Berklee to Host Business of Latin Music Symposium

Berklee’s Music Business/Management Department presents the Business of Latin Music Symposium on Tuesday, April 18, at 8:00 p.m. at the Berklee Performance Center, located at 136 Boylston Street, Boston.

Tonya Butler, chair of the Music Business/Management Department and former entertainment attorney, will host the evening portion of the symposium. Guests will include representatives from the Miami-based independent record label RichMusic, such as: Andres Arenas M.A. ’21, a Berklee Valencia alumnus and the head of the company’s A&R; Colombian producer Animal, who has worked with everyone from Ozuna and Steve Aoki to Argentinian superstar TINI; and producer and songwriter Symon Dice, who was discovered by the label and is now performing in addition to crafting crafting sounds with artists such as Ryan Castro, RVSSIAN, and others. They will discuss the state of the Latinx music industry, as well as how aspiring artists can break into the business. The event will also include live performances from Argentinian artists JULES and Nina del Río.

“I’ve been wanting to host a symposium on the explosion and global dominance of Latin music for the past few years,” says Butler. “We’re going beyond the music to discuss the economics of the industry and how Latin artists, songwriters, and producers are changing the game.”

Berklee's music business symposium series launched in the mid-’00s with an event on hip-hop/urban music, and it later expanded its focus to other genres such as gospel and K-pop. This year’s Latin music symposium will include an evening conversation and interview with prominent industry executives, artists, and producers discussing how they navigate the business aspects of the music industry. The day-long event will begin with an afternoon listening session where A&R professionals critique Berklee student music submissions.

Arenas says he’s eager to take part in the symposium, not only so he can listen to the students' music and offer feedback and insights on the Latin music industry, but also so he can share his experience of going from a Berklee student to the head of a label's A&R department.

About RichMusic

RichMusic was founded by father-son duo Richard and Josh Mendez in 2007. The company has established itself as a force in the industry, bolstered by a talented roster of artists, musicians, and producers that includes Latin Grammy and Billboard Latin Music Award nominees Sech and Justin Quiles, Billboard's top Latin producer Dimelo Flow, Puerto Rican star Dalex, up-and-coming Argentinian singer-songwriter Thyago, and Puerto Rican Latin Grammy–winning singer-songwriter paopao, the label’s first female artist.

As Latin music has exploded across the globe, RichMusic has been recognized for its influence and the artists it has championed. The label has received multiple Billboard Latin Music Award nominations, including in the categories of Latin Rhythm Albums Label of the Year, Top Latin Albums Label of the Year, and Top Latin Albums Imprint of the Year.

Admission is $10 in advance. Tickets are available online and at the Berklee box office. This is a seated event.