Undergrad turns passion for music into campuswide recording company network, Bloomington Sound
For as long as he can remember, music has been at the center of IU sophomore Joe Sabatino's life. Friends at his Indianapolis high school, Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School, even nicknamed him "the music man."
That's why Sabatino's decision to major in business, not music, at Indiana University was so difficult for him -- and why the saxophonist/pianist/smooth jazz lover turned Kelley School of Business student spent much of his first year at IU longing for some form of creative expression.
"I was used to being involved musically and didn't have an outlet," Sabatino said. "During my freshman year, I decided to create an organization for musicians at IU who may not be music majors."
He spent the summer designing and programming a Web site for the new, campuswide student group he founded through IU's Student Activities Organization, Bloomington Sound (http://bloomingtonsound.com/). Sabatino purchased the initial recording equipment with his own money and has spent the summer working to make up the cost. The group will provide equipment and expertise IU students need to record their music.
Bloomington Sound's kickoff event is "Indiana University's 2009 Top Guitarist Competition," through which any currently enrolled IU Bloomington student can pay just $20 to professionally record an electric or acoustic guitar song (up to five minutes), with or without accompanying vocals, from now through Sept. 30.
Each recording will be posted to the Bloomington Sound Web site, where the general public can vote. After the votes are tallied in early November, the winner will be awarded $400. Sabatino hopes the contest will create enough buzz to interest students with all sorts of talents --"anyone who wants to get their sound out" -- in taking advantage of Bloomington Sound's recording services throughout the school year.
After the guitar competition, Sabatino will shift his focus to scheduling recording sessions for the general student population.
While the majority of Bloomington Sound recording artists are likely to be musicians (both solo artists and bands are welcome), Sabatino said, he already has plans to record Midnight Snack, an IU standup comedy group, and hopes to interest students with other creative interests, such as poetry, short stories and "basically anything that can be picked up with a microphone."
"I'm not starting this organization to make a profit, or to have something to put on my resume," he said. "I'm doing it because I know how good it feels to share my own music with others, and I want all IU students to be able to experience that."
