MEET OUR STUDENTS - ft. Misha Galant!
Come hear Misha in concert next Friday @ Maison Française!
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MPP: What year are you at Columbia and what are you majoring in?
M: I am a junior in Columbia College, studying Data Science and concentrating in Russian Literature/Culture.
MPP: How should a student at Columbia take advantage of all the musical offerings here?
M: Enroll in as many groups and musical clubs on campus as possible! I've participated in eight chamber music groups since I came to New York in 2016, and this has helped me form a community of like-minded friends, which can be quite difficult in such a big school as Columbia. All MPP groups have an opportunity to perform in Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall in the spring, with an awesome reception following the concert, so that's an extra perk. Also, try to find opportunities off-campus. The New York Philharmonic has free Friday concerts for the first 100 students who register, and Carnegie Hall has $10 student tickets for many of their performances. I have been to a countless number of these concerts and am super thankful that New York has such a student-friendly and diverse musical scene.
MPP: How do you balance a busy academic schedule with practice time? Any tips?
M: I am obsessive with scheduling. I schedule every day down to the minute because otherwise I would not get things done and would forget about my commitments. This has helped me survive college. I also practice whenever I see that I am losing productivity while studying. It is nice to shift gears and ultimately helps me complete more work in less time.
MPP: What experience or piece made you first fall in love with music?
M: I first truly fell in love with music when I heard Rachmaninoff's Third Concerto, during my freshman year of high school. It is still my favorite piece of music, and I have had the opportunity to perform it with four different orchestras.
MPP: How has MPP helped you better study, live, or grow in your time at Columbia?
M: I've found that the friends I meet through my MPP groups share not only musical but academic interests with me, and we take many classes together, which helps with studying. I've also had the opportunity to work with several fantastic coaches who have helped me grow as a musician. Music will always be an important component of my life, so I'm thankful to MPP for providing a wide variety of opportunities that have helped cultivate my musicianship.
