{"id":227854,"date":"2026-05-06T15:19:08","date_gmt":"2026-05-06T19:19:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/newscenter\/?p=227854"},"modified":"2026-05-07T06:41:57","modified_gmt":"2026-05-07T10:41:57","slug":"the-first-graduate-of-the-cali-pathways-project-plays-into-the-similarities-of-music-and-business","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/newscenter\/2026\/05\/06\/the-first-graduate-of-the-cali-pathways-project-plays-into-the-similarities-of-music-and-business\/","title":{"rendered":"The First Graduate of the Cali Pathways Project Plays Into the Similarities of Music and Business"},"content":{"rendered":"

For Isaac Afriyie-Addo, the distance between a concert hall and a corporate office is much shorter than it appears. A first-generation college student from Maplewood, New Jersey, Afriyie-Addo is graduating from the<\/span> Feliciano School of Business<\/span><\/a> with a BS in<\/span> Business Administration<\/span><\/a> and a concentration in Information Systems, but his journey at Montclair began as a musician and composer at the<\/span> John J. Cali School of Music<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Afriyie-Addo\u2019s walk across the stage at 2026 Commencement next week makes him the first graduate of the<\/span> Cali Pathways<\/span><\/a> project, which launched in 2021 and helps talented young musicians access the guidance, training and resources they need to pursue music in college and beyond.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u201cI really appreciate the Pathways program because I wouldn’t be in college without that entry into Montclair,\u201d he says.<\/span><\/p>\n

He studied music for two years before switching his major to business and sees parallels between the two.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere are similarities between music and business, particularly in terms of community, leadership and freedom,\u201d he says. \u201cThe best music comes from people sharing a common emotion and playing the music together \u2013 and the best businesses come from people sharing a common goal together.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

A late start and a sharp shift<\/h2>\n

Afriyie-Addo\u2019s path to the stage was anything but traditional. While many musicians begin their training in early childhood, Afriyie-Addo didn\u2019t discover his passion for music until his junior year of high school during the COVID-19 pandemic. While doing some spring cleaning, his mother pulled a keyboard from the closet and Afriyie-Addo decided to teach himself to play by ear.<\/span><\/p>\n

To support his newfound passion and talent, his mother found him a piano teacher. Afriyie-Addo recalls hearing a fellow student play what he mistakenly thought was an original piece but turned out to be one of Beethoven\u2019s piano sonatas in E flat major.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI was astonished. It was the most incredible thing I’ve ever heard,\u201d he says. That\u2019s the moment he was hooked on classical piano and decided, \u201cwow, I want to sound like that.\u201d He practiced at every opportunity.<\/span><\/p>\n

Inspired by his choir and piano teachers and bolstered by a scholarship, he began a rapid ascent into the world of performance and composition.<\/span><\/p>\n

During his time at the Cali School, he also discovered and fell in love with jazz and studied under Adjunct Instructor David DeMotta, who describes Afriyie-Addo as \u201c<\/span>an inspired student who <\/span>consistently pushed himself to master the art of improvisation<\/span>.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt was wonderful to watch him develop from his first introduction to jazz piano into a self-motivated and serious student of the art form,\u201d <\/span>DeMotta says. \u201c<\/span>Isaac has the type of deeply curious and professionalized approach to learning and achievement that will allow him to find continued success within and beyond jazz piano.<\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Isaac Afriyie-Addo consults with musicians during rehearsal before the Hues Concert at the John J. Cali School of Music. (Photo by University Photographer John J. LaRosa)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The composition of commerce<\/h2>\n

Even after switching majors, Afriyie-Addo stayed involved with the Cali School. His leadership skills were put to the test when he took charge of organizing \u2013 and performing in, of course \u2013 the Hues Concert at the Cali School\u2019s Leshowitz Recital Hall earlier this year. Even when faced with a snowstorm delay, Afriyie-Addo utilized his networking and marketing acumen to ensure the event was a success, showcasing the business skills he honed in the classroom.<\/span><\/p>\n

He also wrote original compositions for dancers and others. That’s when he fell in love with and pivoted to jazz. “Jazz is a lot like composition in real time, you’re composing in the moment, and that felt thrilling.” The bigger pivot, however, came when he switched his focus to business partly because he had an interest and could see the commonalities in both, as well as \u201cthe influence of my family wanting the best for me financially,\u201d he says.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Hues Concert experience fueled an interest in event coordinating; he hopes to continue to fuse his business and music acumen. \u201cI want to create a venue or business that allows artists to be able to perform and put themselves out there,\u201d he says.<\/span><\/p>\n

Isaac Afriyie-Addo practices African drums with other drummers during the Hues Concert rehearsal. (Photo by University Photographer John J. LaRosa)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A future in fusion<\/h2>\n

While school kept him busy, he also found time for other interests, volunteering at a hospital and shadowing an executive at a retail store to learn data analytics.<\/span><\/p>\n

Wherever Afriyie-Addo ends up when he enters the professional world, he knows music will remain a lifelong passion.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI can’t see myself without it. I’m someone who has a lot of interests, and I can balance doing multiple things at once. Whether it’s performing, creating or building spaces that allow other people to connect, that’s something that really is something that I strive for. One of the best ways to bring people together and comfort others is through the universal language of music.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

This story is part of a series celebrating Montclair State University\u2019s graduates \u2013 students who embody the <\/span>University\u2019s mission<\/strong><\/a> to broaden access to exceptional learning opportunities and contribute to the common good.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n