Daily Inspiration: Meet Laura Agudelo Cuartas

Today we’d like to introduce you to Laura Agudelo Cuartas.

Hi Laura, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I was born in Colombia and grew up going back and forth between Medellín and a small town called Toledo (Antioquia). I started taking music classes when I was six years old, with an emphasis on percussion, and in 2006, I began playing the clarinet in La Red de Escuelas de Música de Medellín—a government-funded music program.
In 2013, my family and I moved to Boston, MA. At first, it was a major cultural shock, and it took me a couple of years to adjust to life in the U.S., but it was well worth it. In Boston, I completed one year of high school and then two years of liberal arts classes at Bunker Hill Community College. After that, I transferred to Berklee College of Music.
I originally planned to study performance, but as I began my studies at Berklee, I discovered a passion for other areas of the music industry. I eventually double-majored in Music Production and Engineering and Jazz Composition. Before Berklee, I had no experience using a DAW and knew very little about signal flow, so the first year of the Music Production and Engineering program was a steep learning curve. Thankfully, Berklee’s program is very well designed, and I was able to get a lot of hands-on time in the studios, which helped me catch up. I learned signal flow through consoles such as the API Legacy Plus, SSL Duality, and Neve 88RS.
After finishing my studies at Berklee in 2020, I moved to Los Angeles and began applying to every studio I could think of. Fortunately, two weeks later, I received a call from Record Plant for an interview for a runner position. I worked there as a runner for about nine months and met many incredible people. Through a recommendation from the technician at Record Plant, I was later contacted by the Director of Music Technology and Production and the Director of the Recording Studio at UCLA, where I began working in live sound and their recording studio.
Since this job was more freelance-based, a few months later a friend spotted a post in the Berklee Facebook group about Capitol Studios looking to fill a Studio Coordinator position—a role that included some runner duties as well as setting up for sessions. I immediately sent in my resume and got a callback for an interview. At the beginning of 2021, I started working at Capitol Studios. It was an unbelievable experience. Everyone there was incredibly knowledgeable, warm, and welcoming. I got to witness the magic behind sessions for artists such as Paul McCartney, Beck, and Sam Smith, as well as film and TV projects like Babylon, Only Murders in the Building, and many more. I felt very fortunate to observe and learn from the workflows of engineers such as Steve Genewick, Chandler Harrod, Nick Rives, Jeff Fitzpatrick, and Ira Grylack.
After Capitol closed later that year due to earthquake retrofitting of the building, I began working as an assistant engineer to John Michael Caldwell—John Powell’s engineer—at 5 CAT Studios, and also at Western (a Universal Music Group facility) in the same role. With John Michael, I learned a great deal about the workflow in film music. I’ve had the opportunity to assist on films such as M3GAN, Harold and the Purple Crayon, and Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie, and to work as a score editor for Wicked, Better Man, Migration and How to Train Your Dragon, which is set to be released later this year.
Currently, I continue working at UCLA doing live sound and recording/mixing in their studio, freelancing with John Michael Caldwell, assisting at a privately owned studio, and collaborating with friends such as Claudia Medina (composer, producer, and saxophone player) and Sofía Élan (singer-songwriter and producer) on recording and mixing their projects.

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?
No, it has not been a smooth road but it certainly has been a growing experience.
When moving to LA I struggled finding a place within the music industry that felt in alignment with who I am; however, the opportunity to explore different areas of the industry, has gradually helped me discover my niche.

As a part of this journey, I have also been able to face my own insecurities and my fear of failure, understanding that only by putting myself in situations out of my comfort zone is that have been able to grow personally and professionally.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a sound engineer. I love recording, specially sessions that involve tracking a live band. I enjoy mixing for both films and commercial music. Since moving to LA, I’ve had the opportunity to work a wide range of roles in the music industry. Each experience has taught me something new about different niches, making me a more versatile and well-rounded engineer.

If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
Being reliable and adaptable.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.lauraagudelocuartas.com/home
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraagudeloc1/