J. Aaron Hardwick ’21, ’22 chose Shenandoah University because of the instant feeling of community on campus. “When you attend, people talk about it [the community], and you finally get it,” said Hardwick “It is something that is unique to Shenandoah that you truly cannot find at other conservatories or schools.”
While attending Shenandoah, Hardwick was not only involved with the Conservatory, but was also involved in the Esports program. One of his fondest memories was ‘nerding-out,’ in lengthy conversations about Mahler with his conservatory colleagues. He also enjoyed playing Apex Legends in the Esports Arena.
“Where else can you attend a world-class conservatory, while studying under world-renowned faculty; meanwhile pursuing a degree in Esports Management in one of the world’s most accomplished esports programs,” said Hardwick.
Currently, Hardwick has multiple jobs involving his passion for music and gaming, which includes his own business, Full Lobby, LLC. His company collaborates with professional orchestras, artists, composers and video game companies to bring live video game music to audiences around the world. Along with owning his own business, Hardwick is the orchestra director and assistant teaching professor at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. In this role, Hardwick develops concert season planning and also teaches classes, including Video Game Music, a class that was developed while he was a student at Shenandoah. He is also a freelance conductor working with professional orchestras to produce concerts and performances globally.
Hardwick has had many rewarding experiences in his career following his time at Shenandoah, including being a part of the European Union International Conducting Competition. In 2023, he also wrote an article entitled, “How Video Games Like ‘Starfield’ Are Creating a New Generation of Classical Music Fans,” which was published by The Conversation, Fast Company, MSN, Yahoo News, and was printed in an issue of Newsweek Japan as well.
“Knowing that people all around the world have read about the two things that I am passionate about (music and gaming) is humbling and a huge honor,” said Hardwick.
Shenandoah helped prepare Hardwick for his career with the diverse and interdisciplinary opportunities it provided him. “I left feeling prepared to be a successful artist, interdisciplinary thinker, collaborator, business person, and professional beyond the walls of the classroom,” said Hardwick.
Hardwick’s advice to current and future students is: “To NEVER forget your first day. As an artist and/or student you can never let go of what inspired you to start down this path. This goes for any field (maybe the first day you opened your instrument case, first choir concert, first game/match, first class that inspired you, first day of work in your field, etc.). In other words, never forget your purpose and ‘why’ you got into this.”