079: Creating a Creative Career

Catalyst is a Creative Industries podcast, from Chapman University. Each episode features Chapman students who have completed a Podcasting course through the Center for Creative and Cultural Industries at the university. Students who had no podcasting experience or technical ability in the genre before taking the course were able to contribute all the segments to Catalyst this season with the goal being that they will take this ‘hands-on’ experience and carry it over to the launching of their very own series. Each episode of Season 10 will feature one to two different interviews conducted by CCI students, exploring different aspects of the Creative and Cultural Industries.

Our first episode of season 10, begins with Will Singer interviewing trombonist/composer Rocky Fox, who is best known for his work as a bass trombonist. Based in LA, Rocky also works in music composition/arrangement. The pair first discuss Rocky’s recent audition to play in the Royal Swedish Orchestra. They then rewind to talk about Rocky’s past exploring how he started playing trombone in middle school and how he came to the conclusion that he would make a career out of music. The two wrap the interview with a retrospective analysis of Rocky’s work in the Creative Industries.

Our second interview features Tony Torres a multifaceted individual who has over the course of his career achieved accomplishments in the worlds of graffiti art, music, and PRO-AM golf.  Torres sits down to discuss his unique career trajectory with Danny Schliesser. Torres talks about his experience moving from street graffiti to refined gallery art, talking candidly about challenges that he has faced and illuminates for the audience how he credits his mentors as inspirations in his work. As the interview winds down, Tony shares his vision for the creative and cultural industries, and the pair concludes with a few words of wisdom for aspiring artists.