Upasak Mukherjee

Major: Film and Media Scoring
Minor: Music Technology
Semester: 7th
Semester Abroad: Spring 2023

With a semester marked by life-changing opportunities—performing alongside jazz pianist Patrice Rushen, producing a song for a golden buzzer winner of The Voice, going on field trips to recording studios and music venues, and nailing an internship at one of Europe’s biggest studios—Upasak "Upa" Mukherjee says his study abroad experience at Berklee Valencia was “buenísimo,” or very good.

Mukherjee, who is majoring in film and media scoring, completed a minor in music technology while studying in Valencia, Spain, in the spring semester. During his time abroad, he also served as a mentor to other students, a student club leader, and a member of the Student Advisory Board. 

“The culture, food, memories, and travels made the semester an amazing experience,” says Mukherjee, who plays the guitar and tabla.

Here, Mukherjee reflects on his time abroad and how studying and living in Valencia opened the door to a whole new world of career opportunities.

What made you decide to study abroad at Berklee Valencia?

I have always wanted to travel the world and experience life with cultures from different parts of the world. While studying in Boston is also technically study abroad for me since I am from India, I wanted to experience Europe and our campus in Valencia provided the perfect opportunity for that. I also wanted to learn about music production. While there is a minor for that in Boston, if I took the minor in Valencia, I could be completely immersed in this study for an entire semester and get it done within a few months. This actually helped me get a summer internship at one of Europe’s biggest studios. Next year, I will be going back to Europe to do my internship at Wisseloord Studios in the Netherlands.

How did that experience expand your musical talent?

Being a part of the music technology minor course, I learned a lot about music production and got to perform and record with a new group of my friends. Before the semester even started, my own music got featured during orientation week, and I got to perform with Patrice Rushen, which was an amazing experience. Being on stage with Patrice was a great feeling, and it was very memorable—especially since that was my first performance in Valencia. I remember that when I got on stage to play my featured pieces, everyone in the audience started cheering for me before I even touched my instrument, and that was such a beautiful moment. Of course, they cheered even harder after and during the performance.

What was your favorite class at Berklee Valencia, and why?

There were quite a few classes that I loved in Valencia, so it’s really hard to choose. I’d say the Spanish class taught by Catalina Millan. She had some of the most creative and fun lessons. Her class was almost like “fiesta” time for us, and I always looked forward to it. 

Patrick Soria’s mixing class was one of the most enlightening and inspiring classes I have ever taken. There was one class where he just named different types of compressors for about 10 minutes straight. We thought that was really cool; the depth of his knowledge is mind blowing.

Last, but not the least, Sergio Martínez’s cajon lab was incredibly fun. He is such a sweet person, and learning flamenco rhythms from him was definitely one of the highlights of the semester.

What's one activity or project you participated in that's particularly memorable?

Producing Amanda Mena’s song for the minor was a really satisfying process. Amanda is my classmate and friend, and she is also the golden buzzer winner of The Voice. A lot of hard work and creativity went into producing her song, and it was very much worth it and satisfying. I was really inspired because I loved the song and ended up doing a lot more than the basic requirements of the assigned project. I wrote and arranged parts for a horn section and experimented with many new recording techniques. The work paid off, and the song sounds amazing!

What surprised you the most about Valencia? 

Even though I was warned ahead of time, the “siesta” (nap) timings caught me off guard.

What's your fondest memory of your time abroad?

The night in Barcelona where we roamed around the city all night was one of the most memorable times in my semester abroad. One wonderful thing led to another, and it was an endless series of memories. We experienced the epicness of Spanish festivals; danced with literal fire-breathing dragons; listened to live music; discovered the new city, its food, and unique customs; and made new friends. It was magical to say the least.

What was your greatest challenge, and how did you overcome it?

My greatest challenge was traveling on a very low budget. Even though it was difficult at times, I learnt a lot of things during these adventures, and I will always carry these experiences with me fondly.

What do you know now that you didn't know before studying in Valencia?

I know that there is a big world out there that people sometimes forget to consider, especially when they are thinking of their careers. People often don’t look for career opportunities in Europe or Asia, because going to L.A. is the norm for a lot of people in the music industry. Through the industry field trips we did while studying in Valencia, and other traveling experiences I did on my own, I realized that there may be better options in places people often overlook.

The industry field trips were very informative. We went to Barcelona and learned about production music and visited different studios in the city. We also visited a really big venue and got internship opportunities. I was also the social media ambassador for Berklee Valencia that day and ended up producing cool videos to share on the campus’s official Instagram account. After participating in the field trips, I decided to be on the lookout for job opportunities in Europe after I graduate. I had never considered moving to Europe for work—since going to L.A. is the standard route for Berklee graduates—but this trip changed how I visualize my career post graduation, and it was a really important experience for me.

What song best captures your experience in Valencia, and why?

"Me Gustas Tu" by Manu Chao, a song we learned in Catalina's Spanish class. Catalina would often teach us new grammatical concepts through songs. She used this song to teach us how to use the “gustar” (to like) verb in sentences. We played this song so many times that it's just a part of my memories of Valencia. 

What would you say to someone who is considering studying abroad?

Just go for it! It might become one of the best decisions of your life.