This month’s Front of House features Bruce Wong, a Quality Assurance Analyst at CMRRA. Driven by a fascination with the intricate details of CMRRA’s software system, Bruce transitioned from his role as a Repertoire Administrator to better understand how the system functions. Holding a Bachelor of Music from Berklee College of Music and having worked as a Music Publishing Assistant at Create Music Group, his lifelong passion for music ultimately led him to the business side of the industry.
You started at CMRRA in 2023 as a Repertoire Administrator and recently moved into the role of Quality Assurance Analyst. Can you tell us what the role entails and what drew you to it?
As a Quality Assurance Analyst, my role involves the execution of user acceptance testing (UAT) to ensure the system development updates and enhancements are working as intended. From planning to documenting results, I communicate with the internal team and business stakeholders to improve UAT effectiveness and efficiency.
CMRRA maintains a complex repertoire, licensing and distribution system, and it fascinates me how detailed each component is. I am always interested in learning how and why something works the way it does. I knew this would be a great opportunity for me to dive deeper into the back end of the system and learn how all the data that we support and process for distribution to clients works and interacts with each other. I am very grateful to have this opportunity to gain a more in-depth understanding of the system and how this supports the requirements for running the operations for our multiple lines of business.
You have quite the music background, from receiving a Bachelor of Music from Berklee College of Music to working as a Music Publishing Assistant at Create Music Group in Los Angeles. What drew you to the music industry and what do you enjoy most about working in it?
Music has been a huge part of my life since my childhood. I was classically trained on the piano, the clarinet and have always enjoyed playing in different types of music ensembles. During high school, I met a friend who was also very into music, and we would spend hours playing and talking about it. I decided to pursue a degree in Contemporary Writing and Production at Berklee College of Music. After my graduation, I moved to Los Angeles for several internships and gained an opportunity to explore the business side of the industry at Create Music Group (CMG). During my time at CMG, I spent most of the time maintaining the internal database and communicating with the PROs regarding work registrations, updates, and disputes. In addition, I learnt about the YouTube Creators platform, which gave me a useful insight into copyright and monetization from a publisher’s perspective. Eventually, I discovered my passion in Music Business and realized the opportunity laid a great foundation for my roles at CMRRA. Moreover, it gives me joy knowing my work would contribute to a music creator’s financial security.
You were born in Hong Kong and have lived in the United Kingdom, Los Angeles, and Boston before coming in Toronto. What do you enjoy most about living here?
Having the privilege to travel to different cities, I feel that the Canadian multiculturalism and friendliness are unique. I have not experienced anything similar before moving to Toronto. In terms of food culture, there are many different cuisines, so you never have to worry about the lack of variety.
Toronto can be just as busy as other cities like New York and Hong Kong but in general, I feel that I have a better work-life balance here. The great air quality is also something I like about Canada.
Outside of work, how do you like to spend your free time?
I love outdoor activities. There are so many parks and trails here. It is rewarding to take a challenging route that ends with a nice scenic view. I want to see the waterfalls in the Hamilton area, so it is on my list for this summer! Apart from that, I like going to escape rooms; it is always fun to solve mysteries with friends.
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