Honolulu's MELE Program is making music

Students produce Island Music: Gifts of Aloha

Honolulu Community College
Contact:
Billie K T Lueder, (808) 845-9187
Communications and External Affairs, Chancellor's Office
Posted: Mar 8, 2013

L- R: Joseph Gosalvez, Al Landon, Russell Uyeno, Mariko Miho
L- R: Joseph Gosalvez, Al Landon, Russell Uyeno, Mariko Miho
Joseph Gosalvez, Music Business major, will be graduating in May 2014.
Joseph Gosalvez, Music Business major, will be graduating in May 2014.
Students of the Music & Entertainment Learning Experience, MELE as it is more affectionately called, has engineered and produced its first ever CD compilation entitled, Island Music: Gifts of Aloha.
 
Through a generous gift from former Bank of Hawai‘i CEO, Al Landon and his wife Sue Landon, MELE students were given the real life opportunity to put their in-class knowledge into hands-on application.
 
“There are many great things about Hawai‘i – one is the wonderful music. The students of the MELE program have assembled and produced this exciting selection of Hawai‘i music, covering a broad range of styles, performed by talented and popular island artists,” explains Al Landon.
 
A student scholarship of $500 was also awarded to student Joseph Gosalvez, Music Business major and Grammy U Student Representative of the Hawai‘i Chapter for his leadership on the CD project.
 
“The project provided our students with an opportunity to work alongside MELE faculty and engage in activities found in the real world music industry,” shares Eric Lagrimas, Interim Director of the MELE Program.
 
“Music business students helped develop licenses required for use in the project as well as interact with record companies and publishers, while audio engineering students learned about the fundamentals of audio mastering,” said Lagrimas. The CD was created for non-commercial use and will be distributed as a calling card for the program.
 
The Honolulu CC MELE program is the only program in the state that offers students Associate of Science degrees in Music Business or Audio Engineering. The goal of the program is to invest in local talent to grow Hawai‘i's music industry and broaden its reach to the world.
 
MELE utilizes a comprehensive music business and production curriculum meeting the requirements for entry-level training of music industry and production professionals. The curriculum focuses on combining academic experience with real-world applications to prepare students to work in the rapidly evolving global music industry of the 21st century.
 
Graduates of the program are working in the industry creating and promoting music through various career paths that include an Assistant Engineer with Island Sound Studios having most recently worked with rap artist Kanye West; Assistant Engineer with Blue Planet Sound; Assistant Engineer with Soulsound Studio; Audio/Media Specialist at ‘Iolani Schools; Entertainment Coordinator with Hawai‘i Pacific Entertainment; and a Customer Support Specialist with Netflix.
 
“It is through the generous support from individuals such as Al and Sue Landon that give students the invaluable experience that will best prepare them for careers in the music and entertainment industry both within and outside Hawai‘i,” shares Honolulu Community College Chancellor Erika Lacro.