Maxim Dybal-Denysenko

1. Are there any specific projects or performances you participated in that you are particularly proud of?

During school, I would say I was most proud of 2 concerts: 1. When the NYU orchestra played my piece “An American in Vienna,” which won the NYU Concert Composition Competition. It was so amazing to hear so many people play my music. 2. My senior capstone concert. I was very proud of myself for writing over an hour’s worth of music and also for being able to facilitate the players and logistics of putting an hour-long concert together. 

Outside of school, while it hasn’t happened yet, I’m very proud of the fact that my second string quartet will be played at the Kennedy Center this month. Having my music played in a space like the Kennedy Center, outside the context of being a student, feels validating and is certainly a proud moment for me.

2. Where do you see yourself in five years?

It’s tough for me to predict what I will be doing in five years, but one goal I would like to set for myself is to make as much of a living off my art as possible. Currently, I’m using my math major and making a living being a math tutor, which is great, and gives me a lot of flexibility, but is not my ultimate goal. I’ve made some money from composition through cash prizes from competitions, but not nearly enough to pay rent in New York City. In 5 years, I’d like to find a way to increase the percentage of my income that comes from art.

3. What advice would you give to other students?

I would recommend you give your interests outside of music at least a little bit of attention. I don’t mean to dissuade anyone from slacking on practice or otherwise, but I’ve always tried to be as well-rounded as I can, and I think it’s been to my benefit. For example, I always loved math growing up, and part of the reason I came to NYU was because I could study both music and math. Math has not only been a great exercise for my brain, and I do believe it helped me with my composition (my piece being played at the Kennedy Center has to do with math), but it also gave me a job that has financially supported my composing. So find something you’re interested in outside of music and give it some love, because you never know how it might help you. At the very least, you’ll have a more productive hobby to do when you’re not holed up in some practice room somewhere than doom-scrolling year after 25 years, said something that stuck with me reflecting on turning down roles: “letting go isn’t always about loss–it can also be about making space.”