Last summer in June, Bianca Flores went to LA to learn how to start a career in music. This camp is called the “Grammy Camp”, and approximately 75 students from around the world get in each year. There are eight different programs focusing on learning different skills, including one for music production, Bianca’s musical interest.

“I started making music over Covid because I was in choir,” said Flores. While online, choir could not function as a group of people singing together, so instead Mr. Chessin taught students how to produce music. “I had wanted to do it since middle school, I decided that I might as well get totally into it.”

Because of her interest in furthering her skills, when Mr. Chessin sent out an email telling students about the Grammy Camp, Bianca researched and applied. “It was a pretty long application process, it took me about a month,” she said. Applicants are required to submit a video essay about their interests in music and submit two self-produced songs, dissecting the production process used to make them.

The tuition is $1,500, but through scholarships and a GoFundMe, Bianca was able to get her tuition and the price of the flight paid. When asked about how she got the scholarship, she said, “Bruno Mars gave three people scholarships and I was one of them.”

She did not know that her scholarship was from Bruno Mars until she was asked to make a thank you video for him while she was there. This news was surprising to her, but she was never able to meet Bruno Mars or determine how she was given the scholarship.

Once she was accepted, she headed to LA. During the camp, the schedule was pretty consistent. “In the mornings, we would gather and get a mini-lesson from a guest professional about the music industry,” she said. After this, they would go to their music production studio to work on music, then mingle with the other students at lunch and enjoy music and each other. “Everyone in electronic music production really stuck up for each other, supported each other, and we talked about our dreams and our goals; we bonded over that.” In the afternoons, they would collaborate with the other groups. To end the day, there was always some type of performance put on by one of the groups. 

At the end of the five days, Bianca took a couple of lessons away from this experience. “They told us so many tips and tricks into the music industry, and not only that but what to expect when you’re in it,” she said. Although she learned about music production, the experiences regarding collaboration and the music industry are what she believes to be the most beneficial lessons from this camp. 

“Now I feel like I understand more about what I’m getting myself into, and not only that but how to get into it,” she said. She gained contacts in the music industry as well as that. After attending this camp, her dreams of being in the music industry have grown. “I know that sometimes my passions have flipped around a lot, but music has always been the biggest thing in my life.”