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From a young age, Prisca Leong Zhi-Qing was encouraged by her parents to learn music and enjoy the arts. Through the music lessons, her passion for music grew steadily and she developed a desire to pursue it as a career. Equipped with support from her parents and the Jeffrey Cheah Scholarship, she took a step towards that goal by enrolling in the BA (Hons) Contemporary Music (Audio Technology) programme in March 2017.

The CMAT programme helped Prisca build her foundation in contemporary music and audio technology. The wide variety in the course’s modules empowered her to be curious about different aspects of the industry and develop versatility in her work. Meanwhile, she built quality connections with her course mates through the healthy “work”/life balance emphasised within the culture of Sunway University. She fondly recalls her day-to-day as a student going to classes, hanging out at the cafeteria, having sandwich breaks between classes, then jamming in the studio or camping out in the Mac Labs for projects that were due.

Additionally, Prisca was greatly impacted by her dedicated lecturers. “As a student, there was always an understanding that we could reach out to our lecturers whenever we needed – within office hours, of course,” she commented regarding the open-door policy in the School of Arts. She is especially thankful for the late Mr Frank Ong for teaching her the importance of building a strong foundation in music and leaving a legacy through relationships with others. Modules such as World Music and Malaysian Music, taught by Associate Professor Dr Mayco Santaella, taught Prisca to incorporate cultural music and instruments into her work now. Finally, she expresses gratitude to Associate Professor Dr Andrew Filmer for his creative teaching in making the Music History module fun and enjoyable.

Beyond the classroom, the programme inspired Prisca to make an impact in the lives of others. She learned the value of humility and teachability, using her skills to teach and share the joy of music with various communities across Malaysia several times a year. She developed life skills such as learning to communicate effectively, tactfully, and with sensitivity to another’s wellbeing, as well as fostering teamwork through collaboration. “Collaborating with others has taught me that there is never only one solution, it taught me to see the work from other perspectives – a skill that is very much needed in the work I do now.”

An alumna from the class of July 2020, Prisca is now a Music Composer at Two AM Music Global, a music agency that strives to tell stories and amplify brands around the world through music and audio. She composes music for a vast variety of projects – from local and international advertisements to game music and even short films. Her job is to intentionally seek for and enhance moments through music to bring a story to new heights. The role was not without its challenges, as Prisca experienced “impostor syndrome” and was constantly worried about her lack of experience. However, she learned to believe in her potential and use it to spur her on to better hone her craft and grow in her role.

From childhood to present day, Prisca's passion for music has consistently driven her forward. However, she was not sure of the exact area she wanted to specialise in until joining the workforce and experiencing it directly. Following her experience, she offered a word of advice to students experiencing the same uncertainty with their careers. “I believe that students don’t necessarily need to be 100% sure of their career path when they graduate from university,” she stated. “Sometimes it takes a little exploration to get to the right destination!”