In the second instalment of Student Stories, Kaitlan Brazeau interviews current Bachelor of Music student Aiona Santana on how her vocal studies are going. Aiona talks about what made her choose Carleton, what she loves most about her studies and what her exciting future holds in store.
Aiona Santana, 4th year Bachelor of Music in Voice
How did you decide to begin a Music degree at Carleton University?
I always wanted to study music as it’s the thing I love most in the world and I wanted to perfect my music skills! Carleton University’s program just sounded very special and united. It felt like a family that I wanted to become a part of!
What made you choose Carleton out of the schools you were accepted to?
I was initially planning on going to the States but what made Carleton stand out was that it allows students to study different genres with their instrument, even if it’s not the genre they are enrolled in. This made the program special to me because although I am enrolled as a Classical voice student, I also love to sing Musical Theatre, Popular music, R&B, and Latin music. Carleton allows me to do everything!
What are your favourite parts of the program?
Definitely the Friday performance classes. I love seeing my peers perform and I love to perform myself as well, it’s a class I really look forward to every week. I also love the Professors and instructors, they are truly interested in how the students are doing and they care. They also support us a lot with our musical achievements in and out of Carleton. I also love the ensembles, they are a great way to do what I love alongside my friends.
What is your most memorable experience at Carleton during your degree?
My most memorable experience has to be my solo at the choir performance, it was so much fun and I remember seeing my family there cheering me on. I didn’t tell them I had a solo so they were very surprised and happy when they saw it.
What are your future plans?
I plan to sing forever! My future plans are to continue working on my music, releasing more songs, performing, and working hard to make my dreams come true. Even if it sounds corny, music is the only thing I want to do in my life and that’s how I plan on spending the rest of my days! I also plan to open up a music, dance, and acting entertainment company that promotes different artists, provides entertainment services as well as recording/producing services. In addition to music I also have a great passion for business and marketing that I plan to use throughout my career.