Combining her musical upbringing with her own passion in film
The Broadcast Music Inc. (BMI) has been providing scholarships to support emerging composers in Berklee College’s Film Scoring undergraduate program since 1998. Every year, a student is selected by Berklee’s Film Scoring Department based on their musical ability, financial need, and potential for career success. The award is then presented on “BMI Day” at Berklee. Due to the pandemic, this year’s BMI Day on November 9th was a virtual one.
Xiyue “Diana” Lizhao is this year’s recipient of the BMI film-scoring scholarship. Having grown up in Beijing, China, she credits her musical heritage from the ethnic “bai” group in the Yunan province in China. To them, music and dance is a very important aspect of their culture. Lizhao’s mother is an opera singer, so she was raised on Western Classical music and vocal music. In particular, she has always been drawn to film.
“I feel like I always loved film,” said Lizhao. “During my primary school time, the best thing that happens is when my mom takes me to the movie theatre.” As she grew up, she began to explore the film world on her own and watched many thrillers and “mind-twisting movies,” including “Mulholland Drive,” “Atonement,” “Memento,” and “Requiem for a Dream.”
Lizhao originally came to the United States to further her academic studies at Northeastern University, but ultimately transferred to Berklee after two years. She said, “I was kind of rebellious against music, and I wanted to do something different from my mom.” While at Northeastern, she originally intended to take on psychology but ultimately declared her major in Music History and Analysis. She credits her time in an acapella group as the reason for her finding her way back to music.
Lizhao joined the acapella group when it first started with around four to five members. “We didn’t have a repertoire yet, and they needed someone to arrange the songs,” she said. “And I thought maybe I should try and do it.” Before she knew it, she became the director of the acapella group and realized that she truly loved to arrange and compose music. She then applied to Berklee, and the rest was history. “I really liked writing music, I really like arranging, so I kind of finally gave into music,” said Lizhao.
Since committing to her music career, she has participated in the Berklee Silent Film Orchestra and worked as a concert arranger for global superstars Karen Mok and A-Lin. To Lizhao, receiving this scholarship was a “wonderful surprise.” She said, “Before receiving this scholarship, the only chance I get to know where I’m at is when the professor decides to show everyone’s work in class, so I get to evaluate where I’m at. But I’m still not quite sure because it’s my own opinion. But now it looks like it’s not just in my head, so that’s why I’m pretty happy.”
The BMI scholarship has also opened up her opportunities to meet with influential people in the film industry. Executive Vice President, Creative & Licensing BMI Mike Steinberg attended the ceremony where acclaimed composer Ludwig Göransson presented the award. Traditionally, the recipient would have lunch with the BMI representatives. However, in this virtual event, Lizhao was only able to speak to them over Zoom. Lizhao said, “I do feel like if I got to have lunch with them, it would have been a memorable experience. But I’m also nervous. So Zoom meetings are better for my nerves.”
When asked if she has experienced imposter syndrome since receiving the award, Lizhao responded that she does not from the position of being female because it often “suggests that females are more prone to this condition.” Having been raised by her single mother and grandmother, she has always felt that women can do it all. “I feel that I’m lucky to have been raised in a family that encourages me a lot,” said Lizhao. “But somehow as we age, we kind of perceive more and more this kind of information that society is putting on us … that females are always oppressed. It started influencing me a little bit.” To sum this feeling up, she uses the proverb “無知者無畏” meaning those who do not know, do not fear.
Now, working towards her goal, she is applying to the University of Southern California’s graduate school program in film scoring. “After receiving this scholarship, I feel more confident,” said Lizhao. “My dream is definitely to be a composer and score great movies.”
To read this article in Chinese (Traditional), please click here.
