We were lucky to catch up with Claudia Medina recently and have shared our conversation below.

Claudia, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

Learning is a never-ending process in the career of a musician. I feel that I keep learning every day of my life. The National Conservatory of Peru was where my musical education really picked up. Berklee College of Music came after and provided me with so many irreplaceable opportunities. My teachers and peers have been an important factor. I always think that we all learn from everybody. Of course, I had amazing teachers who are awarded musicians and legends in the industry which I feel very grateful for but I learned from many other people. From the security guards at my shows to the President of companies I’ve worked for. And every process for my learning experience has been different depending on the period of my life.

My father was a musician as well, and he nurtured my early love for music. My mother and him would encourage my curiosity, bring me to my drum lessons, and show up for every concert and performance. That supportive environment gave my skills room to grow.

From when I was 11 to 16 it was very important to concentrate on learning how to play my instruments and how to play in an ensemble. Then from my time in the Conservatory, I was learning how to be a complete musician with knowledge of theory, earning training, technique, etc. And during my years at Berklee, I was learning how to be creative and be a pro in the music industry.

Some of the most essential skills for me have been being a hard worker, open-minded, a team player, and displaying honest leadership. Being honest and caring for the people I play and work with has helped to maintain the professional relationships and friendships I’ve made in music. You never know what could lead you to something else and that’s why respecting and learning from everyone I meet in my life is a treasure that I keep every day.

Unfortunately but unsurprisingly, people I’ve worked with have preconceived notions about who a composer and producer should be. Though progress moves forward everyday, misogynist attitudes are still present in the entertainment world, and I’ve heard my fair share of backhanded compliments: “Wow, you play so good for being a girl,” “You blow like a man.” While these comments are tough to hear, I have to remember I’ve worked tirelessly to get where I am and no comments or outdated attitudes can throw me off course.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Claudia Medina and I’m a musician, composer, producer, educator, arranger and entrepreneur. My main instrument is saxophone but I play all types of percussion and woodwinds. I’ve collaborated with Grammy Award-winning artists including Paquito D’ Rivera, Berta Rojas, Susana Baca, Aida Cuevas, Oscar Stagnaro, Tia Fuller, Diego Torres, El Gran Combo, and opened for Juan Luis Guerra.

I write music for film and television as well as other recording artists. I lead my own band, Claudia Medina’s Peruvian Project. We play some of my original compositions, as well as latin rhythms & peruvian music, mixed in with jazz.

I graduated from Berklee after becoming the first female Peruvian instrumentalist to earn a full tuition scholarship. I’ve been granted awards including a TUMI USA award and the Inspirational Woman Award for Outstanding Artists from Latina Center MARIA. I was also the recipient of a grant for emerging artists from The Boston Foundation, which is going toward writing and producing my debut album.

I also head my education initiative From Peru to the World. We focus on bringing music education to underserved communities and collaboration across cultures. Our most recent project was a tribute to Chabuca Granda to celebrate her 100th birthday.

I’m in the planning stages of launching my production company right now where I hope to provide the groundwork for other creatives to realize and produce their projects.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

Establishing my music production company stands as one of my most significant aspirations. My vision is to carve out a space specifically dedicated to fostering opportunities for emerging women musicians within the music industry. A central goal of mine is to share the richness of Peruvian music on a global scale. Through the creation of albums, my aim is to present our vibrant musical heritage to the world, aspiring to elevate it to the esteemed levels recognized by prestigious awards such as the Grammy or Oscars.

My ambition goes beyond personal success; I aspire to create a representative platform where others, especially those from underrepresented backgrounds, can see themselves reflected positively in the media through my endeavors.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

Understand and appreciate the human value and work artists put into their creations. We’ve gotten so used to paying a small fee each month for unlimited music streaming, that paying for an album or song may feel odd. But for that artist, it means the world that you invested in their career and want to own a piece of their work.

Many artists have to take second and even third jobs to support themselves and many more simply cannot afford to maintain long-term artistic careers. Between equipment, production and other costs, it’s imperative that we support artists financially and spiritually. The work artists do is truly healing and life-changing. We must treat it with respect and reverence.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.claudiamedinamusic.com/homepage
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/claudiamedinamusic/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/claudiamedinamusic
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claudia-medina-quispe-b01800261/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/claudiamedinaok
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@claudiamedinamusic8622
• Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@claudiamedinamusic Business Email: claudiamedinamusic [at] gmail.com Media Inquiries: schaewrites [at] gmail.com

Image Credits
Images 1-4 are by Adrianna Curcio Rizzato