Delta Kappa Epsilon - Colgate University

Delta Kappa Epsilon 3 MU ALUMNUS RECOUNTS DKE MEMORIES Q&A with Boris Zelkin '93 TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF. WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING PROFESSIONALLY SINCE GRADUATION? I graduated from Colgate in 1993, which makes me a 135. I am originally from Moscow, Russia, but I grew up in New York and Florida. I now live in Los Angeles with my wife, Deeji (with whom I co-write), and my son, Zachary. Initially I thought to enter academia and become a professor of history of religions. I entered the University of Chicago Divinity School and received my M.A. After, I realized that it's better to pursue your dreams while you're still young. I decided that if I didn't try my hand at composing music for film and television, as I got older it would get harder and harder to do, so I moved out to Los Angeles to follow that pursuit. Within a year I was an intern for a company called Media Ventures run by Hans Zimmer, and a few months after that I was made his assistant. During that time I was able to observe and help write many Hollywood films. HOW HAS BEING A MEMBER OF MU CHAPTER IMPACTED YOUR LIFE? Kierkegaard famously said, "Life can only be understood backward but it must be lived forward." However, as an undergraduate I understood how special the bonds I was forming were. As I look back on my time at Colgate, my fondest memories involve the brotherhood. As I left Colgate and was faced with the choices and difficulties that life presented me with, the knowledge and experiences gained at Mu Chapter coupled with the lasting friendships allowed me to navigate each challenge with the proper perspective. Professionally, I was able to gain tremendous insight from alumni in my industry, specifically Doug Wilson '57 for advice on how best to proceed while making the most out of the opportunities presented me. HOW HAVE YOU STAYED INVOLVED WITH DELTA KAPPA EPSILON? Less than I'd like, to be honest. Unlike the guys on the East Coast, there is not as large a contingent in Los Angeles. Most of my interaction with DKE comes from frequent discussions about the goings on from friends closer to the flame with whom I stay in close communication, and reading Yon Clarion Bell. I was, and remain, very passionate about the recent events concerning the Pierce Memorial and am extremely protective about the Temple and committed to ensuring that DKE plays a strong role in the lives of undergraduates as events on campus unfold. • • • WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE UNDERGRADUATE MEMORY? The smell of the Tap Room.    Playing the piano after parties. I swear, sometimes I think the only reason I was let into the house was because I could play and convince girls that we were classy. After our parties, the lights in the living room would be dimmed and I'd sit down at the piano that John Wilson '52 donated and the house would actually burst into song. I remember Michael Kennedy '92, whose vocal talents could have gotten him a gig in any monastery on the East Coast, leading the whole house and our guests in a 3 a.m. after– party rendition of "Desperado." The third is graduation. The torchlight procession and sitting out all night in front of the Temple with some of the closest friends I'll have in life was something I'll never forget. Time and geography might conspire against us, but the memory of that evening will remain. Eventually I was able to build up enough relationships, and was asked to write the score to various mid-range movies from various genre films and teen flicks like Popstar and Call of the Wild, and dramas like Prague Duet, as well as working with David Brenner '94 on a movie he directed, Rent Control. I also wrote the music to various TV series, including BET's American Gangster series. In 2002, I was asked to submit music for the Salt Lake Olympics, having a friend who worked as an editor there. He managed to insert my music, which I gave away free at the time, into some of the events. The producers there were hungry for new sounds and I guess what I provided struck a chord. One of the ESPN producers loved the music, and a few weeks later called and asked whether or not I'd be interested in writing music for the Stanley Cup Finals. After that I was asked to write the theme to ESPN's NBA, with over 90 submissions in competition with mine, and they used that theme for a few years. In 2005 my wife and I won Emmys for the music we wrote in the World Figure Skating Championships in Moscow, and since then we have been nominated five more times for our work on Master's Golf and the Closing of Yankee Stadium. Over the past few years, I've been able to make a name for myself writing the theme music and opening music for various sporting events, including Wimbledon, The Masters, The U.S. Open, (both golf and tennis), NCAA Championships, NASCAR, CBS's Sportsdesk, and NFL football. I'm currently finishing up the music to a set of national Rosetta Stone spots. WHAT ARE YOU PASSIONATE ABOUT OUTSIDE YOUR WORK? My family. Watching my son grow up with my wife is the most amazing thing I've ever experienced. Outside of that, I still enjoy reading and engaging others about religion and its intersection with history, art, and politics. GENTLEMAN, SCHOLAR, OR JOLLY GOOD FELLOW? Two out of three ain't bad right? I'd have to say Scholar. Doug Wilson '57 Recounts the Human Drama of Athletic Competition D oug Wilson '57 is a noted producer, director, and author, and, in partnership with ABC Sports, recently published The World Was Our Stage…Spanning the Globe With ABC Sports, a series of anecdotes about the amazing people in athletic competition. Visit www.dougwilsonabcsports.com to learn more about the book, or even pick up your own copy. "I envision the book as the reader learning and reminiscing about the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat," said Doug.

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