Résumé
Composer · Lyricist · Music Director
lolacortezofficial@gmail.com · linkedin.com/in/lola-cortez
Music & Composition
Composer, Librettist & Music Director — The Bluebird & The Lynx
Wesleyan University · 2020–Present · Unofficial stage adaptation of Akimi Yoshida’s manga Banana Fish; senior honors thesis
Composed, orchestrated, and arranged a full 15-song score, adapting 8 volumes of manga into a stage musical
Wrote the book and music-directed a 12-person cast, teaching vocal parts and harmonies through rehearsal
As producer, co-led a 23-person cast and crew alongside the show’s director, setting schedules and crew tasks
Negotiated directly with Wesleyan’s Theater and Music departments to secure space, equipment, and resources
World premiere: 3 sold-out performances at the Patricelli ’92 Theater; called “a tour de force of orchestration” by The Wesleyan Argus
Built an online following of nearly 14,000 during production; demo recordings now streaming on Spotify
Music Assistant — Love of a Lifetime
New York, NY · Aug 2026–Present · NAMT Festival Creative Assistantship (Music Track), 38th Annual Festival of New Musicals
Selected as one of eight early-career artists nationwide for NAMT’s Festival Creative Assistantship
Assisting the music director on Love of a Lifetime (book, music & lyrics by Lara Filip)
Joining creative conversations on casting and rehearsals ahead of the festival presentation
Vocalist — Wesleyan Jazz Ensemble
Wesleyan University Music Department · Jan 2024–Present
Selected by Professor Jay Hoggard as lead vocalist in the university’s official jazz ensemble
Performed as opener for the sold-out 2026 Wesleyan Faculty Concert and Wesleyan Reunion Week
Composer & Music Director — Wesleyan Film Festival
Wesleyan University · 2024–2026
Scored Pancakes, The Suitcase, and All That She Would Have Said for the Wesleyan Film Festival
Taught piano to actors for the period piece All That She Would Have Said
Education
Wesleyan University — B.A. in Music, Minor in Film
Middletown, CT · May 2026
High Honors in Music · Gwen Livingston Pokora Prize for Composition · Dean’s List · GPA 3.82
Coursework: Music Theatre Composition, Music Recording & Sound Design, Music Theatre Performance
University of Bologna — Study Abroad
Bologna, Italy · Jan–Jun 2025
Coursework conducted in Italian: Cinematic Landscapes of Emilia-Romagna; Masters Studies in the Mozart Opera
Harvard-Westlake School — Diploma
Los Angeles, CA · June 2022
Dean’s Honor Roll · National Hispanic Scholar · Founder, Plus One (campus bereavement affinity group)
Experience
MPPMGMT — Digital Marketing Intern
Hybrid · Aug 2025–Jan 2026
Collaborated with Billboard-charting artist DEVORA and Create Music Group on EP release campaigns
Designed key visual assets, including promotional videos and single covers, for release marketing
WesShop — Social Media Manager & Cashier
Middletown, CT · Aug 2022–Present
Launched the store’s first Instagram account to increase sales, using Photoshop and Canva
Anthropologie Flagship Store — Sales Associate
Los Angeles, CA · Summers 2023 & 2024
Delivered personalized service during peak-hour transactions, contributing to $54K+ in daily storewide sales
Skills & Languages
Music: Logic Pro, Sibelius, Dorico, Composition, Orchestration & Arranging, Lyric & Book Writing, Vocal Coaching
Production: Rehearsal Scheduling, Cross-Departmental Coordination, Resource Negotiation, Team Leadership
Design & Software: Adobe Suite, Canva, Procreate, Microsoft Office, Video Editing
Languages: Fluent Russian, Advanced Italian, Proficient French, Conversational Spanish
References available on request.