Host Profile: Fernando Lara, MBA Candidate '18 at The Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto
Concert Details:
Tuesday, February 27th, 7:30pm
Pocket Concerts presents: Trio Tangere
Hosted by Rotman Music
Last summer we got an email from a very enthusiastic business student named Fernando, who wanted to bring a live concert experience to his fellow students at the Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto. His enthusiasm and love of music was so great, in fact, that we just couldn't say no, and we've had a great time working with him and getting to know him. Fernando is a musician in his own right (a drummer and a guitarist), and is also the president of the Rotman Music Club.
RM: What inspired you to reach out to Pocket Concerts and offer to host a concert at The Rotman School?
FL: Well, during summer we were thinking “what should we bring to the Rotman Music Club (RM) to create a community where music is the main topic?” We decided that we should bring some live music to the building, being (sadly) the most unexpected place to find a live concert. We began to look for options and we wanted to send the message that music is not only Rock and Pop music, there is also ballet, folk, percussions, jazz, funk and of course classical music. We wanted to show the black, the white and a lot of grays in music for people to get involved not only biased on the mainstream conception of what music as a whole represents.
RM: Can you give us some examples of how music helps you connect with your community?
FL: It’s intrinsic, studies show that connecting with people with your same interests creates a smooth connection between two or more individuals. Being in the most diverse city and specially in a full time MBA program, we get to know people from all over the world and with tons of different professional backgrounds. What we wanted in RM was to create a safe environment where we all share this passion for music. Liking the same bands or the same genres could be transformed in a real lifetime friendship. Liking music in general opens the dialogue between diverse groups at school and, why not? Outside of it as well.
RM: How does your role at the Rotman music club affect your experience at the School of Management?
FL: It has been the most important part of my MBA, I have learned so many thing that are not explained in class and also I have had the chance to practice in real life what we learn in text books.
Managing a team, leading more than 60 people, creating meaningful connections and not just “networking”, grabbing people’s attention to bring them to shows and talks that compete with industry nights and career events. It’s been tough but the most rewarding thing I’ve done so far.
RM:How does music help you in your everyday life? You can be as specific or as general as you want.
FL:I open my eyes and turn on the music just to wake up, everyday a different song or a different genre. I keep the music on while I shower, dress, have breakfast and walk to school. After classes I do the same on my way back home. Normally I attend to a live show or two per week. I’ve travelled to different cities within Canada and the US just to watch specific concerts and the best part of the week is when I teach my drum students or when I rehearse with the band.
My life in general is filled with music. And I am hoping to include more pieces to my own soundtrack every day.
RM: Now that you've attended a couple of Pocket Concerts, what will be unique about the upcoming concert with Trio Tangere on Feb. 27th?
FL:I would say that Pocket Concerts have the added value of getting a closer and intimate feeling with the musicians. You can literally hear when a musician breathes deeper to begin a song or change sections, you can actually watch their eyes connecting to each other to communicate with complete sentences with a simple look. These kind of stuff does happen in a bigger event but we, as public, are normally not aware of them.
Trio Tangere event is special not only because of the quality of the musicians and the intimate feeling that we will have with them but also because of the unlikeliness to happen inside a business school.
RM: What is your earliest musical memory?
FL:My earliest musical memory… I remember my mother playing me a lot of music while driving around. I remember George Harrison’s My Sweet Lord and Lenny Kravitz’ It Ain’t Over Till it’s Over playing at the radio when I was maybe 6 but of course I did not know who they were or why they played this music.
RM:What music are you particularly enjoying these days? What's the most-played track on your iPhone/computer/listening device these days?
FL: My recently played library on Spotify includes:
I am listening back and forth the Hamilton Broadway Cast Recording.
I am a huge fan of Sweeney Todd’s music as well (not the movie’s music but the actual play).
The Beatles (special attention to Revolver album my favourite one)
Mexico’s Rock of the 90’s (Some nostalgia here)
I am hearing Queens of the Stone Age, Metallica and a French girl called Zaz that has a wonderful voice.
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