AMHERST, Mass – As college students adjust to distance learning, Riley J. Walter, a senior at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, has completed his senior thesis project by releasing a musical album. The record, which is primarily hip-hop and experimental music, is a culmination of over a year of work, and was written, produced, recorded, mixed, and mastered entirely by Walter. The record has been released worldwide on all streaming platforms including Spotify, Apple Music, SoundCloud, and YouTube.
Said his thesis committee chair, UMass Arts Extension service director Dee Boyle-Clapp, “Riley Walter’s efforts show how the spirit of the arts continue despite the pandemic. Riley’s release of a body of new work that is both beautifully composed and performed comes when people need it most. The timing of this work not only illustrates how well one multi-talented student can persevere in a time of complexity, but shows the power of the arts, the imperative of sharing stories, and of course, the use of technology to bring new music to audiences who cannot come together in person at this time.”
Walter is completing his Bachelor’s Degree with Individual Concentration (BDIC) in recording technology and music industry. During the fall 2019 semester, Walter did a domestic exchange at the University of Memphis where he honed his skills in recording, mixing, marketing, and the legal side of the music industry. BDIC majors must take courses in at least three different areas, and Walter focused on recording technology, marketing, arts management, and music theory. Each of these areas contributed to his thesis project, which includes not only the release of the album, but also marketing and analyzing the release of the record.
Listeners can follow Walter, who goes by the stage name Walt Arkain, on Instagram at @waltarkainsound and on Twitter at @waltarkain.
Walt Arkain on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0fu2QK4eeeR4eMIYy8XDNr
Walt Arkain on SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/walt-arkain