University of St. Thomas senior Gavin Linnihan will take his music business major to downtown Minneapolis after he graduates. Linnihan has been a part-timer at In The Groove Music, an audio production company that writes and produces music for advertising, film and television, since his freshman year. He was hired to work full time in catalog administration for the firm in April. The award-winning, Minneapolis-based company has composed music for a diverse client base including NBC ("This is Us"), The Weinstein Company, Bravo, Target, Subaru, Cadillac, Toyota, NFL and Disney, among many others.
What does your job entail?
"I will be organizing, encoding, editing and managing our music catalog of over 7,000 titles. I will also be composing music for various commercials and TV shows."
How did you get the job?
"I began at In The Groove as an intern, but I acquired the position through a visiting alum who is now a co-worker of mine. I also participated in the Music Industry Club here at St. Thomas, which helped me connect with other like-minded students outside of the classroom setting. As far as academics, I studied abroad in Vienna, Austria, where I studied classical guitar and acoustics in music. Outside of St. Thomas, I have been in numerous bands in a range of styles."
Who were your influential teachers?
"I would say the teachers that played huge roles in my growth have been Chris Kachian and Joan Griffith. They both held my (and all students') education in such a thoughtful and focused regard that helped me refine my musical and professional abilities in ways that were tailored just for me – in addition to being wonderful friends!"
How did St. Thomas prepare you to land this job?
"Well, I was introduced to In The Groove through St. Thomas! But studying here exposed me to a ton of musical professionals who, besides academic study, taught me how to apply what I have learned in a practical and professional way."
What will you miss most about St. Thomas?
"I'll miss the musical community that is here the most. It's been so enlightening to be around so many like-minded people that share similar goals."
