Wasserman Music And Howard University Announce 2024 Music Business Insights Program

Year two of collaborative music business education program to feature notable speakers from across the music industry, in-class panels at the Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts with top entertainment leaders, and “Warner Days Takeover” on-campus event

(LOS ANGELES, CA - January 29, 2024) - Following the success of their 2023 collaborative music business education program, leading global talent agency Wasserman Music and foremost Historically Black College and University (HBCU) Howard University today announced their 2024 Music Business Insights Program, to be held at Howard University’s Washington, D.C. campus beginning on January 29th.

The 2024 Wasserman Music x Howard University Music Business Insights Program was created to provide guidance, support, and inspiration to students seeking careers in all corners of the music industry. The program will encompass class takeovers and curriculum contributions for 30-60 participating students who will engage directly with leaders from across the entertainment business, from top execs at Wasserman Music, Live Nation, Atlantic Records and award-winning singer/songwriter/producer Cautious Clay.

“We are thrilled to return to Howard University with an incredible new slate of speakers and leaders from across the entertainment industry, and the opportunity to empower another group of outstanding students who have the potential to help shape the future of the music business,” said Denise Melanson, Senior Director of Social Impact for Wasserman.

This year’s program will cover subjects across the full spectrum of the music business, including artist management, tour booking and promotion, music publishing, live event management, marketing, and more, with guest lectures from influential entertainment executives, lively in-class panels with top music business professionals, potential internship placement opportunities at Wasserman, and a “Warner Days Takeover” on-campus event during Howard’s annual celebration that spans the breadth of Wasserman’s businesses, including sports, music, entertainment, and culture.

This year’s roster of guest lecturers and panelists includes:

·       Sam Alpert - SVP/Marketing, Wasserman Music

·       Lee Anderson - EVP & Managing Executive, Wasserman Music

·       Callender - Vice President, Wasserman Music

·       Cautious Clay - singer/songwriter/producer

·       Anthony Cotton - Production Manager, Wasted Potential

·       Doug Foley - Account Manager, Artist Services, Seated

·       Gavin Ryan - Senior Director, Marketing, Big Beat & Atlantic Records

·       Jenifer Smith - Head of Urban Tour Marketing, US Concerts, Live Nation

“Our experience with Wasserman Music last year was unparalleled - from the brilliance and creativity of the agents, executives, artists, producers, and agency partners who came to participate each week to the multi-city summer internship that several of our students got to experience at Wasserman,” said Pat Parks, Assistant Professor and Area Coordinator of the Theatre Arts Administration Program at the Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts at Howard University.

De'Anya Bell, Senior Theatre Administration minor and Media, Journalism and Film Major exclaimed after learning that she was selected for one of the Wasserman internships: "This internship will provide me with a wide-ranging introduction to the inner workings of a booking agency. From understanding the role of the agent in the industry ecosystem to examining the life cycle of a performance, this experience will provide an opportunity to shadow and learn from Wasserman's talented and hardworking employees. I am so thankful for this opportunity!"

Hammond Seay, an agent in Wasserman's Nashville office, was so impressed by the Howard University Theatre Arts Administration students - particularly around "how quickly [Howard interns] were able to understand [things]." This is no doubt a testament to what Howard University students are learning in the Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts and an opportunity to build on that learning as they work with amazing industry experts like Wasserman.

 The Music Business Insights Program is an outgrowth of Wasserman Music’s partnership with prominent social justice organization Color of Change and its #ChangeMusic Roadmap. The program now returns for its second year at Howard University, proudly partnering with the Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts and the Warner Music/Blavatnik Center for Music Business at Howard University School of Business. 

“We are excited to partner with Wasserman Music and the Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts to showcase Howard's ongoing united efforts to serve our students and community by providing world-class elite programming,” said Jasmine Young, MBA (B.A.’94) Director of the Warner Music/Blavatnik Center for Music Business at Howard University.

Parks affirmed that after such a successful inaugural run and broader support from across the campus this year “we are definitely looking to make our efforts even bigger and bolder going into year two of this collaboration and beyond!”  

Learn more about the Howard University Theatre Arts Administration-Wasserman Summer Internship experience here.

See our Howard University-Wasserman 2023 Experience Recap video here

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ABOUT WASSERMAN MUSIC:
Wasserman Music is a leading global agency representing a wide range of prominent artists across all genres for live performance, touring, brand partnerships, and beyond. We are long-term career development strategists who work with artists to expand their reach and deepen their impact with audiences around the world. Wasserman Music is a division of Wasserman.

Wasserman powers the business of sports, music, entertainment, and culture. Founded in 2002, Wasserman represents many of the world’s most iconic sports and entertainment figures, music artists, brands, and properties, empowering them to shape culture and captivate audiences worldwide.
Headquartered in Los Angeles, Wasserman operates globally across 27 countries and more than 62 cities, including New York, London, Abu Dhabi, Amsterdam, Hong Kong, Madrid, Mexico City, Toronto, Paris, and Sydney. For more information, please visit, www.teamwass.com.

ABOUT HOWARD UNIVERSITY CHADWICK A. BOSEMAN COLLEGE OF FINE ARTS:
Howard University prepares diverse, talented, and ambitious students to learn, lead and embody excellence in truth and service. Our community of more than 12,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students represents 53 states and territories, and 53 nations. Howard is one of the world’s most prestigious destinations for professionals in health, science, engineering, art, law, and education.
Howard University’s Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts (COFA) offers an undergraduate and graduate education capable of empowering students to achieve their tremendous potential as artists and professionals. As the only Historically Black College and University (HBCU) with a college dedicated to the arts, Howard serves as a critical space and provides a supportive environment for artists from historically excluded communities to find their own voice and provide a voice for the voiceless. The College of Fine Arts is committed to cultivating artists who use self-expression for the pursuit of social progress. The College fulfills this commitment by bolstering the reputation of the Departments of Art, Music and Theatre Arts as well as other programs including but not limited to the University Choir, the University’s Marching Band, the Howard University Jazz Ensemble, and many more. Also, COFA strives to cultivate unique opportunities for collaborations to enhance the experiential education of our students. The College of Fine Arts, under the direction of Dean Phylicia Rashad, generates global leadership in the arts and creative economies, giving new shape to wide cross-sections of our society and serving as a hub for national and international dialogue about arts and culture.

ABOUT THE WARNER MUSIC/BLAVATNIK CENTER FOR MUSIC BUSINESS AT HOWARD UNIVERSITY:

The Warner Music/Blavatnik Center for Music Business at Howard University offers a one-year fellowship program for high potential students interested in pursuing business careers in the music industry. The highly charged program provides fellows with coaching, specialized curriculum, mentorship, and experience working with influential partner organizations. The center also serves as an academic hub to prepare Howard’s diverse students with world-class curriculum, career readiness training, executive-in-residence mentorship, and exclusive certification programs. Through the center, music executives participate in a series of fireside chats, master classes and other programming that exposes students to the lived experiences of working in the industry. The center is celebrated and recognized as one the of the Top Music Business Schools in the WORLD!