Today we’d like to introduce you to Emily Madonia.
Hi Emily, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I come from a family of musicians, so I started playing the violin at age 3 and piano at age 5. I started doing ballet and some theater around age 7, so my entire life was filled with the arts. I focused primarily on violin, though, when I went off to the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY, for my degree. I started acting in indie film projects in my 20s but didn’t really start that chapter of my life until my mid-30s when I began taking classes at Houston’s Film Acting Academy with Lee Stringer. I made some wonderful friends in the class, which led to branching off into filmmaking teams of our own. I wanted to learn to act, direct, write, set up the lights, work sound, video editing, pretty much every aspect of filmmaking possible, and it wasn’t long before I realized I wanted to focus on film scoring with my musical background. There are many ways to score a film, from playing and recording the instruments yourselves, actually writing out and orchestrating the music in a MIDI form, or just playing into a synth keyboard. I wanted to learn all of it. I enrolled in the Advanced Certificate Program with a focus on writing music for film and television through Berklee’s incredible online program and as of now, have finished all but one of my classes.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Considering that the road spans nearly four decades, all I can say is that it’s a lot of hard, consistent work. Making a living as a performing artist is a daunting task, and I have worked so hard along the way to achieve every little thing. All of the studying, practicing, preparing auditions, and giving performances continuously is a stressful lifestyle, but I wouldn’t change it for anything. This has always been my dream. Approaching composition and film scoring at this stage in my life has been such a learning curve. Learning new software and developing new instincts for musical ideas is a fascinating challenge.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I make my living primarily as a violinist. I play frequently with the Houston Grand Opera and the Houston Ballet, as well as many other freelance groups. I also absolutely love teaching private lessons, so I have a full studio of violin, viola, and piano students in Sugar Land. I learn so much about music every day from my students. Otherwise, I take regular weekly acting classes at Film Acting Academy and take auditions when I have time. I’m almost always working on a short film on the side in some capacity as an actor or composer. I cherish the variety in my career and lifestyle. So many classical musicians get stuck doing only one thing day after day, whether it’s just performing the one instrument or teaching, and if you’re not constantly pushing yourself to explore the creative world outside of your one instrument, I think it’s a limitation. The more life you live, the better an artist you will be. I value always looking at the big picture and seeking to understand all the little pieces that come together instead of focusing on only my little part.
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
My advice to anyone who is aspiring to have a career as an artist is to work very, very hard. Always. Don’t cut any corners. Explore your full potential and always be open to learn something from everyone you meet. Be early. Be reliable. Communicate promptly. Be prepared. Be someone who other people want to be around. Be professional. Be confident, but leave your ego at home. This is the recipe for success.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/emilymadonia
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100093482928915&mibextid=D4KYlr
Image Credits
Erika Coke
John Enick
Lee Schmitz
Alan Schmitz
