Danny Brown
Year Graduated:
2007
Web Application Developer
Job description
I work as a developer for a top-20 public university doing all kinds of things: web page design and development, task automation, data extraction/transforming/loading, and much more. Every day is pretty different, and this is the first job I've had where I can say that.
Before I learned to code and got into tech, I worked various government positions for about a decade after graduating from a master's in music theory program I went to after finishing at HSU.
Why did you choose this program?
When I was 19, I didn't have much of an idea of what to do for a living, but I did know I loved music. I'd say I defaulted into the Music program more than anything. That said, I put my full effort into it, learned skills I still enjoy today, got great grades, and completed a crazy amount of credit hours, a composition major, and half a piano and guitar major each.
How did this program prepare you for your job?
I really fell in love with music theory at Humboldt State. I left Arcata planning to get my Ph.D. and become a theory professor myself. I liked part-writing in particular—at a grading party in grad school, a classmate once said to me, "I heard you are a part-writing ninja" (which is true). My master's program was interesting, but it was also expensive and more long-and-dry-academic-paper oriented than part-writing focused. I did not apply for a Ph.D. program.
I entered the workforce at the height of an economic recession and it was a struggle. My music degrees didn't necessarily help or hinder me, but having a master's did stick out to one hiring manager at a time when I really needed a new job.
When I later learned to code, I found similarities between the rules of part-writing and the syntax of programming languages. I've found they both scratch the same itch and have to believe that learning to think deeply about music theory made it easier to pick up programming.
What did you enjoy most about the program?
The professors—particularly Deborah Clasquin, Cindy Moyer, Brian Post, and Eugene Novotney.
What would you say to prospective students who are thinking about applying to this program?
Learn to code. Do a double major in computer science and music. Challenge yourself for a few years. It will be worth it.
If you must major in music and music alone, I've come to the conclusion that a music education degree would have been optimal for me. This would have given me the skillset to get a band or choir job at a public school right out of undergrad, and I still could have pursued grad school in music theory.
Other comments?
I still make music for fun, occasionally even posting online:
https://www.instagram.com/deffinbro.music/https://soundcloud.com/user-373999649
I'm super interested in synthesis and electronic music, things I had zero interest in at HSU, where I was very focused on traditional acoustic music.
I also acquired an electric guitar rig recently after not having one since trading my Stratocaster toward a cello when I lived in Arcata. (Unfortunately, I never had a better cello experience than playing in the intermediate orchestra for music education majors at Humboldt State and have long since given up that dream.)