SFCM graduates are performing on some of the most prestigious stages in the world, starting their own companies, and making music with the biggest names in the business. 
Others are carving their own path as performers, teachers, and arts leaders in the world of music. Here’s a look at six graduates and what they have to say about SFCM. 

Carolyn Bacon, Voice, 2014

“The thing that comes to mind is the exposure to many different styles of music and the opportunity to kind of choose which directions you wanted to go in the program. I think SFCM was such a supportive environment and music school isn't always like that. Music school, especially in a grad program,can be very competitive. I just did a year on the national tour of Cats, which was an unexpected delight. I like to say that I booked that job because I was an opera singer, because they needed someone who could sing high soprano.”

Nicolás Lell Benavides.

Nicolás Lell Benavides, Composition, 2014

“My time at SFCM was incredible. It really reaffirmed that I just wanted to do this full-time; I wanted to think and breathe music all the time. I am really most proud of a lot of my vocal writing, and my opera projects have been really meaningful to me because I get to tell stories that no one else is telling. Working with the NY Philharmonic was an amazing highlight for me this past year.”

Rose Crelli, Violin, 2022

“SFCM prepared me for the real world by teaching me how to multitask and have good time management. So far some of my career highlights have been doing solo half-time shows for the Warriors at Chase Center, playing the national anthem for the Giants, touring with Kygo and just making it work as a full-time performing musician, owning my own business, and living in San Francisco.”

Daria Novo, Technology and Applied Composition, 2017

“What I like about the TAC program is that it’s not purely a film-coring or songwriting program, it has many types of classes that can give you skills you need. Ninety percent  of what I do, I got from here. Since graduation I have worked on some original film music, orchestrating for other composers, session conductor for AAA games, and big movies and big TV shows. For the Netflix live-action One Piece show, I was one of the lead orchestrators. I actually brought some TAC students to help me with that!”

Rose Crelli.

Brian Fitzsousa, Composition, 2016

“My memory of SFCM is just a complete exhilaration of immersion in classical music. I can't think of another place that has a conservatory, a symphony, an opera company, a ballet company that are all operating at the highest levels of their fields, that are all within three blocks of each other. Right now I'm the ballet pianist at the Met. Getting to work at The Met is completely a dream for me. I grew up going to see operas at that house.”

Evan Kahn, Cello, 2018

“The collegiality of my peers is something that I remember well. It’s a growing environment but not a fiercely competitive one and that was good for me. In order to lead in a section, you have to not just have really good ears and playing ability, but be able to show your musical intent and this program really helped me do that. I had four principal positions in four different orchestras: the SF Opera orchestra, New Century Chamber Orchestra, Opera San Jose and San Jose Chamber."

Learn more about studying at SFCM.