From class project to career, alumni finds passion

A DJ setting up equipment on a custom Red Bull vehicle in a park, with a tall building in the background under a clear blue sky. — [Courtesy of Wyatt Wilson} Wilson deejays all around Pittsburgh, including for Red Bull events like the “Red Bull Tetris” in Oakland. He has also performed at local bars and clubs, like Jimmy D’s in Southside and Goldmark in Lawrenceville.

Charlotte Shields-Rossi | a&e editor

Wyatt Wilson, a 2024 Duquesne graduate, spent his childhood playing Guitar and DJ Hero, but when it was time to pick his college major and subsequent career, he ignored his love for music.

He chose to go to Duquesne for computer science.

“I always liked deejaying, I always liked music, but I just kind of brushed it aside,” Wilson said.

It wasn’t until his senior year of college that he found his passion for DJing. Wilson took a class called Human Communication in a Technological Age, taught by Anthony Wachs, associate professor of communication and rhetorical studies. In the class ,Wachs assigned a leisure project where students were tasked to find something they have always wanted to do but never had the time to and report on it for a grade.

“When you find things like true leisure projects, the byproduct is practical wisdom. And that’s what we want to be able to teach in the liberal arts, is practical wisdom,” Wachs said.

After seeing a DJ board in his friend’s room, Wilson decided to study DJing in his leisure project. He didn’t know much about the art form, so through a mutual friend he was introduced to Bobby Kramer aka “DJ Climax,” who took him under his wing.

“Wyatt showed up and he, you know, he was asking all the right questions, and he was intrigued, and he was taking notes. I could tell the kid was serious,” Kramer said.

A man with a cap and a black shirt stands next to a young man wearing a hockey jersey, both posing at night with blurred city lights in the background. — [Courtesy of Wyatt Wilson] Wilson (right) shadowed Cramer (left) for a class project. He has been mentored by him ever since.

Kramer has been working in the DJ scene since 2009. He considers himself an open format DJ without a particular style.

Kramer helped Wilson out in any way he could, giving him old DJ equipment and taking him to gigs. One day Kramer got a call about a Red Bull student DJ competition and enlisted Wilson. Wilson was nervous. He hadn’t played a real gig before and would be competing at Stage AE. It took some convincing, but he came in second.

“It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” Wilson said.

He caught Red Bull’s attention, and the company began inviting him to gigs.

It has been a little over a year since Wilson performed his first gig, and his career has taken off. He has played at numerous clubs and bars around Pittsburgh, including Jimmy D’s in Southside and Goldmark in Lawrenceville.

He swapped his $250 DJ board for a $1,200 high-end controller. He has since played for a UPMC charity event, DuqaTHON and Red Bull events.

He has acquired his own DJ style in the past year, focusing on early 2000s club-party jams, playing artists like Flo Rida and Lady Gaga. He had to learn technical skills like working the board, matching beats and doing simple transitions. He had to learn the human aspect of the DJ profession.

“There’s a lot of sociology at play with DJing,” Wilson said.

Reading a room is paramount to the profession, he said. He has to read the room to figure out the type of music the crowd will enjoy. Kramer said that Wilson excels at the social aspect of DJing.

Two DJs on stage, one wearing a helmet and a sports jersey with 'CROSBY 87', and the other in a jersey with 'POLAMALU 43', illuminated by red stage lights, with an energetic crowd in the background. — [Courtesy of Wyatt Wilson] On Oct. 11, Wilson (left) performed his first DJ gig at the “Red Bull: Turn it Up” competition with mentor Bobby Cramer, also known as “DJ Climax.” Wilson competed against other Pittsburgh college DJs and came in second.

“If you watch him DJ he has energy behind the booth, he is not one of those DJs you see standing there,” Kramer said. “He’s jumping around. He’s interacting with the crowd.”

Wilson is currently balancing two jobs and can often only practice his DJ skills for a few hours, but said it’s worth it to fulfill his dreams. He wants to produce EDM music and DJ for the Pittsburgh Penguins.

“I want to make music and put myself out there, and hopefully people can appreciate the art and passion I put in,” Wilson said.

A few months ago Wilson emailed Wachs thanking him. His project created the passion he had for DJing. A few years ago Wilson was on a very different path in life. He didn’t think that he would be pursuing his passion for music.

“Duquesne students are so amazing. They are so willing to allow, as we say, a spirit to give life. Wyatt definitely did that,” Wachs said.

Charlotte Shields-Rossi can be reached at shieldsrossic@duq.edu

Features editor Josh Imhof is roomates with the subject and had no involvement with the reporting or editing of this story.