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Music Composer

Music: Mateo Messina, Hollywood, CA
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Do you want to be a Music Composer?

Can you play music by ear? Do you have a knack for expressing emotion through music? Do you get a thrill from hearing others play music you wrote? If so, film and symphony composer Mateo Messina is waiting to guide you to the composing career of your dreams. Pack your bags and get ready for a film composer or symphony composer VocationVacations dream job holiday.

Mateo is not a formally trained musician. He played piano growing up, and in college was introduced to a computer program that allowed him to write and play music for all sorts of instruments right on his piano. Soon after, Mateo boldly approached the Seattle Symphony and asked to be booked to conduct a symphony. When they said “yes”, he had seven months to write his first symphony! Mateo not only wrote that symphony, but he promoted the performance, and by the second weekend, the concert was sold out.

Within a month of the symphony, Mateo was asked to score a commercial and six months later he was asked to score a film.

Mateo later took his chutzpah to Hollywood, where he started scoring short films for unknown and up-and-coming directors. One of those unknown directors, Jason Reitman, became very well known. Mateo has written music for Reitman’s two biggest hits, Thank You for Smoking and Juno.

Over the past eight years, Mateo has built a business on film scoring and now writes music for films for many major studios, in addition to composing for TV shows like NBC’s hit The Office as well as commercials. Mateo also returns to Seattle every year to produce a charity symphony, which benefits Seattle’s Children’s Hospital.

The constantly changing nature of his work keeps Mateo creatively energized. His projects range from writing upbeat music like the Juno soundtrack, to sentimental music for a drama, to scoring a horror film.

“I keep myself charged by taking little trips to get inspired, and I also keep my projects varied,” he says. “I feel so lucky to be doing what I’m doing. It’s such a fun and challenging occupation, and I love having my own business – that’s very satisfying.”

Mateo is the first to admit he truly does have a dream job. He loves his work – both the glitzy aspect of writing music for movies and attending movie premieres, as well as the soul-feeding work of writing symphonies and raising money for a hospital dear to his heart.

“This isn’t something you are just chosen to do,” Mateo says. “I started with just an idea, and it’s built into something big. I would love to show somebody how to do that. Nobody came to me and said you’re good at music, you could write a symphony. I made it happen myself.”

***Due to Mateo's travel/work schedule, we highly recommend you purchase travel insurance in the event Mateo needs to reschedule.  VocationVacations nor Mateo is responsible for a change in scheduling.

Here's what a recent Vocationer had to say about their experience with Mateo:

“Having this shadowing experience was huge, particularly the opportunity to ask all kinds of questions. It helped dispel the barriers that I feared and see the reality of the profession, and realize that it can be done without sacrificing a personal life. I learned that it's doable. My VocationVacation was a wonderful experience and lots of fun.”
Steve Summerford
Seattle, WA

While on your Music Composer VocationVacations® dream job holiday with Mateo Messina, you have a choice to participate in either Symphony Composition or Film Composition:
  • Film Composition activities will include some or all of the following:
  • Learn how to write a film score from start to finish
  • Learn about current recording technology and trends
  • Experience a true spotting session
  • Attend a real Hollywood lunch
  • Learn to write cues with dramatic sensitivity to a scene
  • Go through the creative process with mentor
  • Visit a lot/studio to see a live shoot
  • Learn about marketing yourself to potential clients
  • Learn how to navigate the music business in Hollywood
  • Music Composer VocationVacations® dream job holiday activities will include some or all of the following:
  • If you have an ear for music, learn how to write a symphony even if you don't read or write music
  • Learn the basics of writing music through the latest recording technology
  • Learn how to program each “instrument”
  • Learn how to concept, produce, and perform a symphony from beginning to end
The Music Composer Vocation Vacations® dream job holiday with Mateo Messina includes:
  • Two days of one-on-one mentorship in your dream job as a music composer
  • The option to participate in a total of one hour of pre- and post- VocationVacations career coaching from an accredited, affiliated VocationVacations career coach
  • A pocket-size VocationVacations journal so you can document your dream job coming to reality
  • Light lunches with your mentor

Available: All year, Monday-Friday, based on mentor's availability

Price: $1449 Per Person

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Suggested Accommodations

The Chamberlain

Le Parc Suites
(Not included in the price of the VocationVacations holiday)

Other activities and tourist destinations while on your VocationVacations® adventure:
 Reservation, Cancellation and Rescheduling Rules and Conditions:

Full payment of the VocationVacations dream job holiday is required to make a reservation. A $100 non-refundable fee is assessed if a VocationVacations experience is cancelled or rescheduled prior to 14-days of the scheduled VocationVacations holiday, based on the approved availability of the mentor to reschedule. A VocationVacations adventure cannot be rescheduled and is non-refundable if cancelled within 14 days of the scheduled VocationVacations holiday. Written notification of cancellation or rescheduling is required in all cases. In the US, Grounded Nomads, LLC and VocationVacations holidays encourage all customers to acquire travel insurance to cover any unforeseen expenses due to cancellation or rescheduling. In the UK, Grounded Nomads, Ltd and VocationVacations holidays must require all customers to acquire travel insurance to cover any unforeseen expenses due to cancellation or rescheduling and provide verification of such travel insurance to Grounded Nomads, Ltd.