Current Clayton State Student and Recent Alum Perform Music on the Netflix Reboot of A Different World

(November 12, 2026) - Current Clayton State University student Noah Wasi and recent alum Donovan Fuller performed music on the popular Netflix reboot of “A Different World,” the 1987-1993 NBC sitcom that follows a new generation of students at HBCU Hillman College. The two, who studied music at Clayton State, discussed their experiences working on a professional film set versus performing on concert stages for live audiences, as well as their future career aspirations.

Donovan, who graduated from the Film, Communication, and Performing Arts (FCPA) program with a degree in Music, was contacted to participate in the Netflix show based on his experience as a professional musician. He said, “I played with an orchestra called Orchestra Noir, based in Atlanta, and people from A Different World knew our work. The producers reached out to me about this project that needed musicians.” Donovan also had professional film experience, having performed in the 2022 film called Chevalier, based on the life of the French-Caribbean violinist Joseph Bologne.

Noah explained how he became involved in performing on the new hit Netflix series. He said, “Donovan, the other student, recommended me for the show. They were looking for more musicians and needed somebody who could play the viola. Even though I'm primarily a violinist, my secondary instrument is the viola.”  Noah added, “When they reached out to me, they asked me if I ever wanted to play in a TV show. They told me what it was, but I'm a little too young to know about the original show; A Different World aired before I was born. They said they wanted some real musicians in the show. I said, yeah, I'm down to do it.”

As you can imagine, the day of the filming was exciting and a little bit overwhelming.  Noah said, “It was a surreal experience because I've never done any film work. They got me a tuxedo and everything. They had makeup artists and people doing hair.  And I met the music people and the composer. Then security came, put us on a black bus, and drove us somewhere in Atlanta. It was all filmed in this huge, fancy ballroom with camera crews and directors.”

Noah, a current music minor, explained that there wasn’t much rehearsal time to prepare for the show. He said, “It's common in the work that I do with music for someone to say Here's the music only a few days before, and sometimes even the same day, to hand you the sheet music. Because I was trained in a music program here at Clayton State, that's what we're trained to do professionally.”

Noah pointed out that it wasn’t too different from a typical music gig. He said, “The only difference was I just had to keep repeating this piece of music over and over again so they could get the shots they needed. But everybody there on set was a professional musician. We were really performing and not pretending. It was just a different experience, but It's something I would definitely do again.”

After working on the Netflix project, Donovan returned to his day job. He explained, “I work at a local school called Adamson Middle School in Clayton County as a band director. I just started in this role in October. Since graduating from Clayton State in May of this year, I have been working for the county as a paraprofessional, somebody who helps as a teacher's aide.”

Donovan shared what he loves about working with students. He said, “I like mentoring and teaching younger musicians. It's good to see that I can plant the seed for them, give them opportunities, and help them discover their passion for music.”

As for the future in his music education and work as a professional musician, Donovan said, “I do have a lot of future goals. I want to go on to teach high school bands or orchestras. I also want to start touring more as a solo artist outside of Atlanta.”

Noah is set to graduate from Clayton State in the spring of 2027, and he is open to various career options. He said, “I’m considering multiple options. But also with music, I never know what can happen between now and when I graduate. Because of this Netflix thing, that was random. I did not see that coming out of nowhere. And only God knows what can happen within the next few months before I graduate. I can get picked up by a music company or some type of contractor.”

Learn more about the Clayton State University Film, Communication, and Performing Arts (FCPA) program on our website as a first step in making your dreams real like Donovan and Noah.