LU School of Music Center for Commercial Music Brochure

THE PLACE for Christ-centered community and relevant opportunity

Thank you for your interest in Liberty University’s newly launched Michael W. Smith Center for Commercial Music.

Your support of the arts — especially as an advocate of spreading the Gospel around the globe — is deeply valued and appreciated. Our conviction is that God has called us to take the worship of Christ to the nations and to use the Center for Commercial Music as a tool for marketplace evangelism.

I feel part of my calling is to mentor young students in creativity and in life, sharing not only my triumphs but also the missteps I took along the way. My passion is to instill character and competence into each student by growing their calling through relevant opportunities — all within a creative, Christ-centered community.

I am drawn to partner with Liberty’s School of Music due to my close relationships within it and the following core standards.

First, I’m impressed with their commitment to provide music industry students a place for Christ-centered community and relevant opportunity. Musicians almost always work within the framework of community. We want to merge exciting and dynamic opportunities seldom experienced in today’s culture into Liberty’s community. This involves a dedicated commitment to always follow the industry’s innovative, current, and best practices.

Second, I’ve seen how committed Liberty’s leadership is to create, develop, and provide some of the best facilities in the world for student training. The Mathena Recording Studio, the spacious recital halls, the songwriting lab, and the Mac labs are truly world-class.

Third, I am impressed at how the School of Music has assembled one of the best faculties for training. These highquality teachers and instructors join a group of equally skilled industry influencers to provide a level of training seldom seen in this season of enormous change. Well-known artists and recording session musicians frequent the halls of the School of Music, providing practical instruction that is relevant in today’s music industry.

Please explore this brochure for yourself. You will discover how our Center for Commercial Music impacts every decision, opportunity, product, student engagement, and mentoring moment. Ask the Lord to open your heart as to how you can be part of the wonderful and exciting work at the Michael W. Smith Center for Commercial Music.

Sincerely, Michael W. Smith Singer/Songwriter and Executive Director Michael W. Smith Center for Commercial Music

WHY A CENTER FOR COMMERCIAL MUSIC?

The Michael W. Smith Center for Commercial Music’s commitment to the music industry is both dynamic and focused.

We address four distinct needs: FIRST, we respond to the void in academia of

relevant training while addressing the ever-evolving industry landscape, including the lack of accountability in the music industry. The center incorporates the insights of both industry influencers and experienced instructors to develop a new and innovative educational paradigm.

SECOND, we respect the historical precedent

established by the music community to be culturally relevant and engaging. The center instills in the students a desire to craft musical experiences that stand the test of time.

THIRD, we recognize that everyone has the

potential to find success. The center adds value to the student experience, the university’s mission, and the music industry by instilling professional competency and a strong work ethic while encouraging creativity.

LASTLY, we foster essential relationships with

colleagues, mentors, and industry professionals by providing opportunities for the students to engage with and impact the music culture through their Christian testimony, servant leadership, and artistic competence.

What Does MICHAEL W. SMITH’S INVOLVEMENT MEAN? Smith adds his influence, insight, character, and legacy to the cutting-edge training of the Center for Commercial Music. He will help prepare students for the ever-changing commercial music landscape by emphasizing the combination of academic excellence and real-world experience.

ACADEMIC INSTRUCTION

CHANGE IN PARADIGM The Michael W. Smith Center for Commercial Music boldly takes a step toward challenging the traditional method of training musicians for the marketplace. Students get immediate access to agencies, recording studios, merchandising, digital marketing, distribution, and publishing, providing them with real-life experience from day one. The Department of Commercial Music supports the industry market organizations, so our academic experiences, curriculum, and student engagement are shaped by the needs of the market.

INDUSTRY TRAINING

The Center for Commercial Music’s mission is implemented using the following avenues of training: Curriculum development, community, publishing and recording initiatives, and empirical research. These provide avenues for training student industry professionals and are divided into two areas for preparation and opportunity: 1) COMMERCIAL PERFORMANCE MUSICIANS The Bachelor of Music degrees are listed in the first three cells of the first column in the chart on the next page. These musicians must consistently meet industry standards.

2) NON-MUSIC TASKS The broader B.S. in Commercial Music* degree is listed in the last cell of the first column. This initiative takes on the business, agent, booking, copyright management, marketing, and merchandising aspects of a performing artist’s mission.

CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT

COMMUNITY

PUBLISHING AND RECORDING Collaborate in worldclass facilities with likeminded peers

EMPIRICAL RESEARCH Be championed by industry influencers

Training as an Industry Performer: B.M. in Commercial Music: Artist Development Songwriting Jazz Studies

Connect with charttopping artists

Training the Studio Engineer and Publisher and Producer: B.M. in Commercial Music: Recording, Engineering & Producing Publishing & Producing

Create with awardwinning record producers, studio and front-of-house engineers, and publishers

Be challenged by experienced faculty

Training the Film Scorer, Game Composer, and Digital Music Content Creator: B.M. in Commercial Music: Film Scoring (Film & Media)

Compose with Hollywood film scorers

Be commissioned to influence culture as professional musicians

Discover trends in marketplace initiatives

Training Music Industry Support Personnel: B.S. in Commercial Music*

Engage in one-onone instruction within your specific discipline

Partner and work in a real market-active recording/publishing company and label

Partner in discovering and designing new academic initiatives to meet industry need

Co-write, perform, and publish with hit songwriters Perform with contemporary music groups that record, play gigs, and collaborate

Create within a safe environment for discovery and career advancement

Be coached by professional stage and studio musicians

Develop a professional portfolio, digital presence, and career strategy

* Pending National Association of Schools of Music approval

The Place FOR A

WORLD-CLASS COMMERCIAL STUDIO

Every commercial music student performs and creates music in the Mathena Recording Studio, which is named in honor of Harold and Patricia Mathena, who have had a longtime commitment to training and equipping students for a life of Christian service in the music and local church worship ministries.

The studio’s layout, acoustics, and sound isolation are designed by the worldfamous Walters-Storyk Design Group. It is equipped with first-class studio-grade microphones, software, gear instruments, remote control cameras, and audio monitoring capabilities. The recording studio centerpiece is the 48-channel SSL Duality Delta large format mixing console.

The Place FOR

MARKETPLACE PARTICIPATION Organizationally, the Michael W. Smith Center for Commercial Music is divided into three areas: 1) MAINSTREAM AND FAITH-BASED INITIATIVES are traditionally called a “recording label” by most companies. Our approach to songwriter and artist acquisition includes nurturing a “farm team” of highly qualified student-musicians through a newly established Emerge Training Program.

2) THE MATHENA COMMERCIAL RECORDING STUDIO is the home for recording for music industry purposes. It is open to the public, music majors, and the overall Liberty community. This is where our students connect for career opportunity.

3) THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCIAL MUSIC is where all academic opportunity is shaped and delivered under the supervision of the School of Music.

The Place FOR

ACADEMIC

INTEGRATION What makes the center successful is its connection and interaction among four distinct areas: 2) PROFESSIONAL PRACTITIONERS AND INFLUENCERS

1) EDUCATION

Marketplace musicians that come to Liberty and engage in the training and developing process

The training and equipping of young musicians for the job market

3) LIBERTY MUSIC GROUP INC. (LMG) Music Publishing and Recording arm of the School of Music

One of the hands-on opportunities our students get by working with a professional publishing and recording company

4) THE SCHOOL OF MUSIC

The formal organization that drives and unites all of these areas under one strategic purpose

It is the synergy among these areas that creates an atmosphere and environment for

&

STUDENT LEARNING

professional participation.

PROFESSIONAL INFLUENCERS

EDUCATION

The Place FOR

DISCOVERY, LEARNING, CREATING, & PERFORMING The Center for Commercial Music is home to a world-class facility. Each week, students meet in the 141,000-square-foot Center for Music and the Worship Arts building, equipped with two multi-genre recital halls and conducting, music education, and music theory classrooms. Each room has multiple writing boards, Steinway grand pianos, electronic pianos for Praxis music theory presentations, and a Crestron Media System that provides instant access to internet and audio presentations.

THE MAC LAB This lab is equipped with 24 workstations complete with piano keyboards and Apple computers. Each computer features sequencing and notation programs and Pro Tools software. Students have the opportunity to create, compose, and print their own music for publication, performance, and distribution.

AL DENSON SONGWRITING LAB This lab includes eight studio-quality workstations for songwriting, artist development, film scoring, recording, and producing. This specially designed space provides commercial music students with industry-standard software to create and record music.

CENTER FOR MUSIC AND THE WORSHIP ARTS, CONCERT HALL With a capacity of 1,600 people, this concert hall is designed to accommodate live acoustic and electronic presentations. It is equipped with the Meyer Constellation Acoustic System and the most advanced lighting and media equipment available. Permanent space is provided for a 150-seat choir, a full symphonic orchestra pit for special effect presentations, and 150-seat automated retractable choir risers. All commercial music students participate in showcase events in this space.

PRACTICE ROOMS Fifty Wenger Rehearsal Modules give students time to practice from 7 a.m.-2 a.m. on weekdays, 9 a.m.-9 p.m. on Saturdays, and 2 p.m.-2 a.m. on Sundays. Rehearsal modules are available in three sizes so students can enjoy private and small group rehearsals in a nearly sound-isolated space.

The Place FOR

FACULT Y & INDUSTRY

INFLUENCERS

PARTNERSHIPS The Center for Commercial Music relies on developing partnerships with professional musicians and industry leaders in New York, Nashville, Los Angeles, Dallas, Atlanta, and Las Vegas. In addition to Michael W. Smith’s role as executive director, the center’s leadership will include:

Al Denson DIRECTOR of FAITH-BASED INITIATIVES & MUSIC INDUSTRY LIAISON

Kevin Jonas Sr. DIRECTOR of MAINSTREAM INITIATIVES

John Forystek

Nathan Zwald

DIRECTOR of PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

DIRECTOR of MATHENA RECORDING

INFLUENCERS An added benefit of bringing professional practitioners to campus is the help they provide in the instruction and curriculum development process. Our new Artist-in-Residence program provides the Center for Commercial Music with opportunity to recruit exceptional students and industry leaders. In this program, the director of product development and communications director for LMG works with the music industry liaison to ensure that student participation and industry needs are communicated directly to the center’s leadership team. The ongoing vision of the center includes Nashville-based offices, which provide direct industry influence and connections.

Meredith Andrews

Mallary Hope

Nashville Session Players

The Place FOR

INDUSTRY CAREER

OPPORTUNITIES

Career opportunities are divided into two related but separate areas:

1

2

INDUSTRY

SUPPORT (non-music)

Artists | Songwriters Recording Engineers Session and Touring Musicians Arrangers | Producers

Publishers | Managers Booking Agents | Copyright Curators Merchandisers | Digital Streamers Marketers | Tour Managers

REAL-WORLD EXPERIENCE COMPOSITION Songwriting | Game Music Composer Film Score Composer MUSIC MARKETPLACE Management | Publishing and Copyright Executive Leadership | Marketing Orchestrators and Arrangers Business Managers | Operations PERFORMANCE & TOURING Performing Artists | Songwriters Recording and Front of House Engineers Touring Musicians | Music Director Music Conductor for Live Shows

STUDIO Music Producer | Recording Artist Recording Engineer | Session Musician Background Vocalist | Music Programming Beat Producer TOURING & LIVE EVENTS Performing Artist | Musician | Vocalist Sound Engineer | Show Producer Artist Management | Tour Management Stage Management Roadie | Merchandising Church Media Venue Management | Stage Crew Live Show Programming

For more information:  LIBERT Y.EDU/MUSIC |  SOM@LIBERT Y.EDU  (434) 592-6568 |  

@LIBERT YUMUSIC