The Sounds of Tomorrow: How Mophonics and Berklee College of Music Are Cultivating the Next Generation of Audio Talent

In this industry, the first steps can often be the biggest. Making the jump from school or college to a paid gig is not one for the faint of heart, and yet at the same time there’s never a shortage of demand for talent. It’s why opening up accessibility for the industry’s entry routes is such a win-win for all parties - young talent is enabled to find its feet, and studios tap into fresh ideas for the ultimate benefit of their clients. 

In part, that’s the reasoning behind the partnership between the music and sound studio Mophonics and the Berklee College of Music (the prestigious alma mater of John Mayer, St. Vincent, and Quincy Jones amongst countless others). 

By offering a unique ‘master class’ programme to Berklee students, involving talks, feedback, and a scoring-to-picture workshop that dives into sample client briefs, Mophonics has been able to offer a taste of industry life to the next generation of composers and audio producers - all whilst providing a platform on which their talent can shine. 

“Working with Mophonics has provided students at Berklee an opportunity to hone their personal and professional interests while developing critical technical and soft skills and invaluable connections in the music, technology and entertainment industries”, explains Andy Chau, Berklee’s director of career engagement. “The collaboration is so valuable because it allows students to synthesise what they learn in the classroom and apply it to the real world”. 

And, from Mophonics’ point of view, the link with Berklee felt like a natural evolution. “It’s undeniable that major talent has emerged from Berklee - indeed, one of our most prolific composers Mike Haziza is a Berklee grad”, says Mophonics’ partner and ECD Steph Altman. “We wanted to tap into that talent stream, and we knew that they wanted to offer their students experience and connections with the real world”. 

Already, Mophonics’ master class programme has been bearing fruit in the form of top-tier work for household name brands. To find out more, LBB caught up with Mophonics composers Calvin Rezen and Stella Webb who joined up with the team through the programme. 

Hitting the Ground Running 

For any brand, sonic identity is a big deal. It’s why the clicking, crisp exhalation of a metallic coca cola can often leave so many of us thirsting for a satisfying sip. So when Mophonics set to work on an ad for the Japanese tech giant Rakuten, nailing the brand’s sonic identity was a priority. 

“I always try to ask myself what the USP of any brand is, and what they are trying to achieve on a fundamental level. For Rakuten, I wanted to incorporate sounds that felt modern and punchy”, explains Stella, whose composition ended up winning out and has become the recognisable sound of Rakuten. “To achieve a degree of memorability is tricky in such a short space of time, I think this is where rhythmic choices can really be a make or break. Ultimately, Rakuten was looking to signal their arrival as a powerful online brand and I think my composition definitely does a good job of evoking that”. 

Meanwhile, alongside Stella’s ability to compose a top-tier brand’s sonic identity, Calvin’s participation in the master class programme allowed him to get to grips with a different side of the audio world. Amazon’s ‘STUFF!’ campaign, a memorably light-hearted approach to the dizzying diversity of the online retailers’ offerings, received a great reception upon its launch. And the comedic musical number around which the ad is based was composed by none other than Calvin himself. 

“Yeah, working on the Amazon spot was one helluva introduction to the industry!”, he recalls. “I was kind of handed free reign to write anything I wanted into the song as far as jokes or visual gags. But, looking back, it’s surreal to think how many moving parts come together to make something so whimsical and odd. I feel really happy and lucky to engage in the absurdity right out of the starting gate”. 

On top of that stellar compositional work, the master class programme also afforded Stella the opportunity to work in another side of the industry: vocals. As part of a beautifully made piece of film for GoFundMe, Stella brought new life to David Mallett’s “Garden Song” thanks in part to a new arrangement from Steph. 

“GoFundMe had heard my original demo and loved my vocals, so I wanted to retain some of the gentle qualities of that original performance”, explains Stella. “Steph’s direction was super helpful in creating a vocal arrangement that fit with all the instrumentation. We spent a lot of time making sure the harmonies were sitting nicely within the mix, and that the lyrics fit with the campaign message”. 

Between these three ads, we can see a perfect encapsulation of the win-win nature at the heart of Mophonics’ master class initiative. For Calvin and Stella, the opportunity to meaningfully contribute to such high-profile work has been invaluable. Stella also recalls how she found inspiration from members of the Mophonics team. 

“Kris [Roggemann, Mophonics’ creative producer and partner] has been such an instrumental figure in getting my music placed in campaigns”, she says. “His level of experience and credits in the supervision world are really inspiring, so to have him be so enthusiastic about my work is encouraging”. 

And at the same time, both Mophonics and these three brands have benefitted from the original perspective and performance of young talent. Overall, Mophonics and Berklee have successfully established a positive feedback loop which is set to continue running long into the future. 

As Andy explains, the success of both the programme and the likes of Stella and Calvin within it should come as no surprise. “Our students are extremely talented and are able to apply their knowledge and skills in new, authentic and real-world contexts”, he says. “I am so proud of Calvin and Stella and cannot wait to see where their career paths continue to expand. Berklee students are the future of the industry and they are going to be leading and innovating in many ways”. 

Whatever that future may hold, Calvin and Stella’s early success - enabled in part by Mophonics’ master class programme - has ensured it’ll be worth listening out for.