Los Angeles: Capitol Records

The drive from our hotel to the Capitol Records building was so scenic and exactly what you’d think the landscape of Los Angeles would be. In the afternoon daylight, the hilly terrain filled with homes, skinny palm trees, and mountains in the background surrounded by a clear, baby blue sky seemed like we were part of a La La Land sequel. On the shuttle ride, there was an atmosphere of excited nervousness for our first site visit of the trip. Everyone understood that it was now game time and that a site visit was essentially an experiential interview. Personally, I appreciated that we as a group reviewed some core facts about the company, which absolutely helped me formulate my own personal questions on site.

At Capitol Records, we had the opportunity to meet Nathan Ledesma, a Quinlan alumni who was now the VP of Global Marketing for Capitol Records. Easily one of the most personable and charismatic people you would ever meet, he brought a sense of professionalism influenced by his love for music that I believe few could express as seamlessly as he did. My personal favorite part of the visit was being able to experience an Atmos Sound Session in which we listened to a mixed version of “Mister Impossible” by Phantogram. As someone who is an absolute nerd for all things technology related, I was jaw-dropped and so intrigued by what the Atmos system is prepared to bring in the future.

To wrap up the day, our group had the privilege of having dinner with Quinlan Dean Kevin Stevens and his wife, Marietta, at an intimate restaurant named Yamashiro. Across the table was an array of sushi and other California Asian dishes, with my personal order being a wagyu beef dish. It’s mind-boggling to realize this is only the first real day of Spring Break, I’m so incredibly excited for the entire week to come!