“This program has enhanced my music thinking and ability,” music industry student Christophe Carington says. “I am a lot more prepared than I was three years ago.”

The music industry program here at DVC is an opportunity for pursuing a career in the music business.

This program provides students with a variety of introductory and advanced classes such as introductory and advanced electronic music, introductory and advanced ProTools, introduction to the music industry, music production and multi-track recording, songwriting, and applied projects in music industry studies.

Mark Steidel, music industry studies program director, says the main objective of this program is for students to learn how to record, produce, and sell music.

“This program is more for going out and getting a job and selling music than transferring…We have several students who have gone on to fame and fortune,” he says.

Some students have even left the program early, which can be completed in a year, because of jobs they received.

A previous student, Seth Chapla, has had much success from working on video games such as an X-Men game where he worked with a program professor and  a previous student, and he also worked on Guitar Hero: Van Halen where he even had the opportunity to meet Eddie Van Halen.

Chapla is also working on a new game, Rocksmith, which has been featured in Rolling Stone.

Although completing this program within a year is ideal, the time commitment with the culmination of other classes can be strenuous.

Phil Aduan and Carington, music industry program students, said they can spend about 11 hours at school in a day with a majority of that time spent in the music technology center creating or producing music. They both have been in this program for about three years.

Phil Aduan, who has always wanted get into music, says, “As long as I’m here I might as well take advantage of this opportunity.” He plans on teaching music just like the teachers he admires.

His expectations were not especially high, but he found DVC is certainly not lacking in a fantastic music education. “I was surprised at how knowledgeable the professors are,” Aduan said.

Many professors in the program also teach at universities such as UC Berkeley and San Francisco State. One teacher, Michael Aczon, works in the industry as a music lawyer.

Seth Chapla says, “I learned almost everything I ever needed to know about playing live shows from Bay Area music veteran Steve Sage.” Chapla even came back for a short period of time to teach at DVC.

 “It is a top quality education for a budget price, and not having to pay back the debt from a fancy private music school has also been a huge asset,” says Chapla.

Students get the full experience of all aspects of the industry, from the recording studio on campus to producing a live radio station, KDVC, which is entirely run by students.

With things such as this the music industry program prepares students to make a living doing what they love.

For example, Carington started out pursuing film. However, he is now certain he wants to be a music producer with exposure to music classes at DVC and being a student is this program.

“I want to make something that will last long after I’m gone,” he says.  

And for those that have gone on to reach success Chapla says, “There’s no other program like it in the bay area, and the teachers are all true life pros who’ve been working in the music and entertainment industry for many years.”