The John Branca Institute for Music welcomed recording artist Jessy Lanza to music professor Ramona Gonzalez’s “History of Electronic Dance Music” class for a performance and discussion in Choi Auditorium Oct. 8. Lanza is a musician, producer and DJ from Hamilton, Canada, who has released four albums with London-based record label Hyperdub.
According to Gonzalez, the John Branca Institute for Music is a teaching and learning facility which was started June 2024 with a $5 million gift from renowned entertainment attorney John Branca ’72.
“You can’t just ask someone like Jessy Lanza to come in for a nominal fee,” Gonzalez said. “You have to give them something more substantial. The institute supports that.”
Lanza said she has been a lifelong fan of electronic music.
“Since the beginning, [electronic music] has been very DIY; people buy instruments and record themselves in their houses,” Lanza said. “That accessibility really gives you a lot of freedom”
According to Lanza, her advice to upcoming artists is to try to make music they themself enjoy.
“I’ve always wanted to make music I want to be listening to,” Lanza said. “Chasing what other people want is never going to be fulfilling.”
Lanza said she studied piano during her time at Concordia University in Montreal, graduating with a degree in music. She said she was heavily involved in music in high school, but always compared herself to her classmates.
“I didn’t feel prepared to be at [university],” Lanza said. ”I wasn’t good enough at piano. I could play, but the people who could really play spent so much time practicing […] I never had the focus to be really good.”
According to Lanza, students who feel similarly unfocused should try to hone in on what makes them happy.
“There’s so many people trying to give you advice and telling you what you should do and what you shouldn’t do,” Lanza said. “I would just spend as much time […] being honest with yourself. What do I really love? What makes me happy?”
Gonzalez said this is her first time teaching “History of Electronic Dance Music” and she feels pressure to give her students a valuable learning experience.
“I want to do right by the students and make sure they’ve learned as much as they can about this vast genre, if you can even call it a genre of music,” Gonzalez said.
Gonzalez said her students are tasked with watching a DJ set online every week, taking notes and submitting a report of their thoughts.
“I have them listen to a DJ mix every weekend, usually a boiler room or a specific DJ who has a relationship to the particular theme of that week, whether it’s Detroit Techno, Chicago House or disco,” Gonzalez said
According to Gonzalez, she loves showing her favorite artists and tracks to her students.
“When I get to drop a favorite track of mine in class over the speakers, and see everybody’s head bobbing — I’m super excited too — we’re just vibing out to Mr. Fingers or something.” Gonzalez said. “There’s nothing better than experiencing that in a college classroom, we’ve created a little community there.”
Gonzalez said she and Lanza are old friends. Gonzalez said the arrangement to have Lanza come and perform for her class was impromptu, it happened while the pair was attending Rosalía’s LUX tour together in San Diego.
“Lanza and I know each other from the music community of electronic producers,” Gonzalez said. “We have performed together and have been friends for a long time, I really respect her work.”
Oliver Prado (junior) said he appreciates the unpretentious space Gonzalez has created for her classroom.
“Professor Gonzalez is really good at simplifying things for people who aren’t music majors,” Prado said. “She makes it really accessible even if you’re not necessarily into the specific EDM genre.”
According to Kelly Shen (senior), who is not enrolled in the class, she came to the event as a huge fan of Lanza’s work.
“I love Jessy Lanza,” Shen said. “I’ve been listening to her since quarantine, and I think she has this really cool blend of electronic and R&B. I’ve been following her DJ sets and her releases for a few years now.”
Lanza said she appreciated the welcoming environment in the auditorium and enjoyed seeing all of the students.
“I know it was [mainly] Gonzalez’s class, so people had to be there, but I am really grateful to the people that came [who] weren’t in the class,” Lanza said. “I had so much fun, it really lifted my spirits.”
Drey Chan (junior) said hearing Lanza talk about her experience with electronic music prompted memories of falling in love with the genre.
“When I listen to electronic music I am in a different world, I do not have to think about anything else,” Chan said. “I am one with the music. I transcend. I cannot find a better way to describe it.”
Contact Marco Zapien at mzapien@oxy.edu
