Valpo Graduate Profile:

How to promote Cell Phone Concertino

by Matt Smith, Help Desk Team

Farrah Malik '04, a Valparaiso Univeristy communication major, recently helped promote Concertino for Cellular Phones and Symphony Orchestra conducted by Maestro Paul Freeman and performed by the Chicago Sinfonietta orchestra. The production was arranged by composer David N. Baker, professor at Indiana University and head of the jazz program at the Smithsonian Institute. Concert goers became performers as they added their cell ring tones at given points. "Randomly increase and decrease the volume of your ring tone and change to different ring tones whenever the spirit moves you," said composer Baker in encouraging audience members.

Farrah Malik '04 | Photo by Caroline Krajewski

As an account executive for the Silverman Group Inc. in Chicago whose clients range from IMAX at Navy Pier to local and national theater and from the 42nd International Film Festival to dance companies, Farrah Malik has worked with musical organizations such as the Chicago Sinfonietta Orchestra.

 "My clients have a great passion for Chicago and creating a community that still values the arts and entertainment.  It's refreshing to work with the clients that I do at a time when society and the government have written off wholesome entertainment, such as theater and classical music," said Malik in describing her clients.

David Baker’s piece was designed for both enjoyment and as commentary on the positives and drawbacks of cellular phones. "I chose to contrast chaos and structure in a constantly shifting orchestral scheme, as a representation of how cellular phones create both order and chaos in our society," wrote Baker in his composer notes for this piece. "Throughout the piece there are times when many cellular phones are sounding different ring tones simultaneously, producing chaos; however, as all but one of the ring tones are silenced and the orchestra picks up on the melody of the remaining ring tone and works with it, order is exemplified by showing how the cellular phone and the orchestra connect."

As an event promoter Malik works the red carpet and assists the media covering the performance.  "My job is to pitch stories to the media.  This means that I am constantly on the phone with reporters, producers, and on-air personalities," says Malik. "The final stage in my job is actually staffing the events that I have spent 2-3 months publicizing.  We assist the media on location, make sure that critics are happy, make sure TV and radio stations are getting what they need and facilitating any last minute interviews.”

A bonus to staffing the Sinfonietta event for Malik was seeing both nights' performances.  "This concert is so reliant on audience participation with their cell phones that each concert is unique. For example, an audience made up of teens and young adults would have more pop song ring tones. An older audience would probably stick to the tones that come with their cell phones, classical tones and basic ring tones.  In this concert the audience members become the orchestra. It’s a great experience each time."

Malik calls Google "a gift from God" when asked about technology on her job. "I spend most of my day on the Internet or writing e-mails and pitching stories to the media. I send photos out with my pitches to enhance the message and therefore need to manipulate the photos to what they need: size, dpi, etc.  I also send out audio clips and video via e-mail."

Graphic design classes at VU prepared her for these aspects of her job. She says,   "Knowing how to jump from a PC to a Mac, I am able to be more efficient at my job as a result."