Dana Reason

I attribute my success to the early passion I developed for music, along with the invaluable guidance of mentors and support from my community. My journey as both an educator and independent artist continues to be shaped by collaboration, creativity, and a commitment to developing meaningful curriculum and artistic work.

The best career advice I ever received came from a substitute band teacher—a recent graduate of The Juilliard School, specializing in French horn and conducting. After class one day, he met with me and listened as I played piano. Immediately, he told me he would gather information about an arts school he thought I should apply to.

The school was Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan, while I was attending school in Ontario, Canada. He made a phone call to the academy, requested an application and scholarship details, and encouraged me to apply. I did—and was offered a scholarship to attend Interlochen for high school.

It was both a lesson and a piece of advice. The lesson: stay open to new directions and unexpected opportunities—even those offered by perfect strangers. The advice: be the kind of stranger who opens doors for others, too.

My advice to young women entering this industry is to stay true to your creative passions while seeking out mentors and community support to help guide your path. I’ve learned that balancing artistic pursuits with teaching and collaboration creates opportunities for both personal growth and professional fulfillment.

To build on that, take time to write down what truly excites you about music—what drives your creativity, performance, and interaction with it. Reflect on what makes your approach unique. Then, consider how your strengths might fill a gap or serve a specific niche in the musical landscape.

Ask yourself: Who am I creating this work for? Do they know me? Do I know them? If the answer is no, it’s time to start building those connections. Your art becomes more powerful when it’s in dialogue with others.

One of the greatest opportunities—and challenges—today is learning to collaborate with AI in your creative process. Rather than co-opting your work, AI can serve as a partner: always available to answer questions, spark ideas, and help you explore your craft more deeply and expansively.

It’s understandable that many people feel uneasy about AI. When sound and film were first combined, the entertainment industry underwent a seismic shift—live performers were often replaced, as studios no longer needed orchestras or ensembles to accompany films.

But AI doesn’t have to be a replacement. It’s an invitation to create differently. The key is to embrace new ways of working, new methods of making, and new possibilities for scaling your creative process. Treat AI as a supportive assistant, not a threat. In fact, it offers a path away from rote, memory-based learning toward a more exploratory, dialogic approach—truly a dream for any creative researcher.

I value quiet observation and deep curiosity. I thrive in environments where play and discovery are encouraged—free from the constraints of the "expert" mindset. I also value the freedom to be my authentic self and to connect with fellow travelers who are equally committed to living authentically. I seek out projects, places, peoples, and spaces where I can express the full range of who I am: deeply devoted to art-based thinking as a necessary social practice, committed to the craft of innovative arts, empathic, compassionate, and fiercely drawn to all things beautifully wild and unapologetically free.