At age 25, Matt Sage is preparing to graduate from Onondaga Community College this spring with a degree in Sound Recording. It's an achievement that comes after a winding path that took him away from college and back again.
Sage first arrived at OCC in the spring of 2017 and enrolled in the Computer Information Systems program. “I did not do well,” he said. “I wasn’t quite ready. I needed to take time and decide what I wanted to do.”
He left in 2018, worked locally in the family business, then moved to Austin, Texas where he worked for Amazon. Eventually, he reached the conclusion it was time to have a plan. “I realized I needed to create opportunities for myself, pivot, and do something totally new,” he said. “One of the constants in my life has been my enjoyment of music.”
That realization led him back to OCC. He returned in the fall of 2024 and enrolled in the Sound Recording program, hoping to turn a lifelong interest into a career. “I've loved it. I enjoy what I'm studying, and I’ve met a lot of great people.”
The transition back to being in a classroom was challenging. “It was difficult starting again after so much time away. It took about a month of struggle."
One of the early hurdles was learning Pro Tools, the sound recording industry-standard production software used in many studios. "There are a lot of shortcuts to learn. Once I got those down, I began noticing improvements. The way I attacked my own projects changed, evolved, and improved. It excited me a lot more to come to class, learn more, and dive deeper into all of these topics.”
Outside the classroom, Sage has found ways to apply what he learns right away. A friend in the program has a basement recording studio, and the two often head there after class. "We’ll go to his house, record things, and apply our in-class knowledge that day. You can see a noticeable improvement in what we make.”
Faculty and staff have also played a major role in his development. Sage credits Andrea Scheibel in the Music Resource Office, along with professors Tony Vadala, Ryan Dugan, and Joe Sierzputowski with helping guide his progress. “They all have so much passion for what they do. It shows in the work they do, it shows in the way they teach, and you ask them any question, and they have an answer for it.”
This past fall, Sage gained real-world experience by shadowing OCC alumnus Cole Penoyer, a live sound engineer, during concerts he was working at the Turning Stone Resort Casino. "I was there for a Shaun Cassidy concert and a Queensrÿche concert. It was a big spread of different types of music, and good to see how they did those jobs.” The experience gave him a firsthand look at the demands of live sound production and a potential next step. Sage hopes to secure a summer internship at Turning Stone.
For now, he’s focused on finishing his degree and continuing to build on the momentum he found after returning to college. “I’m really glad I came back,” he said.
