Queens Student Animates Charlotte Symphony's Groundbreaking Sonic Logo
As the holiday season heads into full swing, attendees of the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra (CSO) will be in for an additional treat before musicians take the stage: a new “sonic logo.” Under the guidance of Melissa Gamez, assistant professor of design and director of graphic design and studio art, student Dejah Entzminger ‘26 designed the innovative motion graphic to accompany the CSO’s new musical signature, becoming the visual cornerstone for the organization’s new brand. The animated logo will be used for the CSO’s multimedia applications, including their webpage and social media platforms.
The opportunity arose when the CSO required a specialized animation for its new visual mark to pair with its new musical signature. Queens alumnus Chad Calvert ’99, the CSO’s visual communications manager, championed the partnership, creating a vital link that firmly established Queens’ emerging talent with the Charlotte arts community.
The sonic logo, described as the first of its kind commissioned by an orchestra, was created by Grammy Award-winning composer Mason Bates and inspired by CSO’s music director Kwamé Ryan.
Calvert, a graduate from Queens’ Bachelor of Music program, reached out to the design department based on successful past collaborations. “I immediately thought of Queens,” Calvert said. “I knew that Professor Gamez had a background in animation and that a project like this would also provide an amazing real-world opportunity for students.”
Gamez called the partnership a “great experience” for students to explore motion graphics under a professional deadline. She noted that when she sent out the call for interested students, Entzminger was ready to take on the challenge.
Entzminger, a graphic design major with a marketing minor, embraced the task. She tackled the complexity of synchronizing a visual identity with a musical one using graphic design software, all while navigating a tight four-week turnaround.
“I listened to it a couple of times and at first it reminded me of a movie opening – it’s very magical, very theatrical,” Entzminger explained. She used this theatrical inspiration to create an animation that was both captivating for a few seconds and respectful of the orchestra’s professionalism.
Gamez praised Entzminger’s skill. “She’s very talented and she has a natural eye for animation,” she said.
The new sonic logo premiered live in October 2025, at the CSO’s Classical Series opening concert under Ryan’s direction.
According to Calvert, the audience responded “really, really positively,” noting that an animated sonic logo is “sort of a new concept for an orchestra” and was “pretty cool and pretty interesting.”
For Entzminger, the project was a major validation of her decision to pivot from her prior degree in biochemistry to pursue a creative field.
“I was extremely grateful for the opportunity,” she said. “It definitely is a confidence boost in that area. And it reassured me like, ‘Yeah, this is what I’m supposed to be doing.'”
The collaboration also underscored the enduring value of human skill in a digital age. Calvert addressed the common apprehension felt by new designers regarding artificial intelligence, asserting that quality creative work requires human expertise.
“For people that are looking for quality work, AI simply cannot provide the kind of quality and precision that a real person can create,” Calvert stated. He commended Entzminger’s “real affinity for the music,” calling the ability to animate not just the timing, but the “feel and the emotion” of a piece.
The success of the project reinforces Queens’ commitment to providing students with a pipeline to community-based learning experiences, reinforcing its role as Charlotte’s University.