James Loy 

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast by the host and guests may or may not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Miami University.

Student 

I'm a senior. I'm about to graduate, and I've done a lot of cool things in college.

Student 

I never thought that I was going to be an intramural curler. I never thought that I was going to be the student body president.

Student 

These four years have been the biggest amount of growth I've seen in my entire life.

Student 

It's not just about the academics, but like, what kind of person you turn into, which is super cool.

Marcus Cheung 

The first time I felt proud of myself was ... I know, it was second semester of my freshman year. I was ...had to give a performance. We call them string forums, so part of what we have to do is, once a month, all the string players will, instead of during our studio time, we go into our Recital Hall and certain students are selected to perform. And that was the first time I had got selected to perform. And I remember I performed a Chinese duet with guitar. And I remember I was very nervous. I remember that just because of, like, not performing in front of these people before, and I had actually transcribed and arranged this piece as well for cello and guitar, and I did it from memory too. And I remember like, but after, I remember just like, how proud that felt to be, like, wow, like, I did that, and that was something that was ... that's always stuck with me every time I perform. Like, I always try and go back to that performance that performance.

Michaela 

Yeah, absolutely. And I feel like the first time too, so poignant in your like, college experience.

Marcus Cheung 

Yeah especially being a freshman, everything's so new. And it was definitely a transition, a very major transition, from high school to college.

Michaela 

Yeah, absolutely. And we talk a ton about that on this podcast, what the transition is like from high school to college, and kind of what it's like being a freshman. With all the new things. So welcome. This is major insight. I am Michaela buck, and who are you?

Marcus Cheung 

Yes, so my name is Marcus Cheung. I am a senior here at Miami. I'm a music performance major, as I alluded to, for cello performance. I'm an arts management entrepreneurship major, and I have a minor in accountancy.

Michaela 

Very cool. And what are some things that you're involved in, Marcus?

Marcus Cheung 

Yes. So first and foremost, I'm involved in the symphony orchestra. Here I am also ... I've also been a member, and I'm currently the treasurer for Asian American Association. And I am also the founder and president of Miami University Cello Society.

Michaela 

Whoa, that's cool. So I'm just so curious how you decided to choose your major, and what that experience has been like pursuing music.

Marcus Cheung 

Yeah, so I think I got to go back a couple years now.

Michaela 

Yeah, do it.

Marcus Cheung 

This would be 20 ... Oh, when I was in ... whenever year I was in sixth grade, I think that was 2015. I was, my mom was like, you're playing band or orchestra, pick one. And I was like, Okay, let me do orchestra. Because I had listened to players like yo yo mom before. Because my mom, like, had me start listening some of, like, his box suites and some of his music there. And that was, like, very I was, like, this is a very cool instrument. I kind of want to just give it a shot and try it. So I was very fortunate, actually, that when I entered Middle School, that was the first year ever that my middle school had a school orchestra. So I was like the inaugural class for that year. And I remember when I first tried it, I will say, when I first started, my teacher will still telling me this today, I was probably one of the hardest students she's ever had.

Michaela 

Why is that?

Marcus Cheung 

I was just very like... middle school me was very curious. I asked a lot of questions. Not that I still don't today, but I asked a lot of questions. And part of when when you set up a student is that you got to have them be very relaxed. The way you express music is you have to be physically very relaxed to be able to express the way you want to in your phrase. And I was very much a very tense and stiff kid when I played. So that made it very, very challenging. But I think the one thing I did have, though, was I was very hard working. I was very motivated, and I knew that ... I saw it as a personal goal and a personal challenge that I really want to take and just keep getting and improve at it. Yeah. So I started sixth grade. I was about 12 years old, so a little bit later to the party. But then fast forward now to my junior year of high school, and I asked myself this question of, could I see myself with my cello for the rest of my life?

Michaela 

Yeah, really doing this?

Marcus Cheung 

Yeah. Could I see ... well, just like, you know, the main question was like, do I see my cello in my life, for the rest of my life? And the answer was yes, and that told me, okay, I need to major in music. I need to keep doing that. Because the only way to have that in your life is you ... is to study and keep pursuing it. So that set my mindset to now I had to go ahead and find schools, not for academia or for STEM but for for music, which was a totally new world, totally new field. I mean, both my parents don't have music backgrounds. They had no idea, like, any of the things that I was about to do.

Michaela 

Yeah, what's the criteria for this?

Marcus Cheung 

Yeah, so, and the main thing I the criteria is ... what's so different is you have to audition for music schools. So one of the most fascinating things I found is that you can get into the university through, like, your essays, your GPA or whatever. But if you don't audition and get into the music school, you're not going to get into not going to get into the music school.

Michaela 

Is that through like, all four years, like, you can't just, like, audition.

Marcus Cheung 

I mean, I guess you could audition again, but you'd have to stay an extra year.

Michaela 

Yes, okay

Marcus Cheung 

So yeah, and especially if you're there for just mainly music alone, like you're not going to be want to go to the university and not do it, yeah. So it was one of the weirdest things to wrap my head around. And part of that also was, I also had to do what we would call trial lessons. So another really important thing is that, unlike a lot of STEM majors, whatever private instructor that you choose, you're going to be with them for eight semesters, one lesson every week, for every week. And that's for eight semesters. It's not like you're gonna have like you're gonna have like one professor for one class. Yes, you might have multiple classes with them, but to see them one on one every week, you have to pick somebody that's gonna be the right fit. And so that's what I did, starting my end of my junior year to senior year. I did a lot of trial lessons. How I stumbled upon Miami was I had a trial lesson with the professor at CCM, the conservatory at Cincinnati. His name is Alan Rafferty, and he said, you should have a lesson with my wife, Dr Kim, who teaches at Miami. And I was like, first I was like, Miami, Florida? Yeah. So little background, I'm an out of state student.

Michaela 

Yeah. Where are you from?

Marcus Cheung 

I live just south of Nashville

Michaela 

Okay

Marcus Cheung 

Yeah. I live in a town called Franklin, Tennessee, and that's why I was like, I was not familiar that there was a Miami in Ohio, but put two and two dots together, did my research,

Michaela 

Yeah.

Marcus Cheung 

But then I had my lesson with her, and I remember it was just an incredible experience. Yeah, her pedigree speaks for itself. What she's accomplished, what she's done, and convinced me enough to to audition for the school. So I say one of the most stressful times I've had was having to do six cello auditions at for six different schools in the span of a month and a half.

Michaela 

Stop it.

Marcus Cheung 

Every weekend in high school, I would ... that was ... yeah, rinse, repeat. It was, I'd leave Friday after school, get to the hotel, or whatever place I was staying, stay overnight, spend the whole day, Saturday, audition, go through, like, we had to do music theory.

Michaela 

I know I was gonna ask, like, what that audition was like?

Marcus Cheung 

So, so the process, like, you get in there, they have, like, a whole orientation. So it's like, it's like a whole event. You have all the music faculty are there. They introduce themselves, introduce what the music school is about, then you kind of break up into, like, preparing for, like, your audition. So like, you'll be given like, a time slot when your audition is because other people are there also auditioning too. You practice, you warm up, you have, like, certain repertoire. So I spent a lot of my senior year preparing for that, whether it's like a movement of a concerto, whether it's... it just whatever variety... like, because each school was slightly different requirements, often I would also like speak with the professors after and then also do a theory placement to test. So that was the other thing we had to do for music theory, which is like a curriculum for for the music side.

Michaela 

Did you ever feel like ...because I feel like the arts sometimes seem less practical, maybe, and so did you ever feel like, did you have that kind of an issue with choosing cell? Or were you like, dead set on it and you're like, I'm going to make this work.

Marcus Cheung 

Yeah, I would say, like, just in terms of making something out of just picking cello. I was like, Yeah, okay, it can definitely be very scary. You know, I don't think there's ... can't shy away from that, but I think what was really important for me is that my parents are both very supportive. They were both like, they... a little background with with my parents is that their first generation ... or I'm a first generation American. My parents are first generation. They're both actually English. They lived in England for most their life, but ...And then then my grandparents, like, we come from the region of like Hong Kong and like Guangdong. So they were the first to both go to university in their families, and like even for my dad to... he has his PhD to get that, and learning how incredible and also how difficult it was for them to make that journey. And I'm so aware that I'm here even like sitting today, because they put all that work in to give me, and like my sister, the opportunity that I have today. So part of what made me also pick music is, I guess, to get very, very deep, is when it comes to life, I always try to have the moral compass that you know we have one life to live that we know now, and you want to do something that you're going to enjoy. Nobody wants to spend their whole life ... the worst thing I always heard from people was, say, somebody who's like, in their 40s, 50s, 60s, you name it, and they're like, I wish I could have done that. Oh, I wish I did that. And I'm listening like, I do not want to be saying that when I'm like, 50, oh, I wish I did that. I'd rather go and do something that I love, yeah, and maybe not work out, but I knew I gave it a shot.

Michaela 

You tried.

Marcus Cheung 

Then, say, then do a major and do something where I'm like, like, I don't have that passion for it. And music was that was that for me. And, you know, of course, that's not for everybody, but like, I always encourage people that when you want to pick whatever job you want to do the rest of your life, it better be something that you enjoy, at least like somewhat, because if you really don't, then you know it's going to be tough. And I say that back to, well, my parents gave me this opportunity. They gave me an opportunity to where I don't have to pick a job out of necessity. I can pick a job. I can pick a career through my passion.

Michaela 

Yeah, and like, about being fulfilled.

Marcus Cheung 

Exactly. And the other thing also is just having that self confidence, I think, from, like, a lot of the past accomplishments I've had, I think I went in with the mindset that if I give my put my 110% into it, I can accomplish whatever I set my eyes, set my goal to, and that was the same mindset I set when it came to music as well. So that's so ... you ... while, yes, it was definitely scary at times, and I mean to extend, of course, it still is. Nothing's nothing certain in life, but I would say it gave me a lot of confidence going in that I would ... whatever situation I was in, I was going to make it work.

Michaela 

Yeah, I know. And I feel like mindset, especially, is everything, even just hearing you say that right now, like, you know that you're going to make a life out of playing the cello, like, however that may be, but I think it's cool what you say about, like, truly following what you want to do. Because a lot of people leave that behind, like myself included. I stopped dancing after high school because I was like, I can't make anything out of this. You know, I won't make, you know, and it really is. It's about just having the confidence that, hopefully, just, if you put your head down and really work towards it, something's going to work out.

Marcus Cheung 

Yeah, I said that's the best ... One the best advice I ever got was like, yeah, if you... whatever you want to do, and if whatever you set yourself to do, you're going to make it work some way, shape or form. It may not be to the degree that, like what you've the full aspirations, but you will find some version of that.

Michaela 

Yes.

Marcus Cheung 

But it does come down to, are you disciplined? Are you hard working, and Are you motivated enough to do that? Because if you're not, that's where a lot of people fall.

Michaela 

Yes, that's where, like, the gap is.

Marcus Cheung 

If you don't have that, yeah, drive to do that, then of course, yeah, it won't happen. Yeah, if somebody does have that drive, they're gonna make it work some way, shape or form.

Michaela 

Yeah, absolutely. Well, you've talked a lot about your music, and I'd love to get the chance to actually hear some. So let's take a listen.

Michaela 

So can you tell me a little bit about, like, what you're involved in here on campus, or even how you started? Did you say the Miami cello association. Is that what you said?.

Marcus Cheung 

Society. Yeah, I can start. Yeah. You want me to start with that?

Michaela 

Whatever you want. Yeah. I'm just intrigued.

Marcus Cheung 

I'll start with that.

Michaela 

What's a week in the life with Marcus?

Marcus Cheung 

Yeah, a week in the life with me. So I'll start with the first org, because the cello society is a little bit later in my college journey. But I think one of the first org that really was welcoming, and something that I'm very proud to like be a part of today, is the Asian American Association here. So we're the largest multicultural org here on campus.

Michaela 

I didn't know that.

Marcus Cheung 

Yeah, we do two major events. Every fall, we have what's called Asian Cultural Festival. So we rent uptown Park, we have booths. So we have all these different variety of booths.

Michaela 

My mom and I have literally been there. So cool.

Marcus Cheung 

Yeah. So we have that. And then in the spring, we have what's called Fusion.

Michaela 

Okay, oh, I've also heard of that.

Marcus Cheung 

So those are our two major events. And then in addition to that, we have, like, our general body members meetings that we do with our members. We do bunch of social events, like we just couple weeks ago, we went to PNC lights festival.

Michaela 

Fun.

Marcus Cheung 

We had a couple of us go for that we've done. I mean, last semester, we've done, like a paintball, we've done escape rooms. So we try and add that social aspect as well, also bringing a sense of community, but also be welcoming, of course, to those that anybody... We welcome anybody. You don't have to be Asian to be part of Asian American Association, but we welcome anybody who respects our culture, wants to learn about the culture, or just, yeah, just has some... just curious.

Michaela 

Oh, my gosh. Very cool. And so when did you start your society? Was that later in college?

Marcus Cheung 

Yes, that would have been ... my second semester of sophomore year, I realized that we never actually had one here at Miami. I also remembered that we have a lot of people here that are musicians that don't... that aren't associated with the music department at all. And as somebody who is a major in music I wanted to find and give a place to people that could find a way to express that.

Michaela 

So even if they're not, yeah, like cello player ...

Marcus Cheung 

Yeah, they don't have to be cello player. Or, I think it was also for those that are cello players, but maybe not necessarily have the space in their schedules, like a minor, to add ... to be in an orchestra, but they just want to be affiliated or associated with that. So that was a lot of those are the reasons behind starting that organization. I will say that was definitely ... the fall semester of my junior year. That was definitely... that was a semester I took 21 credits that semester. I was President and Treasurer of both those orgs, and it was definitely ... it was definitely a lot, but looking back, like, I don't think I'd change it for the world, though. I think it was definitely, like, a really big learning curve, especially just like that self growth of like, knowing how to stay organized.

Michaela 

Oh my gosh, talk about, Yeah, time management.

Marcus Cheung 

Yeah, how to stay ahead of assignments and, you know, try and still keep a good GPA, all those things. But then especially, like the practicing because, as a music major, Dr Kim tries and has this practice three plus hours every day.

Michaela 

What?

Marcus Cheung 

Yeah, I'll be in the practice rooms at least, like two to three plus hours like every day.

Michaela 

Oh my gosh, I never realized what the kind of like the grind that is.

Marcus Cheung 

Yeah, especially because as a performance, major part of what you do is, like, your main expectation is you're going to perform and you got to play. So ...

Michaela 

How often do you have, like, performances?

Marcus Cheung 

Ah, I'd say, Oh, just in terms of, like solo performances, or like group performances?

Michaela 

Everything, I'm so intrigued. I don't know any music majors. So ...

Marcus Cheung 

At my, like, peak, I'd say, probably doing ... I've slowed down a little bit more this semester, but I'll probably, I could do up to like, four or five performances in like, a month, easily. Maybe.

Michaela 

Oh in a month. I thought you're gonna say in a semester?

Marcus Cheung 

No, I always...  a semester? Maybe, like, maybe, like, double that, yeah, in a semester. Maybe slightly less. It depends on the semester, because there's a lot of performance opportunities. So ...

Michaela 

Do you get to choose that? Are you like assigned ...

Marcus Cheung 

Some are required. Of course, like for Symphony Orchestra, we have two to three performances every year. Cello studio normally has one performance every year. We do three to four string forums every ... so we do a string forum every ... once every month. So I could be on easily from one to all of them. There's also a music series at the art museum, so once a month, they also get musicians to perform there. I've done that. I've done chamber concerts. I perform for people's composition recitals, other people's solo recitals. I gave my first solo recital last semester for my junior ... for my junior recital, for my degree. Those are, yeah, those are some of the main ones. Of course, like any gigs, of course, outside too. Yeah, it adds up. You realize quite quickly it can add up from like one to two to like five or six.

Michaela 

Totally. What's like your favorite to do? Do you like more, like ensemble pieces, or do you like performing solo?

Marcus Cheung 

I love chamber music. So if you don't know what chamber music is, it's where you have I'd say anywhere from like two to like seven, maybe like or like six musicians. So it's a lot of string quartets is what I play, and that's my favorite. Because solo can be... it can be a lot sometimes. And orchestra, I love orchestra, don't get me wrong, but there's something about the intimacy of having just a couple musicians to where you can have that relationship when you're playing, when you can kind of like, feed off each other's energy. And, because in an orchestra, you can't necessarily unspokenly work with other musicians.

Michaela 

Yeah, there's like a chemistry.

Marcus Cheung 

Well, there's a conductor. The conductors controlling it.

Michaela 

Oh yes.

Marcus Cheung 

In chamber music, there's no conductor. So you have to lead through your body language, through your energy, through your cues, through, like, the way you look at the other musicians. There's something about ... and we've practiced ... some of the cool ways you practice is like, I know one thing we've done is we had it where, like to start a piece, all of us turned away from each other, so we're like, sitting in like, four corners, and we had to all come in together at the same time, just from the queue of, like, the way, like we ... from our breath, or the way we, like, just a sense, like, just to know when we come in and, like, that's one way to pratice.

Michaela 

You couldn't even see each other?

Marcus Cheung 

No, yeah, you're not ... The whole idea is, like, you're supposed to play together at the same time, but not ... but you can't ...

Marcus Cheung 

Not knowing.

Marcus Cheung 

Yeah, but you can't see each other. So you have to sense through, like the cue, which is generally through, like a breath. You kind of give, like a little breath before you start the piece, and especially for those that do come in at the same time. But I think there's something very special about that kind of music, so I highly encourage it. If you've never been to, like a string quintet, quartet, trios, duets, like, yeah, you gotta do it.

Michaela 

Definitely, yeah. Very cool. And so what ... you had, like a little bit of a European escapade, I saw?

Marcus Cheung 

Yes.

Michaela 

Very cool. I'd love to hear more about that was ... That was in Prague?

Marcus Cheung 

Yes. Okay, so this last summer, I worked as an orchestra administrator for Prague summer nights, which is an international music festival for orchestra and opera. So I got the most random email from the violin professor.

Michaela 

I always starts with a random email.

Marcus Cheung 

Always starts with a random email, but he...  Yeah, Dr Harvey Thermer, he's the violin professor here at Miami.

Michaela 

Shout out.

Marcus Cheung 

Yeah. Gotta shout him out. But he sent me this email because he knew I was an arts management entrepreneurship major as well as a music major. And he was like, hey, this festival has arts admin positions you should apply. And at this time, I was definitely looking to do an orchestra administration intern, because I wanted to get some experience there. And I had a good, I'd say, five to seven others on my radar. But when this one stumbled, I was like, You know what? Let's just apply on a whim, let's just see what happens. You got to throw your hat in the ring, because you'll never know unless you actually do that. So a couple weeks later, I got an email saying, Hey, you want to do have an interview? I was like, Oh, I wasn't expecting that you

Michaela 

You were like, you really respond?

Marcus Cheung 

Yeah. I was like, Oh, wow. I applied kind of on, on a whim, of like, yeah, what are the odds like? But nope. Before you know it, I'm on a zoom call having interview with the operations manager, the CEO, the CEO of the organization, was there as well. So yeah, and they love my interview. They offered me ...

Michaela 

No shocker, Marcus.

Marcus Cheung 

Well, they offered me the orchestra administration job. Before you knew it, I was booking my plane ticket to Prague. So fast forward, I first got hired, actually to do some pre festival ... so I was ... I did some pre festival work for about two weeks, I was doing a lot of administrative stuff, from like the scheduling to I was doing, like, some of the music librarian work. And then when I was actually in Prague, we spent, yeah, three weeks in the Czech Republic. We had three different orchestra performances and three different cities in the Czech Republic. As well as one chamber concert, which is, like the chamber music I talked about earlier. And then we also gave four opera productions to double cast of Magic Flute and double cast of Figaro in Vienna, Austria. So we got to spend three weeks in the Czech Republic, and our final week was in Vienna.

Michaela 

Yeah, did you go to Mozart's house?

Marcus Cheung 

I don't ...

Michaela 

Is that where he's from?

Marcus Cheung 

Yes, he is. I actually didn't go there we went. We actually went to his... to ... this is kind of morbid to say, we went to, actually, the grave site where a lot of the famous composers are. I got to see Beethoven's grave, Mozart's grave.

Michaela 

What a great place to be.

Marcus Cheung 

Schubert Schoenberg, Brahms, all these, like, very famous composers were all there. Yeah, so and kind of going more specifically, especially my role there. So as an orchestra administrator, I was like, also, like the head stage manager. So that was like setting up rehearsal spaces for, well, setting up the rehearsals, but then also, what's the lighting situation going to be? So I was, I was very much coordinating a lot with different people to make sure that all the concerts ran smoothly.

Michaela 

So all the stuff you don't think about.

Marcus Cheung 

Yeah, some really like production, like logistical experience, especially as the operations for that. And then I was also very fortunate. I did get, actually get to perform in one of the concerts too. So I got to perform in our second concert in Pilsen, which is the city. We performed with Marin. Alsop, if you don't know who she is, you should take a second and look that up. Probably the most... She's one of the most famous, famous female composers. Conductors, I should say, in the world. And yeah, so she was there.

Michaela 

Were you starstruck like I cannot believe this?

Marcus Cheung 

It was ... the intensity was absolutely, like, insane. Yeah, to be there. And, like, the stare that she gave you when, like, it's your section, like, you you better play ....

Michaela 

You better play the best you ever had in your life!

Marcus Cheung 

Yeah, you better play right and not mess up. No, obviously, like, she understood ... of course, like part of the festival was, like a lot... the majority of those people there are, I would say, like, there was a lot of... it ranged from late undergrads to, like, doctorate students to professionals, so it's a good range of people, from yeah, 20 to say, like 30-35, was the people. So I say, you know, it is like a younger orchestra. It's not like ... she understood, like it's not ... she's not ... like she's conducting the Berlin Philharmonic.

Michaela 

Yeah. Well, this would be another great time to hear some more of your music. So can you talk about your performance from Prague and just kind of set it up for us?

Marcus Cheung 

Yeah. So I'll talk about the one piece that I did perform. So I played in the second concert in Pilsen. We did a piece called Dvorak, New World Symphony, or Dvorak Symphony Number Nine. It's a very, very famous symphony. If you don't know it, I recommend you check it out.

Michaela 

Well, you'll listen to it, actually.

Marcus Cheung 

But yeah, the fourth movement, it's ... yeah, particularly the fourth movement is the very, very famous movement from this piece.

Michaela 

Perfect. Let's take a listen.

Michaela 

So do you think that you're gonna, like, look into maybe, like an orchestra administrative role post grad? Is that kind of your game plan?

Marcus Cheung 

Yeah. So I think looking back on these years, I think one thing I've really enjoyed is definitely the orchestra administration side. That's not to say I still, I still love playing cello. I'm always gonna keep playing but I think to be involved with playing, but then also having the administration side too. I think that's kind of the combination I want. And I think my new career goal is I want to have the hopes and aspirations of being a future CEO of Symphony Orchestra. So that's what, that's my goal I want to reach to, and that's why, definitely working hard to, like, learn the different departments of that, of a symphony orchestra. And while, like, yes, like playing and like having that music background is actually one of the most vital things, too, you'll find a lot of people in orchestra administration that don't have a music background, and you can tell, you can tell, like, they can't read music, they don't understand, like, that lingo, or the music lingo. I think that's super important if you're gonna be in a back end roll, especially gonna be like, a CEO of an orchestra, or like, a CFO, or like, something up there. You better, like, know a little bit about the arts background too. And that's not to say that, like, you can't come from a non arts background and come into into that, but be ready to, like, be ready to learn. Be ready to to figure that one out, and ... yeah.

Michaela 

Yeah. What I guess, is kind of some advice that you would give your freshman yourself, or maybe anyone who's looking into college, not even a music major, but maybe a music major. Just maybe, what do you wish you knew when you came here?

Marcus Cheung 

Yeah, I'll start first with the advice. I think the some of the first advice, I would say, is, I kind of alluded to it a little bit earlier, but to find a major and to find something that you're passionate about that you want to do. I think that's first and foremost going on to, like I said, if you want to do something, if you want to do something, work, you know, whatever job you're going to work, you're going to be there five to six times a week, eight to 10 hours a day.

Michaela 

Better enjoy it.

Marcus Cheung 

Yeah, for how many years. But in addition, I think the other thing is also, the biggest advice I could give somebody is to take advantage of opportunities. Hands down.

Michaela 

Retweet.

Marcus Cheung 

Because if we're going to go to college, and if you're going to have to spend 1000s of dollars, 10s of 1000s, I don't know, everyone's situation is, of course, is different, but if you spend that kind of money, the college student can either get a bunch of C's, you know, not apply themselves at all. I'm not saying like, you can't party, but it's like, you know.

Michaela 

There's a balance.

Marcus Cheung 

There's a balance, of course, yeah, and you're welcome to do that, but then why did you spend that kind of money? You're not actually going to do anything with it. And, like, I know a lot of people will say, like, Oh, yeah. Like, they major in something, and that they don't... they do something completely different. But part of college is, like, it's not just a major though, it's, it's the actual skills that you learn, like, for example, for my situation, like the skills I've learned from being able to be as organized, I have been, like, using, like, using a Google Calendar. Like, even that, I didn't use that in high school. I kept it all in my head. And then I was like ...

Michaela 

Like, I swear I had something today.

Marcus Cheung 

Yeah. Like, did I have an assignment today? But then in college, you're like, you have to learn those kind of skills and but then in the real life, that's gonna be the exact same. It's gonna be a form of that. It may not be exactly the same, but that skill that you're learning you're gonna apply that.

Michaela 

Oh yeah

Marcus Cheung 

You're gonna apply ... every time you're in college and you meet so many new people, you're gonna have to apply that at some point, like the ability to talk to different people, how to be comfortable in an uncomfortable environment. Because a lot of people, if they're in an uncomfortable environment, they're not comfortable in it. They don't find some way to be comfortable it... You know, they'll shut down or they won't find a way. So I think college definitely teaches you a lot of those kind of skills. And also there was just a lot of really amazing career opportunities, if you're looking for them, and if you actually seek them out, seek them out and take advantage of them. And especially at Miami, I like, I've been so fortunate, like the professors I've had here have given me numerous opportunities from, like I said, just from the examples we've said, but even just other ones too. I think one of the... I think one of the first opportunities where I was like, Wow, this is incredible. Was, I was taking a music business class.

Michaela 

Oh, that's another cool class.

Marcus Cheung 

Yeah, music business.

Michaela 

I want to take your course load, Marcus, this is sounding cool.

Marcus Cheung 

Yes. I was taking a music business class. We had to do a midterm project, and the idea was supposed to be a creative endeavor, as long as you could relate it back to some aspect of the music business, whether that was the touring side of it, from the royalty side. I mean, you name it. There's so many aspects of the music business department, but me and my colleague Anastasia were both... it's actually very similar. We're both the same, exact same two majors. So we're both music performance. She's a volin performance. I'm cello. She's arts management. I'm arts management. But we were taking that class together, and we decided to make an arrangement of a pop song. So we did locked out of heaven by Bruno Mars.

Michaela 

I love that song.

Marcus Cheung 

Yeah. So part of the part of the challenge that both... neither of us had ever arranged a pop song, particularly going from like things like voice, drums, guitar, to now finding a way to make that work for cello, violin. Of course, I've like, listened to pop songs like, maybe, like, transcribe the melody, but it's very different when you're like, oh, I have to make an accompaniment as well as the actual, like melody part and a duet in general. So that was a very fun, actually creative endeavor to do, but and the part that we had to relate it back with the music business side of it was like, we had to talk about, like, if you were going to publish an arrangement, like, how does that look from the royalties point of view? I'm trying to remember exactly the specifics. But that does not matter as much. The part that does matter at that same time... Have you ever heard of the Netflix TV show Bridgerton?

Michaela 

Yeah, I love that show!

Marcus Cheung 

Do you happen to know the Vitamin String Quartet? So they do alot ...

Michaela 

They do all the songs, right? Because it's a bunch of pop music.

Marcus Cheung 

Yep, that ... in a string quartet.

Michaela 

Yes! It's beautiful.

Marcus Cheung 

They were actually coming to Miami around this time, and we were very fortunate enough, we got to actually have a master class with them, and they actually got to perform our arrangement live and give us like feedback. I got to, like, talk with them individually, and, yeah, that was one of the first times going back to opportunities. I remember we saw that an opportunity was there, that they're going to be here at this time, we reached out saying, Hey, we have this arrangement we've been working on. This is right up their, you know their avenue. We're arranging a pop song. What do they do? All they play is pop songs for for a string quartet. So we're like, Hey, could you play our piece? And tell us what you think? And yeah, I have, I have the recording somewhere. So, yeah, it's definitely one of those first, like moments where I felt like a proper kid in a candy store. This is insane. I am, like, I'm freaking out. They're playing ...like, I'm like, a little giddy kid freaking out.

Michaela 

Well, good for you for reaching out. It really ...  that's all it takes. The worst people can say is, no, like ...

Marcus Cheung 

Yeah, I remember, like, I was pretty nervous. Like, given that piece, I was like, trying to, like, make some edits to it, and being like, oh, like, you know, it's a big deal, like, they're big time musicians. They've performed in a lot of the orchestras in LA, so they've done, especially a lot of movie music and, like TV show music. So some of those musicians were in, like, Spider Man, no way home. They were in the soundtracks for the Mandalorian. They were in soundtracks like Zootopia, you name it. Like all these big movies and TV.

Michaela 

Huge movies.

Marcus Cheung 

Especially in LA, which is where a lot of them are based in.

Michaela 

Yeah, wow. I feel like a common theme on this podcast is like reaching your fullest potential at college, making sure you're taking advantage of all the opportunities. And I really feel like you've done that, and are the epitome of that. So thank you for coming on. Major insight, Marcus.

Marcus Cheung 

Thank you for having me. I appreciate it.

Michaela 

I know you're awesome. I'm still laughing that you'd never even had your headphones on that entire time. I'm probably screaming at you.

Marcus Cheung 

Oh, really?

Michaela 

Marcus Cheung is a music performance and arts management and entrepreneurship major with a minor in accountancy at Miami University. After graduation, he plans to go into orchestra administration, with the aspirations to be CEO of a symphony orchestra. And thank you for listening to major insight. Many more stories, advice and inspiration are always available wherever podcasts are found.