Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jose Ignacio Santos. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have Jose Ignacio with us today – welcome and maybe we can jump right into it with a question about one of your qualities that we most admire. How did you develop your work ethic? Where do you think you get it from?
I’ve always liked art in general, but drawing has always been close to my heart. I draw since I have memory, at first like any other kid, drawing cartoons and things I watched at the time, but later drawing portraits and concept art from my mind. Also I was self-taught when I started and achieved professional level at age 16. But I mention this because I used to spend hours and hours drawing, some times it getting up to 12 hours in a day just stopping to eat. Later, I went to art school and my technique got incredibly better and I could do the same quality work in way less time.
Something else that has helped me is music. I started doing music, also as a self-taught, when I was 14 years old and I took it very intensely from the start. At that same age, I started studying classical performance in clarinet, in the National Conservatory of Dominican Republic and there I had one of the best teachers I’ve ever had, Roberto Medina. And with his help I developed a really robust practice routine and honestly I liked practicing, discovering things, creating my own patterns and figuring things out on my own. To the point that I would practice way more whenever I had vacations.
I think these two things have develop an incredibly strong work ethic in me.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I’m a music composer, producer and multi-instrumentalist, originally from Dominican Republic, but now living in Miami, Florida.
I’m working on a range of interesting projects right now, which I’d divide into a few main areas:
Composing: I’m currently involved in several music composition projects. One of my current projects is composing the music for a Nintendo Switch game, though I’m unable to share specific details just yet because it hasn’t been released. Additionally, I’m working on a soundtrack for Fably, an interactive stories app for kids. Recently, I completed orchestrations for a symphony orchestra in Sydney, Australia, which included pieces from video games and anime like Final Fantasy, Demon Slayer, Metal Gear Solid and Kingdom Hearts. I also have upcoming projects, including composing the music for an Xbox game and creating music and audio effects for a short film for Banco Popular in the Dominican Republic.
Performing: Performance is a major part of my career. I actively perform across Miami and Florida, as well as in other states and countries. My latest venture is with Monations Band, a new project by Joy Studios, where I’ll be playing clarinet and tenor saxophone for our debut performances in Orlando this weekend. I also collaborate with various bands and artists, including Los Wizzards, Alemor, Samy Hawk, Mechy, and Yani Martelli. Additionally, I co-founded Jogo Entertainment with my friend Diego Clavijo, a cover band specializing in corporate events, weddings, and other special occasions.
Extra: In addition to my music work, I’ve recently completed several drawing commissions and have another one lined up for next month.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
For people that are early in their journey, I would say:
1. I don’t know if this is a quality or not but: Not giving up. And when I say this I don’t mean not minding anything and keep going, if you have to stop, take a rest, reevaluate things, do it. But in the long run, keep pushing forward. You are growing, even if you don’t see it.
2. Curiosity. I think something that has helped me a lot is that I’m naturally curious about everything. So I keep learning and finding out things about anything I do, or solutions to problems that I encounter, or how to make my work flow faster and more efficient. That has helped me a lot in anything I have needed to do. It might sometimes make things more challenging, but it’s well worth it.
3. Work smart. I didn’t finish the phrase because sometimes you have to work smart and hard, that’s just how life goes. But I think you should be thinking on how you can work or function for as long as you can, without having serious health issues in any sense of the word, that being physical, psychological or any other. In other words, working is important, but your health, family and friends are even more important and you won’t be able to sustain a career while neglecting these for long.
Who has been most helpful in helping you overcome challenges or build and develop the essential skills, qualities or knowledge you needed to be successful?
This question touches on a lot of important aspects. When it comes to overcoming challenges, my family and friends play a crucial role. Just thinking about them often gives me the strength to keep going. And sometimes, they actively help me through tough times, lifting me out of darker moments.
In terms of developing skills, qualities, and knowledge, I believe everyone you interact with can be a valuable source of learning. Certain individuals make a profound impact, whether they are family, friends, teachers, or people you admire. Thankfully, I’ve been fortunate to meet many of these influential people who have truly made a difference in my life. Each of these interactions contributes to who I am and what I know. I have countless people to thank for the growth and knowledge I’ve gained.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.joseignaciosantos.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jos3.ignaci0/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jose-ignacio-santos-56b70920a/
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