A look back : a passionate tale

Freshman Derek had no idea what he was doing

When I left high school and Dubai for my new life abroad, my career plans were nonexistent. I wanted to bridge my love for Audio into a career, and could find no way to do that.

No idea at all..

When at University in Buffalo NY, One evening in Jan ’07, a drunken conversation was struck up with a stranger at a party I was at. I told him about my love for Audio and music and he exploded saying “that’s crazy, I work doing live sound for the university- there’s 5 of us and we need people”. I got in touch with Jessie Almeter the next day and he told his boss, Matt Rubinstein about me.

Jessie and Niam

I was hired the next week and trained in live audio whilst getting some much needed income from a part time job for the next year and a half. Connections made from this job allowed me to branch out to eventually work at the Center for the Arts in Buffalo NY and become the broadcast director for the university Radio station managing everything technical and audio.

Chilling with Tyson from the All American Rejects after a show we worked

Doing my Radio show '07

When I moved to UBC and Vancouver, the knowledge of these previous jobs gave me a jist of where to find them. As they aren’t usually posted jobs and are highly niche, it was tough, but I was able to score a well paying gig with UBC AMS as a tech for their live shows. Unsatisfied with my level of involvement however, I kept searching until I got the private number of the Director of Recording and Audio at UBC. I camped outside his office and proved to him why I would be a great candidate for his team of 4 student audio engineers. He hired me in September ’09 and I’m currently working here as an Audio engineer in training. David Simpson is, to me, more of a mentor than a boss. He is a prominent name in the Canadian Audio industry and one of the ‘chilliest’ guys I know. I currently get paid fantastically to do something I absolutely love to do and am able to do it whilst studying no sweat.

Mr Party Pants Vancouver

In the spring of ’08, I took a class called Comm 299 which is all about job hunting. It’s a class that helps you polish up everything about yourself for a business setting. The final for passing this course is to apply for a job and get an acceptance or rejection letter and submit the cover letter, professional resume etc. It was great because I used all the information I learned from Philippe Desrochers (the man with the plan) to find out exactly what I want to do with my life and how to get there.
The suit

I’m now certain that I want to be the marketing manager of a professional grade Audio design and development company either in Canada or in the US such as Energy audio, Meyer Sound, Definitive audio etc or abroad: Trace Elliot (London), Focal Audio (France) etc. I am currently doing everything I can to make sure I’m sitting in an office of one of these companies within the next 5 years. The studio I work at

I know it may seem like a lot, but I believe this is just the beginning for me and my professional career. Although these plans are the focal point of my life, who knows, something may come along tomorrow that’s even better and I’m ready and excited to hit it head on!The Family

Swati and I

Amanda and I

To all the people in my life (mentioned above) who have helped me get where I want to be, I thank you immensely from the bottom of my heart. To Rachana Sippy: all your career advice all those years ago still resonate today.
To the most special people in my life: my folks: Donald Mascarenhas and Patricia Mascarenhas, my closest friends, Swati Kumar and Amanda Thompson: Thanks for supporting me through all of this and through everything to come.

Without each and every one of you, I’d never have found my passion. Thank you!