#WhatsYourStoryUMassD CVPA: Melding music and technology for a 21st-century career

Dr. Jing Wang, associate professor of music in the College of Visual and Performing Arts at UMass Dartmouth uses her experience working within the tech industry (at Apple Computer Music Center in Beijing, China) and as a composer to create something truly unique. “We now live in an extraordinary time where technology is ever-present. It is my privilege to guide students through the efficient utilization of computer-based technology in their music-making process,” she said.

Studying music can feed so many disciplines. If you have a passion for music, you will be able to find ways to incorporate it into your life.

Dr. Wang performs on a Chinese two-stringed violin called an erhu with symphony orchestras in the U.S. Her classical training also feeds her work with Harvey Goldman, a multidisciplinary artist, and a UMass Dartmouth Chancellor Professor Emeritus. Together they have created seven “visual music” collaborations that have been played across the world. “Visual Music” is a cutting-edge audiovisual art form where the imagery and audio components are constructed without hierarchy, a true melding of sound and image. 
 
“Studying music can feed so many disciplines. If you have a passion for music, you will be able to find ways to incorporate it into your life,” said Dr. Wang. “Interdisciplinary courses such as Creative Sound Arts could facilitate collaborations between composers and visual/theater artists while Laptop Ensemble would benefit both music majors as well as the university’s general education students by sharing ideas and creating meaningful conversations among those from diverse disciplines,” she said. 
 
She works with students in various disciplines to see how creative music making can strengthen their life work. Her students, for example, have gone on to develop software that explores the expanding field of music technology, and create digital content centered on electronic music across social platforms. “Music will always be a part of your life, no matter which career path you pursue,” she adds.