As a member of the Class of 2026, I never expected to end up pursuing a double major in Music and Computer Science. When I first arrived at NYU Abu Dhabi, I had my mind set on majoring in Social Research and Public Policy. During my first year, however, things changed.
Rehearsing and performing for Asian Pacific Night, a student program, made me realize that I liked music much more than I had thought. I had already been interested in the Sound and Music Computing minor before coming to NYUAD, and eventually I decided to fully engage in the double major, which felt like the full-experience version of that minor.
Connecting music and computer science
The connection between music and computer science has become central to how I think. Computational audio is all about understanding how digital formats and engineering techniques shape music in both its creation and consumption. Studying computer science allows me to interact with music, and more importantly, sound, from multiple perspectives.
At the same time, music has transformed computer science into a creative medium rather than merely a trade. Once I established that connection, it became natural to explore adjacent fields such as game development and computer graphics.
Benefits of a liberal arts education
One of the things I am most grateful for is being at a liberal arts university. Music and computer science exist for me as intertextuality; I would not really have a reason to pursue one without the other.
NYUAD gave me the freedom to experiment before committing and then the opportunity to study both disciplines in depth.
For example, when I studied away in Paris as a computer science major, I was also able to take a course at IRCAM, a prestigious research institution in France dedicated to research in computer music.
My academic and research experiences have allowed me to combine music and technology in meaningful ways. My Capstone project was a joint effort between Computer Science and Music, where I developed a machine learning algorithm that adjusts digital synthesizer presets according to user vocal imitations. Currently, in my Post-Graduation Practical Training Program (PPTP) position, I work as a research assistant at the Music and Sound Cultures Lab. Our project focuses on creating a latent space that can navigate and interpolate between Carnatic rhythmic sequences.
Favorite music course
Choosing a favorite music course is difficult because I have learned so much from professors across musicology, composition, and music technology. If I had to pick one, it would be Recording and Production Techniques by Associate Arts Professor of Practice of Music Technology, Matteo Marciano. The course provided hands-on experience designing and running recording sessions for professional musicians in the studio while also experimenting with mixing. It was an immersive introduction to audio engineering and one that I genuinely enjoyed investing in.
One piece of music that represents NYUAD
If I had to recommend one piece of music that represents my NYUAD experience, it would be Taal Ko Pani by Nepathya. I first heard it from the audience during Battle of the Bands, a live music competition and concert in my first year.
I did not understand a word, but I remember seeing so many people dancing around me and feeling the energy of the moment.
To me, that experience captures something essential about NYUAD: being exposed to new cultures and unexpectedly falling in love with their music.
Beyond academics, one opportunity that surprised me most after arriving on campus was NYUAD’s support for summer internships. Through that support, I was able to complete an incredible internship at a local gaming studio as a game audio intern, an experience that connected my interests in music, technology, and interactive media.
Advice for incoming first years - calculus!
Calculus is fundamental to many fields and can provide greater flexibility later on if you choose to build on it.
For students considering majors that involve mathematics, my advice is simple: take calculus if it fits into your academic plan. I completed AP Calculus in high school and therefore skipped calculus at NYUAD, but college mathematics is very different from high school mathematics.
You will not have assigned worksheets, and success depends on your willingness to practice and work through concepts independently.
Looking back at my high school self, there are a few things I wish I had known before coming to NYU Abu Dhabi. First, I would tell myself to take that music theory class instead of yet another Eurocentric history class. The latter eventually stopped making sense in Abu Dhabi, and I did not end up studying social science anyway.
More importantly, I wish I had known that I would have access to more opportunities than I could ever imagine. In pursuing a prescribed law school dream, I overlooked some of my own potential.
If my high school self had paid closer attention, she might have noticed the hours spent tweaking music covers in Adobe Audition or practicing sight-reading to earn that purple choir ribbon. She would have realized that her connection to music had been there all along.
