Music Business/Management
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"Having worked in the music industry as long as I have, I don't want to necessarily just bring war stories. You've got to back it up with some good science and theory. One of the challenges is with new media. The tools are new. So I try to balance those with some real time-tested marketing strategies. You begin to realize that it's all sort of been done before, but now we have an opportunity to recontextualize things. I do try to find a balance of things, but the music business is changing every second."
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"I teach computer applications in the music industry, web design and management, web development for e-business, and a few others. It's about developing ways of getting your information out there. Having those technology skills will allow you to build your business, whether it's yourself, if you're a solo artist, or you're working for a company that's promoting artists. It also teaches attention to detail and aesthetics. It's a different generation. You need to have those skills now."
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"Part of my role is helping students transition from the classroom to the conference room, from college to career. It's an intense progression of small steps leading to large outcomes, and it elicits emotions ranging from elation to dread. I try to show broad options while balancing expectations with reality."
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"The reason why I think music business/management programs are growing all across the country is because I think that young people get it. They know that they can actually have some form of ownership in the growth, in the development of the new music industry. They understand music, but they don't want to get ripped off, and they don't have to deal with those music companies. They think, I can do something else on my own, and I need to know how to protect myself within that whole framework of the new music business."
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"When you think of critical thinking and creative thinking, most traditional business school students tend to be critical and analytical thinkers. They really don't have great peripheral vision. The beauty of Berklee students is that they are creative by nature. That's why they're here. So they take those creative skills that are inherent in their music abilities and translate those to the problems people are confronted with in the business world today."
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"I have an undergrad degree in vocal performance, and I actually started in music business because I wanted to make sure that I understood my own contracts. I think that helps me the most, because we have a lot of dual majors. I can be empathetic with them and tell them today's business is really about being an entrepreneur. I'm giving them a scope of the entire industry, so they can pick a good business manager. I think every student should take at least an intro to music business course. If you're an informed performer, think of how much further you can go."
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"I think that the role of the music business professional is to support artists and art, as opposed to the goal being to take music and turn it into profit. To me, there's a difference of commitment and motive that's absolutely critical. I think that's part of the explanation for why the music industry is in such bad shape, because it's been a profit center for people who really don't care about music at all."
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"We are a cutting-edge department with a frontier kind of presence in the industry. All of the faculty are well informed on current developments. We bring that into the classroom and mix that with the content you need to know if you want to work in the business. You need to know about legal aspects, business start-ups, and have a very keen eye on where technology change is taking the business."
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"Music business is a unique industry that requires unique skills. And it's an industry that's very competitive. They're up against some pretty sharp people from other schools that are more business focused than music business focused. And they could be competing with a Yale MBA, who knows? They need to have a degree of fluency in accounting, taxation, business startups, so they don't get left behind. At a manager meeting or a marketing meeting, they can converse as a business major at another college can converse."
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Don Gorder, Chair
DEPARTMENT : Music Business/Management Department"Berklee's core curriculum of harmony, ear training, etc., contributes to the music business/management major's lifelong enjoyment of music. No matter how far our students go in the business realm, being able to relate to music as musicians will add much to their lives. Personally, my musical experience has enhanced my understanding of the tension points in the art/commerce dichotomy, and how to soften the conflict."
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