Bergen Community College alumnus Jorge Torres, ‘21, is a music producer, artist, music marketing professional, and an artist brand owner of Stellar Dreams. He is the Director of Digital Marketing for Frontline Entertainment Agency where he contributes to creative strategy and campaigns for artists, brands, and entertainment projects. As a music marketing professional, Torres combines music production, artist branding, digital marketing, merchandise strategy, and live/event production.
“Bergen helped me connect with my local music scene and taught me the fundamentals of both music production and the business side of the industry,” said Torres. “I knew I wanted to pursue music, but I couldn’t find a program that felt right for me.”
After feeling a little lost after high school, Torres decided to attend Bergen because it was close to home and the College had a music program with a focus on music technology. “I stumbled into Bergen’s music production program, and there was nothing else like it at any community college in my area,” said Torres. “More than anything, Bergen gave me the push I needed to believe music could be a real career and not just a dream.”
Torres felt that the Bergen music faculty really nurtured a community. “We were a small group, so it felt like a family” he said. “We all knew and supported each other.”
He credits Bergen music professors Dan Sheehan, Andy Krikun, and Patrice Devincentis for mentoring him. “The success stories they shared, and the workshops they ran with important people in the industry, built a confidence in me that’s worth more than any textbook,” said Torres. “Music is a hard thing to teach, but the faculty did an amazing job breaking down concepts in a way that actually worked in a classroom.”
“The faculty at Bergen pour their hearts into what they do, and that elevated their teaching even further,” said Torres. “I always felt like they had my back, not just in the music department, but with general college stuff and even after graduation, checking in to make sure I was doing okay at my next school.”
Torres felt that he was able to receive professional music experience through the active campus life and the use of state-of-art equipment at Bergen. “The College also gave us room to get more involved in campus life if we wanted to, whether that was joining the music club or helping run concerts on campus,” he said. “From the theatre to our workstations, that hands-on experience helped me understand professional level setups and eventually gave me the knowledge to build my own.”
The practical hands-on experience developed Torres professionally. “Beyond the music skills, that gave me a chance to step into leadership positions, something I still carry with me today,” he said.
After graduating Bergen, Torres formed Stellar Dreams, an independent artist brand that has reached millions of streams across digital platforms and connected fans around the world through original music, releases, and merchandise.
“I have combined music production, branding, e-commerce, and fan engagement into a sustainable independent artist model,” said Torres who has shipped thousands of CD’s internationally as part of his music project.
Torres continued his education by studying music business at New Jersey City University (NJCU). “All the way up to my graduation from a four-year school, the Bergen faculty were still there to help, and I’m immensely grateful for that,” he said.
“Now, when I’m leading a team, I try to embrace those same values and create the welcoming atmosphere that motivated me to pursue music in the first place,” said Torres as he reflected on the music faculty at Bergen. “This industry isn’t always as warm as people think it is, so that matters a lot to me.”
Torres advises music students to engage with the campus and community as much they can. “That made the difference between simply going to class and going home, and truly becoming part of something bigger: getting to know my classmates, building relationships, and being part of the vibrant community that is Bergen,” he said.
Based in Paramus, Bergen Community College (www.bergen.edu), a public two-year coeducational college, enrolls more than 24,000 students at locations in Paramus, the Philip Ciarco Jr. Learning Center in Hackensack and Bergen Community College at the Meadowlands in Lyndhurst. The College offers associate degree, certificate and continuing education programs in a variety of fields. More students graduate from Bergen than any other community college in the state.
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