The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music introduces a new Music Industry Bachelor of Arts program, commencing in Fall 2023.
UCLA's Herb Alpert School of Music has announced the launch of a new Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Music Industry, a program that combines the school's strengths in interdisciplinary arts education, advanced music technology facilities, and its unique location in Los Angeles, a major hub of the music and entertainment industries.
David MacFadyen, an expert in Soviet popular music culture, will bring his insights from the collapse of Soviet cultural institutions to the program, offering students a unique perspective on new models of musical distribution and economic value. The program will be taught by a combination of tenure track faculty and professionals at all levels of the music industry.
The curriculum will provide a 360-degree view of the entertainment business, covering topics such as music and the law, finance, entrepreneurship, artist management, live-music promotion, digital marketing, publishing, and music supervision. Students will also have the opportunity to delve into cutting-edge subjects like Artificial Musical Intelligence, Intellectual Property, and Musical Labor, and Data Science for Music Industry.
One of the program's key features is its interdisciplinary approach, with students able to combine music studies with other disciplines such as business, technology, and media arts. This is a departure from traditional music industry degrees, which often focus on core music business, publishing, marketing, production, and management.
UCLA's program also offers creative instruction in audio technology, musicianship, songwriting, and production. Notable faculty members include Thomas Hodgson, who specializes in data science, algorithmic justice, and the global music industry, and Amy Kuney, a songwriter who provides a contemporary role model for diverse perspectives and experiences in her songwriting classes.
The program is designed to attract and support incoming transfer students from California community colleges. It builds on the success of the School of Music's popular undergraduate minor and offers opportunities for internships, networking, and real-world experience, thanks to UCLA's proximity to the music, film, and entertainment industries.
Students will also benefit from state-of-the-art production labs, integration with film and theater, and performance and collaboration opportunities, such as regular concerts and collaborations with professional artists at venues like Royce Hall.
While UCLA does not currently offer a B.A. in Music Industry with a curriculum strictly focused on music business, marketing, and management as found at other leading institutions, its strengths lie in its interdisciplinary approach, technology resources, and strong industry networks. The program is the only one of its kind in the University of California system.
In addition to traditional music industry courses, students will also be introduced to Music and Activism, a course that combines careers in the music industry with effective advocacy for inclusion and change. This course reflects UCLA's commitment to fostering a diverse and inclusive environment, as demonstrated by the appointment of Lauren Spalding, co-founder of Femme House, to teach courses on music, activism, and artist management.
The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music aims to provide students with practical skills, confidence, and critical judgment needed to succeed as music educators, scholars, practitioners, administrators, and advocates in the dynamic and ever-evolving music industry.
- The interdisciplinary Music Industry program at UCLA's Herb Alpert School of Music includes education in topics such as music and activism, offering students an opportunity to combine their music studies with other disciplines like business, technology, and media arts, and foster effective advocacy for inclusion and change.
- Beyond the traditional focus on music business, marketing, and management, UCLA's Music Industry program also provides students with access to cutting-edge subjects like Artificial Musical Intelligence, Intellectual Property, and Music Labor, and Data Science for Music Industry, fostering a comprehensive understanding of the entertainment business.
