Karina Pardus
Creative Director, Orchestrator & Industry Advocate, Coy Compositions
A moment in your career when you really backed yourself.
“When I was a new mom, I shifted to a new career path from music performance to music composition and production. More than once I was turned down for jobs (normal) because I was a mom and was assumed to be "unreliable" (this is not, or should not be normal).
There was a moment when I considered stepping down and finding a safer path with music jobs that would be viewed as more "traditional".
Thankfully, with the support of my husband and some industry friends, I kept going to networking and industry events in a way that allowed me to embrace being a mother as an asset to my work, and I learned to present myself as an exclamation point and not a question mark.
This is what it means to know your worth. This is what it looks like to assimilate your potential and your capacity into every project that is presented to you.
Doing this has led to so many amazing opportunities and fulfilling projects, and has paved the way for many pivots and bumps that I have been able to handle with great satisfaction.”
One thing you’re proud of in your career.
“I am very proud of the communities I've been able to help build up and support. This past March at the GDC Festival of Gaming I was given the Distinguished Service Award at the G.A.N.G. Awards show.
Initially I struggled with feeling like I deserved it, but of course the work I do is deserving of recognition and celebration, and I am happy to be seen as a community builder in game audio spaces. Whether it's bringing the game audio community together at GameSoundCon or with the Game Audio Network Guild (G.A.N.G.), inviting people to start new things with the Music Creators Academy, speaking at AirCon, or supporting safety and inclusion at the Female Composers Safety League, gathering and building and seeing people flourish when they know they belong is something I am grateful to be a part of.”
Name another woman in music who inspires you, and why.
“There are so many.
Savina Ciaramella inspires me with how graceful she is at connecting people to make magic happen.
Marissa DeVito is so inventive and I have been so inspired by her ability to start anew and overcome all of the odds.
Nia Williams brings so much light to every creative space she enters and truly elevates the room and the people in it.
And I have watched Rachel Robison's resilience, and how she chooses to remain kind and not harden in those circumstances. I am blessed beyond measure to learn from them and so many others, and to call them friends."
