Meet April Harff | Director, Studio Operations

We had the good fortune of connecting with April Harff and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi April, what’s your definition for success?
To me, success is the progressive pursuit of growth; it is the ability to experience failure numerous times, learn from it, and move forward without losing conviction in oneself.

On a macro level, success is the act of living each day with purpose, and ending each day knowing that no matter what the outcome is, I did the best I could. On a micro level, success is the accomplishment of specific short-term goals I set for myself each year.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Ever since I was first asked “What do you want to be when you grow up?”, I’ve always known I was going to be a part of the music industry. I just wasn’t sure how. I started playing guitar at the age of five, and had my first original song filmed and aired on TV at the age of eight. At ten, I started taking drum set and percussion lessons and joined my first few bands during high school. I was accepted to Berklee College of Music and graduated from Summa Cum Laude from in 2015, with a major in Music Business.
After finishing my degree almost 2 years early, I received a Fellowship for the Open Music Initiative, a high-level consortium including IDEO, Universal Records, Spotify, Netflix, Harvard, MIT and Berklee College of Music. My team and I spent countless hours examining, designing and leading discussions on the emerging technologies that could create more profitable relationships for the music industry.
After this fellowship, I continued on to work for Dolby’s Consumer Entertainment Group, and found that my strengths in business and passion for music aligned most closely when I was working with creatives in a recording studio.
It was this realization that let me to my current job, as the Studio Director at Igloo Music. For those who aren’t familiar, Igloo Music is a Grammy-winning sound recording studio in the Burbank Media District of Los Angeles that specializes in live music production, multi-channel film mixes, ADR, voice-over and sound design. My job at Igloo is multifaceted, and I absolutely love knowing that the work I do is central to the studio’s success. I also am incredibly grateful to be able to work with many talented individuals, and have the support of Igloo Music’s studio owner, Gustavo Borner, who is an incredible engineer and producer.

We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of or excited about.
My ability to understand and enjoy both the creative side of the studio and the business side of running it is atypical. As a musician myself, I know how important it is to foster a studio environment that supports creativity and encourages collaboration. I also recognize that the need for balance between the creative and the business side and that Igloo needs both to be successful.
Some of the accomplishments I am most proud of is being Production Manager on three records that went on to receive Grammy awards! I was responsible for planning, coordinating and overseeing the album recording process from inception to completion.

How did you get to where you are today professionally. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges?
I’d be remiss to not mention my family, friends and mentors once again for helping me get to where I am today.

However, I think a lot of my success also comes down to choosing to say “yes” as much as possible while simultaneously trusting that things will work out.
Can you book a 50+ piece orchestra to record cues for an upcoming film? Yes!
Can you make it happen by tomorrow? Sure!
Can you be a special guest on a panel discussion regarding the music industry in LA? Absolutely!
With each of these “yeses” came an opportunity for growth and development which in turn led to even more opportunities.
The bottom line is that it’s not always easy and is sometimes overwhelming, but I love the challenge of making the impossible possible.

What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way?
Oh, there are so many! I’ll share two lessons that have shaped me:

1. Most obstacles in life are mere stepping stones towards success. Of course, there are still plenty of days when those stepping stones look a whole lot more like an unscalable mountain, but if I slow down and take the time to break it up into smaller steps, I am often surprised by how much progress I can make.

2. Being a part of something bigger than oneself is one of the greatest parts of being human. I am proud to do work that I love with a team of people who also strive to make their own positive impact in the world.

What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?
I’ll leave you with this; my story is one of persistence. It the practice of working to accomplish goals (both big and small) and seeing “no” as the beginning of “not yet”. The way I chose to live my life isn’t about perfection; it is about pursuit. It is being willing to dream big and then choosing to work hard to build a foundation strong enough to make those dreams a reality.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
LA has so many amazing spots! Depending on what we want to do, I’d suggest the following:

Hiking and Nature
We’d start off with a morning hike in Runyon Canyon, or if that’s too crowded, hit the Fryman Canyon trailhead.

Food & Drink
I’m plant-based, so having brunch at Urth Caffé or Gracias Madre (both in West Hollywood) is a must!
For dinner, we’d probably end up in Echo Park at Sage. Their hand-tossed pizzas are amazing!
And for drinks, I’d probably take us to The Varnish for a speakeasy-style bar, or Perch for rooftop views.

Music
My favorite!
For music lovers, we’d make a stop at Amoeba Music in Hollywood, one of the world’s largest independent record stores.
In the summertime, we’d have to catch a concert at the iconic Hollywood Bowl.

Art Exploration
Exploring the LACMA would be a great way to spend the afternoon. I believe it’s also the largest art museum on the West Coast, so it has something for everyone!
Another option would be to visit is The Getty, another iconic art museum with beautiful panoramic views of the city.

Beach
For a serene sunset experience, we’d visit Malibu’s El Matador Beach and perhaps grab dinner at a local restaurant.
Or for a more local experience, we’d visit Venice Beach and check out the boardwalk, surfers and street performers.

Shopping
And last but not least…shopping!
We’d have to visit The Grove, and then explore Melrose Avenue, which has some of my favorite boutiques, vintage shops, and unique street art.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Absolutely! I wouldn’t be where I am today without the support of family, friends and mentors.

To my family, the cornerstone of my existence, your unwavering love, support, and encouragement have been my constant driving force. Thank you for raising me to have the skills and knowledge to face life head-on, the ability to know and feel unconditional love, and the wisdom to unapologetically go after my dreams.

To my friends, thank you for being there throughout all the ups and downs, and for reminding me that life is so much fuller when we can lean on each other and experience it together. You’ve been my strength in times of challenge and my joy in moments of triumph.

To my numerous mentors, especially the multi-talented female musicians, drum teachers and business leaders I’ve had the pleasure of working with or training under; thank you for your expertise, wisdom and willingness to share your experiences. Thank you for leading the way in a male-dominated industry and for believing I can do the same.

And last but not least, I’d like to extend a shoutout to one of my first music teachers, Mrs. Dail Bienkiewicz. I will never forget how she took me under her wing as one of the only female drum students, and taught me how to hone my craft from a young age. She constantly pushed me to do my best and then told me I could do even better, instilling in me the value of continuous improvement and the courage to push beyond my comfort zone.

I am here today as a collective result of all of their love, guidance and support.

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