Meet Amanda Duran

Today we’d like to introduce you to Amanda Duran.

Amanda, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Growing up, there was ALWAYS music playing. There are no musicians in my immediate family, but everyone is so passionate about music that there wasn’t a day that went by where I wasn’t listening to something new. I think because of that, I joined every ensemble available in the public school system and played as many instruments as I possibly could. At the time, I didn’t know that it would be preparing me for film scoring. I discovered film scoring in middle school when our concert band took a field trip to the backlots of Disneyland and we got to be studio musicians for the day. I remember sitting at the baby grand piano, looking at the timecode burn-in on the classic Disney film, and waiting for the conductor to cue us in. It was one of the best feelings I have ever experienced and it ignited a passion for film music. It became a dream to work in a studio-like that ever since. I owned the “Eric Kunzel Cincinnati Pops Orchestra Ultimate Movie Music Collection”, played it on repeat, and began scoring my own stories.

Growing up as an only child and being Mexican-American in a predominately caucasian town, I felt very isolated and out of place. Music and storytelling was definitely my escape. I began songwriting as a way to vent. Later on in high school, I began taking piano, music theory, and voice lessons at The Colburn school of Performing Arts, all thanks to merit scholarships I was really blessed to receive. Around that time, I joined an alternative rock band where I played bass guitar for a couple of years. Funny enough, one of the band members and I stayed in touch and now we are in an indie pop/rock band together along with four other members, formerly known as “Mexico City Heartbreak” and “Order of the Diamond”. We’re currently recording an EP to be released later on this year.

I learned about Berklee College of Music while in high school. As soon as I found out that Berklee was one of the only colleges that offered a Bachelors degree in film scoring, it became my dream school. I graduated Summa Cum Laude in 2017. Halfway through college, I did an internship at DreamWorks Animation Television in their Music Supervision and Casting Department and met incredible people! Afterwards, I was fortunate enough to work as an independent contractor for DreamWorks, creating lead sheets for the songs in their shows. I still work as a lead sheet creator from time to time for other companies. After graduating from Berklee, I interned at Backyard Industries with Heitor Pereira. I began scoring for short films and currently assist composer Morgan Kibby. I am in the process of creating my own film scoring business which should be up and running by 2020.

Outside of film scoring and songwriting, I’m passionate about advocating for youth and currently am on the Youth Advisory Council for the Los Angeles County Arts Education Collective. A team of us participate in shaping a new LA County Regional Plan for Arts Education. Knowing all too well about not fitting in while growing up, I have made it a priority to do what I can do help keep arts education in schools. Music saves. It helps children develop into well rounded, open-minded and accepting individuals. Not only that, but it helps them learn better in their core classes, helps bring a sense of belonging and unity, and creates real-world problem solvers. I hope to somehow continue to do what I can to uplift youth and help bridge opportunity gaps for minorities to create a more inclusive and diverse music and film industry.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
NO! Not at all. Not even close.

While there are victories, there are failures and this pattern continues like a winding, bumpy, rocky road. It’s just part of the journey that I signed up for. The obvious obstacle has been financial difficulty, but I think the most challenging obstacle is mentally. It’s an uphill battle of fighting off insecurities and remaining faithful throughout the process all while reminding myself why I chose this career. You get a lot of no’s. You get people who do not take you seriously. It’s been a process of learning how to shake off negative thoughts and worries. It requires so much faith. I knew it wasn’t going to be easy. But that’s okay because I knew it would be worth it because this is something that I have been so passionate about my whole life.

I would be lying if I said the thought of giving up hadn’t crossed my mind. I think this is so common though! It’s been the topic of many conversations with fellow musicians and artists. Our art form is the way we express ourselves, yet it’s also our livelihood. And when the two intermingle, it’s bound to create a sense of anxiety and can be discouraging when we can’t see the results of the hard work we put in. But as artists, we really can’t let those thoughts consume us and get the best of us. I just keep pushing through with the hope and belief that everything will pay off in the end, and in the time being, I am so grateful for how this journey has shaped who I am as a person. I have learned resilience, patience, and gratitude. There are days where I barely have any money and I don’t even know how I am surviving (I’m so fortunate to have a supportive family, thanks parents! I would starve without you). Then there are days where everything aligns and I can see everything falling into place.

Please tell us about your work.
I am a freelance film composer/songwriter and plan on starting my own film scoring company very soon. I am in the process of creating a team so it’s all very exciting! I compose, arrange, orchestrate, mix, and master original music to help create a world for visual media. I specialize in creating memorable, thematic music using instrumentation catered to each project. I think what I’m most proud of is the ability to communicate with my clients in a way where they feel heard, understood, and included in the writing process. It’s important to me that I stay true to their vision and give them exactly what they are looking for, so I do my research and really care about the story as if it were my own. I think that also sets my business apart from others. I approach each project with care and gratitude and will do as much research as possible to ensure that we get the music just right for the story.

If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
Absolutely nothing.

Contact Info:

• Address: 120 W. Wilson Avenue Glendale CA 91203
• Website: AmandaAliciaDuran.com
• Phone: (818)812-0574
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: composer_amandaduran

Image Credit:
Dyllen Nellis
Julian Pluas

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