Paul Buono Is A Law Student And He Also Wanted To Become A Musician. He Attended Many Student Exchange Programs For His Interest And To Fulfill His Dreams. Workload At Law School Was Much More Than He Expected. He Was Inspired By His Grandfather Who Was A Musician-A Pianist.

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Paul Buono: Musician and 2L
[By Mahsa Khalilifar]
When Paul Buono decided to enter law school, it was not based on some passionate urge but, rather, a realistic approach to his
future.
“I know this is not an idealistic answer, but and received an M.A. in Jazz Performance/ political science courses. My elective courses
it was just more of a practical option,” he Composition in 2004. After taking some time usually included law-related courses,” he
explained. “I decided to go to law school off to work as a full-time musician, Buono said. “[I was looking into] finding a job and
because I loved being a musician, but there received a “generous scholarship” to attend [making myself] marketable.”
were other things I wanted in life, like a Western New England College in Springfield,
paycheck, a car, or an apartment, without Massachusetts, and at 27 years old, he is He saw the different opportunities law could
having to live with four roommates.” now in his second year. bring him, so he decided to make the best of
the situation.
When Buono was younger, his parents gave During the time that Buono was a full-time
him private music lessons, which started in musician, he spent his days playing on cruise Buono said he has come to prefer certain
the second grade. ships, including those operated by Princess aspects of law.
Cruises. He would work as a musical
“They made music a part of our studies; director or a sideman. After realizing that his “I like giving arguments, and I like being
it was like [our] education. We practiced financial future was not looking as bright as in front of a court and in front of a judge,”
every day, so it was like doing your history he had hoped, he needed another plan. Buono said. “I like being called to discuss
homework,” Buono recalled. a case law. I think, more generally, I really
“I did always have an interest in law. As an
like the idea of debating in the courtroom
undergrad, I took a couple of ethnic and
It was not until junior high that Buono saw setting.”
music more fondly rather than as a chore. Q. What do you do for fun?
One of his biggest supporters was his A. A lot of my fun stuff involves music. Right now, Buono is hoping to apply for a law
grandfather, who was a musician-a pianist, I play with wedding bands and jazz student internship with the United States
to be exact. ensembles on weekends. I also go down to Olympic Committee for the summer of 2008.
New York and check things out when I can. He currently teaches at Clark University in
I’m a big summertime guy, so I like a lot of
“He drove us to our [music] lessons, so he his hometown of Worcester, Massachusetts.
outdoor stuff-camping, hiking. I also like
was a primary force in our education and He usually takes classes during the day
to travel.
upbringing, especially in music,” said Buono. and then works from around 5:00 p.m. until
Q. What CD is in your CD player right now? well after 8:00 p.m. Buono also provides
During his senior year of high school, Buono A. Avishai Cohen-Colors. private lessons and other musical services to
participated in a student exchange program Q. What is the last magazine you read? students, his specialty being the piano.
though his school, studied in New York and A. National Geographic Adventure, the only
Hawaii, and then returned to New York for a magazine I subscribe to. Buono has temporarily put his personal goal
while. He graduated cum laude in 2002 from of playing music full-time on hold, but he
Q. What is your favorite TV show?
the University of Massachusetts with a jazz hopes that law school will provide a musical
A. Arrested Development.
studies degree. His concentration was in path just the same.
piano. Q. What is something most people don’t
know about you? “I want to work in the music industry
Buono then entered the Aaron Copland A. I got my scuba-diving license in Bora- somehow in the future…whether it be on the
School of Music at Queens College, CUNY, Bora. A&R side, I want to get my foot in the door
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somehow,” he admitted. “It was never my that ‘it’s more work than you’ve ever done Buono is hoping he will be one of the
intention to leave the music industry. If I can in your life,’ and I didn’t really listen to them students who stands out and makes it to
merge the two in any way, [I will be happy]. a lot, but they were right,” he said. “The where he wants to go.
I think what I would be interested in would workload at law school is [immense]. It is so
be an agent or a manager for a record label. much more than I expected. But there is a “In 10 years I hope to be involved in music
That is my goal.” ‘brotherhood’ between a law student [rather somehow. I would love to work with a record
than] a non-law student because you get label and maybe [incorporate] that with jazz,”
Whether he will ultimately become a each other.” he said.
professional pianist, a composer, or an AR
representative, Buono is just taking it day by He said that his experience in law school has On the Net
day right now. His favorite memory so far has taught him a lot so far, and he advised future
been getting through finals. law students to check prospective schools University of Massachusetts
out before picking one. www.massachusetts.edu
“The last final was constitutional law in May,
and as soon as I finished it, I looked back “There’s a lot more merit in visiting a law Aaron Copland School of Music
on the entire year-you know how they do in school class. Really consider sitting in qcpages.qc.cuny.edu/music
the movies? I literally thought back and was classrooms, because you can get a sense
really impressed with how much work was of the environment. You can see how the Western New England College
involved,” he recalled. courses are,” he said. “It makes a difference www.wnec.edu
to see if you want to do this. Overall, I made
Buono said that things have not been easy, the right choice, but I had many moments of
though, and that he’s had his moments of thinking long and hard about it. [Law school]
regret and doubt. is so competitive even friends become afraid
to assist you. So much weight is placed on
“I remember I had a few friends who were where you graduate in comparison to where
in law school before I went and would say you are placed.”
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