Growing up in a musical household, it is no surprise that Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music alumna, Rebekah Wineman, picked up an instrument of her own. At the age of 11 she decided to play the oboe. “I had to pick the hardest instrument,” laughed Wineman, “I was very adamant about being the most different and doing the hardest stuff at that age.”
Wineman continued her studies on oboe, which eventually led her to the University of Memphis, where she received a full-ride scholarship for performance. It was during her time at the University of Memphis that Wineman began to delve into audio work. As she was looking for ways to develop her career in music her mother recommended audio engineering as a way for her to combine her passions for the creative arts and science.
When she started the recording technology program here at the University of Memphis, she was taken aback by how different it was from her original expectations, soon realizing she had her work cut out for her. Thankfully, she had a great mentor in her teacher, Professor Jon Frazer. She was thankful that Frazer recognized the potential in her that she did not see because she was being too hard on herself.
While discussing how her time at the University of Memphis helped prepare her for her career, she had much praise for Frazer. Looking back on her experience she was able to see that, while Frazer challenged her, it was because he truly wanted her to succeed. “He laid a very good foundation of not only being good at your job, but instilled in us other tertiary skills that we needed to have like being on time, being personable, and being a support system for the artist,” said Wineman. These lessons are what she credits to helping make her stand out in the field.
Currently working for Marketplace, Wineman has had many accolades in her career. Her work in the audio industry earned her a nomination for a Grammy, which she described as a very surreal feeling.
She is also proud of her ability to pivot her career, showing just how versatile and adaptable she is. Starting out in classical restoration, she decided she wanted to get into something a bit more social and decided to take a leap and apply for a job at the Wall Street Journal, which she got, eventually leading her to her current position at Marketplace. One of her most recent exciting projects with Marketplace was an interview with Bill Gates.
Above all her accomplishments, she is proud of graduating college. She and her siblings were the first to do so in her family, and it brings about a great sense of accomplishment.
When asked for any final thoughts, Wineman had a heartfelt sentiment that many of us can relate to, “I know the world is really messed up right now, but I hope that people are taking care of themselves and their mental health.” The Rudi E Scheidt School of Music is proud to have such successful and caring alumni representing us in the world.