Today we’d like to introduce you to Grace Miedziak.
Hi Grace, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I was born and raised in the high desert of Central Oregon. I started piano lessons at age seven, and early on I began playing original songs for my piano teacher. He was so encouraging and always asked me, “What did you come up with this week?” While I loved learning classical music and improving my musicianship, I was mostly drawn to composing my own music.
Soon, lyrics started coming to me, and I began to layer contemporary singing with my piano songs. I sang whatever inspired me at the time—usually beautiful places in nature I felt connected to—but also painful past experiences. I believe this was a way for me to process my emotions and begin the healing journey. Music has been my therapeutic outlet ever since. After entering freshman year of high school, I began to feel unsatisfied with my life because I didn’t connect with the “high school experience” and was looking for something more. I yearned for more freedom to put towards practicing piano, singing, and composing music. After one of my friends in ballet class told me about a flexible early college program that allowed her to pursue her dreams of becoming a dancer, I knew it was perfect for me. Starting college classes early was one of the best decisions of my life. I had the freedom to manage my own time and pursue my musical aspirations.
At fifteen, I started performing my singer/songwriter music under my artist name “LAIK” at events and festivals in my hometown, and I got so hooked on performing my new pieces. I also had the opportunity to work with a local studio to produce a few of my songs that I wanted to release. This experience was so valuable since learning about music technology and production helped me grow so much as a songwriter and composer. A year later, I was commissioned to compose an orchestral piece for the Metropolitan Youth Symphony in Portland, OR. This piece, “Seereise,” was performed a few weeks before the world shut down in March 2020 due to COVID-19. Looking back, I am so grateful for all of these incredible experiences since they shaped my musical voice and reaffirmed my passion for composing and performing.
My favorite class at my local college was called “Scoring for Media,” where I learned all about how to write soundtracks for movies and television shows. I discovered that I have a cinematic composing style that works well with this area of composition. My professor happened to be an alum from my dream school, the University of Southern California and encouraged me to apply. When I received my acceptance letter to the USC Thornton School of Music early in 2020, my family and I jumped up and down and cried tears of joy. I couldn’t wait to be surrounded by such an incredibly talented group of students that shared my passion for creating. I’m so grateful that I’m studying music composition and production at the place of my dreams!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
After the elation of being accepted to USC Thornton came the tragedy of COVID-19. Like most students my age, I didn’t get a graduation ceremony, and instead of moving to my dream school, I was stuck at home for another year. While I certainly struggle to stay positive when Zoom has become my entire life, I realize that I still have so much to be grateful for since so many people are experiencing so much loss and grief. It’s been devastating to witness the effects of the pandemic on the world, and everyone I know is hurting in some kind of way. Despite these challenges, I’m still enjoying getting to know my teachers and fellow students through Zoom, and I look forward to the day when we can meet and collaborate in person. I composed my most recent piece, “Oregon’s Inferno,” in September 2020 when unprecedented wildfires were destroying towns and forests all around my home state.
I was trapped inside, avoiding the hazardous air quality from the smoke and the virus, staring at the bright orange smokey sky. I was so heartbroken for the forests, for the people who lost their homes and loved ones. I saw a picture of a woman on the news sitting on the fragments of what was left of her charred home. She was crying, tears streaming down her face. I thought about what home meant to her and how devastating it must have been to lose it, and that’s how the song came to me. I composed the individual instrument parts for my classmates, and they recorded it remotely from their homes and sent it back to me to compile in my digital audio workspace. Seeing how well the song has come together despite these circumstances is so meaningful to me right now.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
My music and compositional style are still continually evolving and hopefully always will be. I’m constantly finding myself balancing between contemporary pop and classical/film music. Sometimes I feel pressured to choose one genre over another, but instead, I’ve decided to embrace my individual voice and incorporate aspects of both styles into my music. For example, I put classically-inspired string parts in my pop music and use modern electronic sounds inspired by pop in my classical music. I’m always trying to break out of my comfort zone and create new sounds by experimenting with different techniques. I’m currently collecting cool instruments and even pieces of discarded metal to use as percussion and samples for my songs. I absolutely love blending electronic and traditional elements to create a new, unique listening experience.
Right now, I’m most focused on film scoring since my aspiration has always been to compose professionally for media. I just feel like I’m a storyteller at heart, and my goal with my music is to take listeners on a journey and offer an escape to another world. I also think film and music are so compelling together, and I’m obsessed with learning more about how I can compose soundtracks that enhance someone’s story. To achieve this goal, I’m currently working towards my degrees in Music Composition and Production at USC and then a Master’s in Screen Scoring. But no matter what I do, I always want to stay true to my passion for both the contemporary and traditional sides of music-making.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: gracemiedziak.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gracemiedziak/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/grace.miedziak/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgUO7g3zjPC7BRt73fie2AA
- Other: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuIUTljgU11ohuD10bnH05g
Image Credits:
Tanja Majack, Marvin Walder
