Bora Kang
B.A., Viola Performance, Xi’an Conservatory of Music
Area(s) of Interest
Music, TV/Film, Visual Arts, Performing Arts, Theatre, Video/Digital Media, Arts/Music Festivals, Entrepreneurship, PR/Marketing
What are 1-2 of your most significant academic/extracurricular/work experiences?
I have studied music for more than ten years. Besides viola, I am also proficient in piano and guzheng, a traditional Chinese instrument. In early 2022, I joined Beijing Xihang Technology as a user operation specialist, focusing on solving problems for our music education app users. Our company develops various music related applications.
What is your ideal job/role in about 10 years?
Music/entertainment industry event organizer or manager
What led you to enroll in the MSLCE program at Northwestern?
During my two-year working experience, I realized I lack the ability to judge the commercialization of music market. Because I don’t have a systematical business training, it is hard for me to predict the development of the music market and make quick responses. That led me to choose MSLCE, to comprehensively learn business strategy and marketing for the creative industries. Secondly, I want to switch my career path from music education and technology to the music business, I want to combine work related to music and creativity to open up more innovative events.
Favorite (song/movie/podcast/show/festival/exhibition…)
I think every movie has a plot that touches me. If I had to recommend movies, the ones that impressed me would be “Green Book”, “La La Land”, “Hacksaw Ridge”. Regarding music, exhibitions, etc., I like to experiment with different types of musical works. My favorite song lately is Sunflower, because I revisited “Into The Spiderverse” and I really liked the soundtrack, visuals, and overall tone of the movie.
What aspect of the MSLCE program are you most excited to experience? (i.e. specific class, site visit, IDEA fund, internship, etc.)
I am most looking forward to experiencing the internship part of the program, I am looking forward to learning practical things with excellent leaders in the music, entertainment and creative industries.
If you could have lunch with one person (living or dead), who would it be? And why?
I want to have lunch with the composer Debussy. In an online creative quiz, “Which musician are you most like,” my result was Debussy, and I was very pleasantly surprised because he is a musician that I personally like very much, and each of his works are very distinctive, especially “Faun Afternoon Prelude.” His music has a very unique impressionistic style, full of bizarre fantasy styles, he can hear overtones that ordinary people cannot hear, and he has created many bold and innovative works.
If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?
I would like to live in nature, where there are mountains and water, and I can be one with the scenery.