On her early journey in music:<\/h2>\n
I started thinking about the concept of being an artist ever since I was a little kid. My parents would play a lot of music at home, but they\u2019re not musicians–they are a doctor and engineer…<\/span>They enrolled me everywhere to develop my sense of arts. [Once I got older] they didn\u2019t allow me to go into art schools because…they believed that music could not make you money…I was very angry.<\/span><\/p>\n I studied a Bachelor in Advertising and Production in Shanghai University. On the first day of classes, you needed to introduce yourself, so I went on stage and told them, \u201cI\u2019m sorry I’m not here for myself, I am here for my parents. I want to do music,\u201d and then I left!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n I did some research and I asked some friends in the industry in China and they told me about Berklee and Musicians Institute. I also asked one of my music production mentors in Shanghai and he produced Tanya (Chua)<\/a> and he recommended me MI, because he knew what I had been through. He asked me before I applied to MI and Berklee, \u201cWhat do you think about music production? Why do you want to do this?\u201d He said, I think MI is more your school because you\u2019re thinking about the industry [as a whole.]<\/span><\/p>\n He said Los Angeles and MI was the best option because they’re really good at contemporary music and production…and their studios are really good! Their equipment, the genres, the music styles…it was my vibe. I am something between classic and contemporary music and MI was my first option.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n What makes MI unique is the acceptance…I felt so free there. In China, we don\u2019t have many contemporary styles that can really prove our contemporary artists and industry. We don\u2019t have those roots, like of pop…<\/span>There was an impressive lesson at MI called Artist Identity<\/strong> in IAP (Independent Artist Program.)<\/a> That lesson made me realize deep inside what influenced an artist, like culture, not just techniques, practice, etc. It just opened my mind! <\/span><\/p>\n At the first lesson in the class, I remember the instructor gave us homework to do an influence tree, and then I found people around me…There were a lot [of students] from the States and European countries, from the U.K., and we studied together…They can just find those artists in their country that are doing things, but I found it so hard for me to find good influence in China. I would feel so bad about that! I finally find that my influences are…Radiohead, Japanese, British cultures but nothing from native Chinese cultures.<\/span><\/p>\n That class just made me think and motivated me to become a good producer because I want to bring those tools and build good production and improve Chinese people’s sense of music. So I thought, \u201cI have to study hard, and dig into more so I can go back and help the industry and help students.\u201d That\u2019s the reason why I didn\u2019t stay in the United States. I was already offered an opportunity to work at a studio as an assistant, but I still chose to go back because I wanted to try my hardest in China…I wanted to be a good music producer and instructor there. I am teaching now, combining some systems from MI and also my own thought.<\/span><\/p>\n There are also cool lessons in IAP called Project Advising. It offered students every genre, every instrument. I think I learned everything there! <\/span>That\u2019s what I learned at MI. I found myself and learned how to find myself and I\u2019m teaching people here in China how to find themselves and their voice.<\/span><\/p>\n In Project Advising, those lessons taught me how to understand my style and also understand each different musicians and different producers, mixing engineers, even music business.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n They even have a music business slot for us to sign up…Then you\u2019ve got Open Counseling. The instructors were so accepting and so nice and we can talk about our project, ask questions, and we can jam together! You can jam with a master and improve so much.<\/span><\/p>\n I learned a lot of arranging techniques and communication. LPWs contain all the genres and you can choose what you want to explore and your voice, not a curriculum that tells you what to do. It\u2019s beyond all the basic elements and terminology.<\/span><\/p>\n [LPWs] make you feel so much freedom in studying! It\u2019s like a treasure of MI. You have an audience, instructors and musicians play with you, it\u2019s a whole world! You can listen to other people like in the real world but it\u2019s all in school. That class was perfect.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n I got all these good elements…I absorbed them all from MI. I just felt so powerful, I was like a magician…If I can mention one of the coolest things, it would be the Marvel and the Disney scoring (for anniversary video.) That also leads to the advantage of MI. It\u2019s not JUST a contemporary music school, it is a whole universe of the music industry. I studied film scoring at MI and that class is extra credit…After I graduated, I worked as a professional scoring producer as well.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Last year, they came to me again for another Disney anniversary video because we worked really well together on the Marvel video. <\/span><\/p>\n I can do this because of MI! Because of the teachers there taught me how to produce like a pro, and how to do all these things in the industry, the communications, and I feel so grateful when I talk about this. I just feel so proud of myself and so proud of being a student at MI.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n I did a lot of TV shows, like Super Band<\/em>, Singer,<\/em> and I arranged, produced for some major artists. I also signed with Universal Music Publishing and with Elec.Girl, which is a very cool label in China<\/a>. It\u2019s all independent women artists…I have a record deal and a publishing deal. Last year, was a very cool year. I am so grateful. The transition from MI was so short because MI already showed us how to survive in the real world. It was only about 4 years and I did great as a producer…I am starting my new career direction next year which is to be a real performing artist.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n That\u2019s always what I’ve learned: Be nice to everyone…The people working there, the door guy…I feel like everyone felt so happy about their job because of music. Sometimes it would make me cry because we can study and feel freedom because of all these people. <\/span>Some people, in my school now, as an instructor…s<\/span>tudents would ask me \u201cNia, why are you doing this? You only get paid this much and you\u2019re so busy…:\u201d\u00a0 This a thing I learned at MI…my instructors, and all the people there, have this vibe. They share, so why wouldn\u2019t I share [my knowledge] with you? I represent all these good elements. It is the reason that I\u2019m here teaching.<\/span><\/p>\n I am still just beginning in music. One of the main things I want to explore, and the reason why I worked so hard and fight with my family, is that I really love musical theatre. And also choreography! I think that\u2019s the next side of the industry I will explore, but everything is connected. I will just keep studying. I think I learned this from MI too. I saw a 60-year-old lady from Japan …She was still attending music school and chasing their dreams. As a musician, I was so touched by those people at MI.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n I will keep exploring. Even in music, even in choreography, yoga, meditation…just be curious all the time and stay motivated.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Producer\/artist Nia Yang tells us about her career and experience studying at Musicians Institute.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":7209,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6561,8319,6556],"tags":[],"yst_prominent_words":[830,404,3868,43,403,387,73,4554,2743,39,824,38,2961,2821,68,31,4719],"class_list":["post-7208","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-in-the-know","category-industry","category-profiles"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mi.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7208","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mi.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mi.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mi.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mi.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7208"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.mi.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7208\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mi.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7209"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mi.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7208"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mi.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7208"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mi.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7208"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mi.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=7208"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.mi.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/NiaYang1-scaled.jpeg\")
<\/h2>\nOn how she learned about Musicians Institute:<\/h2>\n
On her favorite class at MI:<\/h2>\n
On why she went back to China after graduation:<\/h2>\n
On MI’s well-rounded approach to the industry:<\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.mi.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/NIA-scaled.jpeg\")
<\/p>\nOn the benefit of MI’s Live Performance Workshops (LPW):<\/h2>\n
On how she got her first jobs after graduating:<\/h2>\n
On her memorable experiences in her career so far:<\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.mi.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/2019-11-04-121030-scaled.jpg\")
<\/h2>\nOn the lessons from MI she wants to teach her own students:<\/h2>\n
On where she sees her career going:<\/h2>\n
\nVisit our Independent Artist Program<\/span><\/a> page to learn more about how MI can help you achieve your music dreams, just like Nia.<\/h4>\n
Musicians Institute<\/strong><\/span><\/a> is the leader in contemporary music education offering certificates to Masters degrees in programs spanning instrument performance, electronic production, music business, and everything in between.<\/h4>\n
For more information on all programs offered, please visit here: www.mi.edu\/programs\/<\/a><\/span><\/h4>\n
For more information on MI Online<\/span><\/strong><\/a> programs, please visit here: www.mi.edu\/programs\/mi-online\/<\/a><\/span><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"