BILL
JOLLY
Area of Study: Music
Current City: Philadelphia, PA
Graduation Date: Summer, 1982
Current Occupation: President, Be Jolly Music, Inc.
Why did you choose WCU and/or the School of Music?
I wanted to go to a great music school that was far enough away from home to be able
to stay on campus but still close enough to home to be able to play weekend gigs with
my band in Philadelphia. WCU was a perfect fit.
What training or education did the School of Music provide for you that relates to
your current occupation?
I learned a lot about composition, performance, acoustics, vocal and instrumental
writing and the history of music.
What is a typical day like for you?
I wake up every day about 4:30am. (Not the typical musician's resume' I know.) Lol.
I walk for about 40 minutes every day and then I start my day. Every day is totally
different for me and I love that because I never get bored. Some days I am composing
music, other days I'm scoring a film or producing a recording session for an artist
or group. I create music packages for TV and news and I produce commercials and jingles
for radio. I also play live and function as the musical director/ arranger for various
Awards shows, theatrical productions, TV specials and private affairs. I even supply
choirs for well-known artists that come through town to perform. The genres of music
I have to know, write and perform spans the entire gamut of the musical spectrum and
keeping up with the latest technology always keeps me engaged, learning, growing and
busy.
What advice would you give to someone who would like to enter your field?
Listen to everything and every style of music and never stop learning. It's almost
better to be a Walmart in this current music industry than a Dunkin' Donuts. Producers
and directors like myself get thrown a myriad of projects in many diverse situations
and styles. I've contracted orchestras, choirs, session singers, touring bands, voiceover
professionals and countless musicians. We tend to reach out to hire the people who
are the most versatile with the greatest, most positive attitudes to work with. ALWAYS
be on time and keep any personal bad habits or drama away from the music. Learn every
song you can to get hired and always be prepared and open minded to any new opportunity
that is thrown at you, even if it's last second. You have to get out and meet people,
make friends, market yourself (sometimes for free or for less than you desire at times)
and create a website of your work with your contact information. Learn everything
you can about the business side which means putting down your instrument and reading
books on business law and contracts sometimes. Make sure you have a computer and a
means to record your own ideas at a moment's notice like, Logic, Pro Tools, etc. The
more you can do on your own, the more control you will have over your own destiny
in the music business.
What is your favorite memory of being a student at WCU and/or in the School of Music?
I loved dorm life. I miss the friends, the cold hallway walks to the shower, even
the cafeteria. Lol. College taught me invaluable lessons about getting along with
people of different backgrounds that I still use today.