Today we’d like to introduce you to Genoa Alma Belen.
Hi Genoa, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Greetings,
My Name is Genoa Alma Belen. I was born and raised in Santa Cruz, California. I am a professional musician and music teacher and I truly can’t imagine a time when music wasn’t a daily practice in my life. I was blessed to have grown up in a very musical home. Not in the sense that my parents were professional musicians, but both of my parents sang constantly. My earliest memories of making music are those of harmonizing with my mother nightly as she sang me to sleep. That was my normal. I played music all through school (percussion and woodwinds mostly as well as voice) and in college studied classical saxophone as well as started studio work and touring as a saxophonist and vocalist with various groups. I was drawn to many styles of music, but mostly so to hiphop, jazz, experimental, electronic, and alternative. My journey as a music educator began when I had children and wanted to play music but also be present for my kids. I started with teaching privately and also teaching early childhood music education. I had other parallel jobs in caregiving as well as getting a Masters Degree in Counseling Psychology. But eventually all said skillsets always had threads of and lead back to music. Currently, I own and operate (along with Founder, Thomas Sage Pedersen) a local music school, Everyone’s Music School. We specialize in student lead learning and compassionate teaching.I also am recording my first solo album in many years. I play percussion, woodwinds, and vocals in a band called AZA – the leader of which is from Imintanout, Morocco and features a fusion of traditional Moroccan and western musical styles. I’m also with many phenomenal local musicians such as Andy Pancakes, Finn Stobbe, MakNova, Sarah Cruse, Crista Barryessa, Samantha Bounkeua, Etienne Franc, Laila Diaz, and many more.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has not always been the smoothest road. Balancing rising cost of living, raising children, housing instability, and also an undiagnosed (until adulthood) learning disorder – made some things difficult to access and took me a little longer to find my own way and also took many lovely patient people who saw my capabilities even though I didn’t achieve them “correctly”. I’ve had lovely supporters who’ve believed in me over the years and this has been one of the biggest motivators for me. I would also include my students, collaborators… simply the joy of creating in community.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
My current focus in my artistry is my album. I’ve composed some songs that are very meaningful to me and I would like to complete and present them. For most of my music-making career, I’ve predominantly been in a supporting role, and I feel ready to lead in my own creativity. I’m using my experience as a vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, loop artist, along with some very talented friends, to see this album to completion. I’m known mostly as a vocalist and saxophonist… and as an educator. I’m excited to show more of myself. As far as style, I would say that it most closely fits into experimental Neo-Soul. My songs and stories are about my life growing up here in Santa Cruz and it’s natural surroundings. It’s about the humbling notion that the earth is a powerful force that has lived long before us and will live long after human existence. For me, this project feels like an existential hug. It’s strange, loving, a little frightening, and sensual. I’m proud that my most recent work feels like I’m not trying to please anyone or measure up to anyone. I just want it to feel true and joyful, and challenging.
Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
The most important resource for me is community and making music with others. Also journaling. The recording software I use most often is Logic, though most recording software these days is essentially the same. I’ve not always been the most tech savvy person, I get by, but I tend to be easily overwhelmed and prefer people and pen and paper. It’s taken me an embarrassing amount of time to get comfortable with my loop station (BOSS RC-505) and I’m still most comfortable with live instrumentation.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/genoabrown/
- Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/genoatbrown
- Other: https://www.EveryonesMusicSchool.com
