When you go away from your comfort zone, you experience inspiration at every turn.
What was the best experience you had and the most valuable thing you learned during your time in the program?
The best experience I had was showing my work. It was so gratifying to receive praise and acknowledgement for something I had work so hard on, something I had no idea how to do a few days ago. Exposure was a critical piece of the puzzle for me, and it encouraged me to explore the subject further.
What piece of advice would you give to perspective students considering the Berlin Study Abroad program?
Make friends with people outside of your program! Get out of your dorm and go explore the city. Do the touristy things first, and then make friends with locals to discover niche places. It's scary at first, but totally worth it. Don't be shy.
The application deadline for the Multimedia Projects Workshop in Summer 2016 is March 4, 2016. Learn more about the program and apply!