We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Juan Cruz. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Juan below.
Hi Juan, so excited to have you with us today, particularly to get your insight on a topic that comes up constantly in the community – overcoming creativity blocks. Any thoughts you can share with us?
For me, a great way to fight writer’s block is to take a step back and change my way of approaching a task. It also helps me to look for ways in which I can experience a situation from different perspectives. Luckily, I chose a career that is incredibly varied and it gives me the chance to try out many different roles. I work as a professional musician, and throughout my career I’ve been a violinist, a composer, an orchestrator, and a teacher, all of which fall under the umbrella of music.
As an example, I was once commissioned to write a piece of music for a friend. The piece was to be written for violin and harp, which was a big challenge for me; I had never composed music for the harp, a very complex and technical instrument. I was at a point where my ideas weren’t flowing and I couldn’t write one note. So I took a step back and decided to focus on other aspects of the process. I researched about the harp, went to concerts, took some classes, even purchased some books specifically about writing music for the harp. As I learned more, my ideas started flowing. Soon, I was writing down more ideas than I had time to develop. After a few months, the piece was done, and was premiered to great success in the Puerto Rico Music Conservatory.
From this experience, I took away the importance of changing your perspective on the task at hand, and how much it helps one’s creativity to switch things up. The brain is constantly looking for ways in which it can be engaged, and maintaining that engagement is one of the trickiest parts of a creative career.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
My introduction to music began when I was 9 years old and my parents bought me a violin. After taking lessons through high school, I graduated and took my undergrad in the Puerto Rico Music Conservatory. It was after finishing those studies that I realized how much I enjoy composing, creating and performing music. I decided to start composing music for video games, a field for which I discovered a passion.
During those next few years, I decided that I wanted to work in both the video game and music industries. However, I felt that I needed to meet more people with similar interests outside of my circle. I wanted to create a community of professionals composers interested in the video game industry of Puerto Rico as well, but I didn’t know how to go about doing that. Right along that time is when me and two other colleagues founded Trivium Studios.
The company stemmed from our desire to build a community from the ground up, and we were very lucky to have the support of many key members of the video game audio industry. In 2022, we produced the first-ever conference in Puerto Rico dedicated wholly to video game music, titled Video Game Music Con, Puerto Rico (VGMCPR). The event was a big success, bringing in guest speakers from the United States, as well as presenting video game music with a live orchestra. Last year, VGMCPR took place once again, with the participation of more speakers, guests, and the inclusion of non-profit organization Female Composer Safety League.
Along with producing this event, which brings me a lot of professional fulfillment, I’m a violinist in several orchestras and ensembles. I also perform electric violin as part of a duo called Symphony of Two. The performing side of my career has taken me to numerous venues around the world, including concerts in Vienna, Austria, and most recently Córdoba, Argentina. It is one of my biggest joys to be able to travel and take my music wherever I go.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
A quality that I think is important to foster is a good disposition. Throughout my life, I’ve worked and collaborated with many people, for many different projects. Some of these were great experiences, while others were not. However, it’s always been important for me to leave a good impression on everyone I work with. You never know how someone can help you in the future, or who can recommend you for other opportunities.
Along those same lines, networking is definitely a skill that is worth developing. A lot of the things I’m most proud of in my career have happened because I put myself out there and met people. My advice would be to go to events, concerts, conferences, anything related to your line of work or what you’re passionate in. The most important thing is to be consistent and keep showing up.
Finally, there is no area of knowledge that I recommend over any other. Knowledge is power only if you know how to use it, and for myself, I strive to learn something new every day. The eternal student is a good mindset to have, because whenever we’re learning, we’re growing as professionals and human beings.
Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?
I’m always searching for new ways to collaborate and learn from other amazing musicians. Something I really enjoy is performing with other instrumentalists, and I’ve done several music arrangements/covers on my social media. If you’re a musician and you’d like to play a part on one of my covers, reach out by messaging me through instagram on my account @jdcviolin. I’d love to hear from you!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.jdcviolin.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/jdcviolin
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jdcviolin
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juan-cruz-17a36a1b1/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/jdcviolin
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCR4aEv5D9v0IkjYaV4ye_oQ
