Wheaton College Alumni Magazine Spring 2013 | Page 24

influenced me. He writes, produces, arranges, and knows everything
about bringing an idea to life.”
Raluca came to Wheaton from Brasov, Romania, to study music
composition with the piano as her main instrument. “This trip made
me realize that Wheaton is just a starting point. It broadened my
horizons. It made me think, I can write anything! I started thinking
more outside the box and realized I am learning all of this simply as
a foundation for what I want to do next.”
In their “caucus” time at the end of the tour, David Hamilton
shared again with the students that now is the time to put in the
practice hours and the studying. “It will come back in ways you may
not realize now,” he told them.
And then David left them with a final challenge: humility. “There
is so much arrogance, especially in the creative industry. It’s all
about ‘me’ and who I know. Be grateful for the gifts God has given,
be faithful, and integrate those gifts with your faith.”

Nashville after Wheaton to take the next step in bridging the classical
with pop.

Sharing the reality

of what students would be facing was of
utmost importance for David Hamilton. “We took the students to
some big studios, and there was a lot of ‘wow.’ But I didn’t want to
sugarcoat anything for them. They need to know the reality of the
challenges ahead of them. They need to know what it means
to be self-employed and never know when the next paycheck is
coming.
“You have to be passionate and commit to this,” David adds. “It’s
too challenging to go into it just kind of liking it. You have to be sold
out to it.”
For Raluca Bojor ’15, David’s advice was just the ticket. “I kept
thinking, I want to be like him,” she says. “That’s how much he

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PhotograPhs by brian Porick ’98, music Producer at Wheaton.

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22     s p r i n g   2 0 1 3

1. DaviD Tramm ’14,
ElisE azkoul ’13, anD
DaviD ChrisTEnsEn ’14
ChECk ouT a nEw
sCorE DaviD hamilTon
’86 wroTE for DisnEy’s
worlD of Color show.
2. DaviD hamilTon ’86
hosTED ThE group in
his sTuDio. 3. ThE
wEEkEnD inCluDED a
fEw pErformanCEs
by sTuDEnTs EnrollED
in ThE ConTEmporary
musiC CEnTEr
program.