About myself:

My name is Alan Yu (he/him). I am a senior studying Design and Production at the University of Texas at Dallas (UTD). I am in the school of ATEC (Art, Technology, and emerging communications) with a focus on sound design. I originally came from Mainland China and have been in the United States for more than 7 years now. Currently, I am working on my MFA (Master of Fine Art) application for my Graduate Studies. Audio and media are two of the subjects that I am most passionate about, and I aim to pursue my studies further. 

       I am an Audio Engineer focusing on Audio Storytelling, Music, and Mixing/Mastering. I started my journey as an artist when I first discovered my love for music. By studying and imitating some of the most well-known producers, I got my first official song released in 2017 with a Chinese internet record label. My passion only grew stronger as I began my studies at UTD. I gained much more knowledge not only about music, but audio in general.

Contact Alan for more info.

Artist’s Statement:

My work surrounds the concept of sonic storytelling. Growing up as a child, my mother would often sing classic Hong Kong-style pop music, and my grandfather would play along with the piano. These childhood memories and experiences have shaped me as an artist, and leaving my home in pursuit of learning has solidified my passion for art and audio work. My body of work ranges from sound design to music production. I worked on short films, animations, and video game audio. The sound itself is a perfect medium for unique storytelling, and in turn, is a fantastic supplemental medium to enrich other forms of expression like visuals.

       Nowadays, with audio technologies being easily accessible, we find producers as young as 12-year-olds create a full-length album on a laptop alone. I, among many others, am eager to present to the world what this new generation of artists can accomplish. I aim to make creative experiences with audio that is impactful, emotional, and unforgettable.

       There is a saying in our industry called “you did a great job if no one notices something’s off in audio.” Hence, many audio engineers and sound designers had more of a “behind the scenes” role. I ditched this outdated concept when I got a chance to work on a black-and-white animation project. Turns out, sonic coloring (audio manipulation) is just as important as visual coloring, and how different sounds could change the mood of a scene in an instant. Nowadays, I firmly believe that in the age of the internet, we are granted new chances to show the audience our true colors as artists.