Mackin-Mailander Alumni Lecturer Luke Flynn Shares Hollywood Journey
Clarke University is thrilled to welcome alumnus Luke Flynn ’13 to campus as part of the Mackin-Mailander Lecture Series on March 23. This special community event aligns with the university-wide celebration of #ClarkeDay March 23-24.
The lecture, entitled, “Connecting to Hollywood: Networking and Seizing Opportunity,” will begin at 7 p.m. in Jansen Music Hall at Clarke University. The lecture is free and open to the public.
“In my lecture, I’ll discuss the eclectic road that I followed to achieve my dreams of working on Hollywood film scores, and how Clarke University set me on the path to meeting that goal,” Flynn said. “I’ll then dive into a day in the life of being a composer and orchestrator, and what it’s like to work in the world of television film, and more.”
Flynn has worked on the scores for a multitude of A-list movies and television shows including “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker,” “Frozen II,” “The Mandalorian,” “The Simpsons,” and many others.
In the concert music industry, his works are performed regularly throughout the world, including commissions and performances by major symphony orchestras, choirs, and ensembles in over 15 different countries, as well as throughout the U.S. His works consistently win or place as a finalist in major composition contests around the world.
What may surprise audience members, however, is that Flynn resides in Asbury, Iowa with his wife and daughter, where he conducts all of his work from his home studio.
“The longer I stayed in L.A. with the mentality that was where I needed to be in order to move up, the more I realized it was a hard place for me to find balance and to raise my family,” Flynn said in a recent interview with the Telegraph Herald for their “Where Are They Now?” series. “I love the work that I do, but my family comes first.”
The Clarke University Mackin-Mailander Lecture Series was established in 1997 after Clarke received gifts from two alumnae, Mary Mackin ’34 and Verna Slattery-Mailander ’20, to establish an endowed lecture series. The annual series consists of three lectures, including a prominent outside speaker, a faculty lecture, and an alumni lecture.
In celebration of #ClarkeDay, join the staff of the Mackin Office of Institutional Advancement prior to the lecture for a happy hour social. From 5:30-7:30 p.m. in the R.C. and Celeste Wahlert Atrium, enjoy appetizers and a cash bar as we come together to celebrate, unite, and support all things Clarke! To learn more about the lecture and other Clarke Day events, visit www.clarke.edu.