Welcome and What is Los Angeles’ Music?
- Gigi Johnson, Exec. Director, Center for Music Innovation, UCLA Alpert; President, Maremel Institute for Social Change through Technology
Gigi Johnson launched the Center for Music Innovation at UCLA Alpert in 2014 to explore how innovation changes social connections and human systems around music and with music. Johnson hosts the Innovating Music podcast at UCLA Alpert and teaches classes changing music industry business models and data-driven music marketing. Previously, she ran programs and was a lecturer at UCLA Anderson in subject ranging from digital disruption in media to action research for company change. As the Executive Director of the Maremel Institute, she runs executive programs and transformative conferences on Possible Futures — on how companies can mix science, tech, scifi, and social change to rethink futures of sectors ranging from creative arts to higher education and workforce development. She received her EdD from Fielding Graduate University; her MBA from the UCLA Anderson; and her BA in Cinematic Arts (Film and Television Production) from USC. - Robert Fink, UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music
Robert Fink is a past chair of the UCLA Musicology department, and currently Chair of the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music’s Minor in the Music Industry. He also currently serves as President of the US Branch of the International Association for the Study of Popular Music (IASPM-US). His research focus is on music and culture after 1950, with special interests in the history and analysis of African-American popular music and the politics of contemporary art music.
- Matthew Vest, UCLA Music Library
Matthew Vest is the Lead for Outreach and the Music Inquiry and Research Librarian at UCLA. He is active in the Music Library Association and the American Musicological Society. His research interests include change leadership in higher education, digital projects and publishing for music and the humanities, and composers working at the margins of the second Viennese School. When not librarying, he enjoys going to experimental and avant-garde concerts.
Music in Los Angeles — Where We Ended Feb. 6
- Ben Johnson, Performing Arts Program Director, City of LA Dept. of Cultural Affairs
Ben Johnson is currently the Director of Performing Arts for the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs. In this position he is tasked with relaunching the Performing Arts Division of the City of Los Angeles, which includes overseeing six city-owned theaters, relaunching a festival platform for the city, developing cultural exchange programs with venues and artists in LA, and advocating on behalf of LA artists on a national and international level. Previously, he was the Program Manager at the Center for the Art of Performance at UCLA (CAP-UCLA) in Los Angeles, considered one of the top contemporary performing arts institutions in the country, and where he produced significant contemporary performing arts events throughout Los Angeles. Also previously he was the Director of Programs at United States Artists (LA) which awarded 50, 50K awards to artists in all disciplines. He was also the Director of Northrop Concerts and Lectures at the University of Minnesota – Minneapolis, where he re-branded the nationally-acclaimed Northrop Dance Series, and launched a Minnesota Contemporary Dance Platform and developed an international choreographer’s residency program on behalf of the McKnight Foundation, as well as launched the Women of Substance series devoted to female choreographers. Previous to this position, he was Director of Education and Audience Development at the University Musical Society at the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor (MI). While in Michigan, he was on the founding board of the North American World Music Coalition and launched eight years for global festivals throughout Southeastern Michigan devoted to Arab, African, Asian, and Latin artists. He also worked at the Ordway Music Theater (St. Paul) as part of the Planet Ordway Series, and interned at the American Dance Festival (NC) and Walker Art Center (MN) under John Killacky in the Performing Arts Department. As an experienced and seasoned multi-disciplinary performing arts presenter and curator, and he is affiliated with many artists, foundations, funders, and national and international peer institutions.
What Does LA Look Like and Why?
Presentation on research following patterns of legal and not-legal venues across the city’s corridors and neighborhoods
- Philippe Maman, Strategy and Research, The NOW Institute
Philippe Maman graduated from Tufts University with a B.S. in Cognitive and Brain Sciences. This major, a combination of psychology, philosophy and computer science, has led him to pursue work in various fields of design and research. Beginning in product design, Philippe has since moved into the worlds of digital art and urban research. Most recently, he has been looking into how the speed of technological advance affects cultural diversity and the productivity of public space in our cities.
What are Los Angeles economic trends and trajectories?
- Adam J. Fowler, Director of Research, Beacon Economics
Adam Fowler leads the firm’s Sustainable Growth and Development practice and its Housing, Land Use, and Real Estate Advisory. His projects focus on environmental economics and domestic energy, housing and population trends, public opinion and attitudes, public policy analysis, and regional economics. Recently, he co-authored a high profile analysis of the film and digital media industry in Los Angeles for the Los Angeles County Economic Development Division, highlighting technological disruption and the competitive value of diversity. Other recent high profile projects include an analysis and critique of California’s regional housing goals for the public policy group Next 10, and the Otis Report on the Creative Economy 2019 for the Otis College of Art and Design. Adam also oversees the firm’s research staff. His academic interests include the intersection of behavioral economics and public policy. Formerly, he served as Research Manager at Beacon Economics, and prior to joining the firm, was a member of the Fox Uncertainty Lab and the Consortium of Behavioral Scientists. He served as a teaching assistant in American Government, Public Opinion, and Introductory Game Theory at the University of California, Los Angeles. Adam also worked as a producer on a documentary film that was acquired by HBO. He has provided expert commentary to a wide variety of media outlets, appearing in the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle, and Sacramento Business Journal. He is a member of the American Political Science Association, the American Association for Public Opinion Research, and the International Documentary Association. Adam holds an M.A. degree in Political Science from the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville and pursued a Ph.D. in Political Psychology from the University of California, Los Angeles.
What Makes LA a Unique Music City? — Challenges and Questions
Research Presentations — Gathering of stories, challenges, and conflicts from interviews and other cities’ research
- Jessica Glaubiger, UCLA Alumna, 2019
Jessica is a recent graduate of UCLA. Growing up an hour north of San Francisco, Jessica was exposed to music and the arts early on and immediately took a liking. She continued to follow her passion, participating in various shows and choirs, leading her to pursue a music industry minor at UCLA. She plans to work in live music or festivals moving forward. Working on this series of interviews about the future of music in Los Angeles has expanded Jessica’s ideas of what the music industry is and how each city effects its own scene. Jessica is moving to New York City in the fall to continue her work in the music industry.
- Sylvia L. Alvarez, Graduating Senior, UCLA
Sylvia is a Queer Chicana, born and raised in Los Angeles. She is a graduating senior, completing her Bachelor of Arts in English, with concentrations in Chicano/a studies and Music Industry. Her most recent interview project involves understanding the challenges of existing as a Queer artist of color in Los Angeles’ music industries. After UCLA, she intends to contribute to and reacquaint herself with the city’s Queer, music-centric spheres.
Perspectives on LA as a Music Incubator
- Sam Kling, SVP, Creative Services, SESAC
Sam Kling oversees SESAC’s growth strategies for artists affiliations, music publishers and new business opportunities within the creative community. He also manages the Creative Services team in London, New York, Nashville and Los Angeles, where he resides. Since joining SESAC in 2014, Kling has installed an innovative client services structure as well as elevated the company’s affiliate roster by collaborating with some of the industry’s most significant artists, music publishers and managers. He has led the department’s strategic effort to secure songwriters and composer affiliations such as Adele, Rosanne Cash, Green Day, Kesha, Kings of Leon, Shawn Stockman, Robin Thicke, and more. He also spearheaded the partnership signing of publishing company Universal Publishing Production Music. Sam is also bridging the gap between the recently-launched Mint Digital Services, (a joint venture between SESAC Holdings and Swiss collection society, SUISA) and U.S.-based music publishers to ensure a smooth rollout within the U.S. Mint Digital Services administers licenses to use musical compositions in multi-territorial online music services on behalf of music publishers. Prior to SESAC, he served as Vice President at peermusic, where he oversaw the independent music company’s US Pop A&R as well as Film & Television creative operations. Preceding peer, he served as Vice President of Film & Television for BMG Music Publishing where he managed their U.S. synchronization operations. Sam is a T.J. Martell Foundation Los Angeles board member, a voting member of The Recording Academy as well as a board member of the Association of Independent Music Publishers (AIMP). He is a member of the Academy of Country Music, Americana Music Association, and Country Music Association. Sam holds a bachelor’s degree from the New School University in New York and an MBA from the UCLA Anderson School of Management.
Living in LA Music for Film & TV Production
- Roger Suen, Film and TV composer for “Gook” and “Miss Purple”
Composer Roger Suen has lent his expertise to numerous feature films, television series and documentaries. Best known for his critically acclaimed score for the 2017 Sundance award-winning film, Gook, Film Music Magazine said Roger’s score was “powerfully unexpected, musical color” and included it in their Top 10 Scores of 2017. Roger reunited with Gook director Justin Chon to score the modern Asian-American drama film Ms. Purple, which premiered at Sundance earlier this year. Roger’s diverse music portfolio includes scoring additional music for Guillermo Del Toro’s four-time Oscar winning film The Shape of Water, 21st Century Fox’s science fiction thriller The Darkest Minds, Netflix’s five-time Emmy-nominated series Daredevil, and Marvel’s Emmy-nominated series The Defenders. Through his mastery of orchestral composition and modern electronica, he has created heart-pounding additional music for blockbuster films such as Oscar-nominated X-Men: Days of Future Past, X-Men: Apocalypse, Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials and Maze Runner: The Death Cure. - Patrick Warren, Film and TV Composer for “The Chi”
Patrick Warren is an award-winning composer, arranger, producer and session pianist/keyboardist, based in Los Angeles. Patrick currently scores Showtime’s Peabody-nominated series The Chi (Seasons 1 and 2), created by Emmy-winning Master of None writer Lena Waithe. His film and TV scoring credits include Pleasantville, Boogie Nights, Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, Knocked Up, Across the Universe, Bloodworth, Sunshine Cleaning and HBO’s hit series, True Detective alongside T Bone Burnett. Warren has performed and recorded with hundreds of artists including Aimee Mann, Bonnie Raitt, Tom Waits, BruceSpringsteen, Bob Dylan, Ray LaMontange, Fiona Apple and Lana Del Ray. Patrick’s touring highlights include tenures with Waits and Diana Krall, and he performed with Dylan at the White House in celebration of music from the civil rights movement. Patrick’s string arrangements have appeared on albums for artists including Fiona Apple, Sheryl Crow, Chris Issac and Gwen Stefani. He arranged and orchestrated the song “Glory” from the movie Selma (written by John Legend, Common and Rhymefest) that won 8 awards including an Oscar (2015), Golden Globe (2015) and Grammy (2016). His arrangements also appeared on Common’s 2016 album, Black America Again, and received critical acclaim, being described as some of Common’s most vital work to date.
- Jonathan Beard, Orchestrator/co-founder Tutti Music Partners; Lecturer, UCLA Alpert
Jonathan Beard creates music for media and the concert stage. As a composer, his recent projects include De tu puño y letra, a video-sound installation on display at the SF MOMA through 2019; the film score What Still Remains; and his electroacoustic opera Cesare, Child of Night. He has served on the composing teams for video games such as Star Wars Battlefront I and II, and guest-composed for ABC’s Once Upon A Time. For the stage, Jonathan co-composed the oratorio The Passion Of Anne Frank for the Los Angeles Master Chorale as part of their Voices Within residency, and his original theatre-score for Driving Miss Daisy received an NAACP Theatre Award nomination. One of the most sought-after orchestrators in Los Angeles, Jonathan values collaboration with other composers very deeply. He has worked closely with composers Junkie XL (Alita: Battle Angel; Deadpool) and Bear McCreary (Godzilla: King of the Monsters; 10 Cloverfield Lane) for many years on numerous film, television, and video game projects, and more recently with composers including Michael Abels (Us), Kris Bowers (Green Book), Abel Korzeniowski (The Nun), and Heitor Pereira (Despicable Me 3), among others. He has served on the faculty of the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music since 2011.
Music from LA in the Global Scene
- David Bakula, SVP, Industry Insights & Analytics, Nielsen Music
David Bakula oversees Nielsen’s global music industry analytics, strategic initiatives, and major client development initiatives globally. Prior to his current role, he les the business analysis team at Universal Music Group. He has appeared on Bloomberg TV, CNBC, Fox Business TV and is a frequent contributor to USA Today, Billboard, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and Forbes.
Physical LA — LA as a Diverse Spread Set of Communities in the Arts
- Heidi Zeller, Senior Manager, Cultural Programming, Metro Arts & Design; Board Member, CicLAvia; Board Member, Freewaves; Advisory Board Member, Los Angeles Nightlife Alliance
Heidi Zeller is a cultural planner and arts organizer with a focus on the role of the arts and artists in enriching public spaces. She is Senior Manager, Cultural Programming for the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority where she produces Metro Art Presents, an inventive series of arts and cultural programs in the historic heart of Los Angeles, Union Station. Heidi holds a dual master’s degree in Urban and Regional Planning and Public Art Studies from USC. She also serves on the boards of CicLAvia, an open streets program, and Freewaves, a public art organization—both in Los Angeles. Heidi is a proud native Angeleno.
- Farah Sosa, Photographer at FarahStop / Executive Producer of Subsuelo
Farah Sosa was born in Guatemala and is currently based in Southern California. Through her photographs Farah presents a visual ethnography, emphasizing Los Angeles’ diverse multicultural music scenes. In Guatemala, Farah worked as a cultural promoter for several human rights organizations, which also produced festivals promoting visual arts, live music, and socio-cultural development. Now, Farah is a notable event photographer. Farah’s photographs have been published in the New York Times, LA Times, OkayAfrica, Remezcla, the old LA Weekly, Liberation (France), Afropunk, and Billboard, amongst many others. She has shown her work at Bergamot Station, The Chinese American Museum of Los Angeles, and other locations that support her photography philosophy, always exploring the relationship between sound and movement in LA’s music communities. She maintains an chronological archive of her photographs at FarahStop.
- Connie Pallini-Tipton, AICP, Sr. City Planner, City of Los Angeles
Connie. Pallini-Tipton is a Sr City Planner with the City of Los Angeles with nearly 20 years of experience in the public and private sectors. She supervises the long range planning division charged with updating the city’s General Plan. She is also responsible for overseeing the Demographics Research Unit and the Wildlife Pilot Study. She recently oversaw the adoption of 6 of the City’s 35 Community Plans, most of which were last updated in the 1990s. She has updated transportation fees for the Westside of Los Angeles, authored zoning regulations for cargo containers, and played a key role in the study of the city’s industrial land. During her career, Connie has worked as a planner with the City of Los Angeles and Culver City and in the private sector developing General Plan updates and public engagement activities.
Video from Europe – Life of a Night Mayor
- Mirik Milan Gelders, Global Night Mayor Advocate, Co-Founder, VibeLab and Electronic Music Conference; former Night Mayor of Amsterdam
As the inaugural Nachtburgemeester (Night Mayor, 2012-2018), Mirik was the figurehead and spokesperson for all things concerning nightlife in Amsterdam. His team’s major achievements include working with the hotel and catering industry to introduce of 24-hour venue permits and bringing innovative approaches to dramatically reducing crime in the city’s once troubled Rembrandtplein district. Mirik also launched the Nacht voor de Nacht, a citywide, multi-venue club festival where party goers can go between 25 different nightclubs with just one ticket. In 2018, Mirik gave over 25 international talks to city governments and planners, and became a partner in the Creative Footprint—a global civic initiative that measures and indexes creative space. Founded by his Berlin counterpart Lutz Leichsenring, the Creative Footprint sees Mirik work more intimately with major global cities looking to monitor and stimulate their creative and nightlife economies. - Lutz Leichsenring, Founder, The Creative Footprint; Spokesperson/Exec. Board Member, Berlin Clubcommission
Lutz Leichsenring is the co-founder of VibeLab, and one of the world’s leading authorities on protecting nighttime-economy, -community and -culture. Since 2009, Lutz has been the spokesman and executive board member for the Berlin Clubcommission. He has fought tirelessly for the rights of Berlin’s vast underground club scene by organizing demonstrations, conferences, workshops and by speaking at round tables and parliamentary committees. Lutz started his career in nightlife immediately after high school, when he built one of the largest platforms for music event listings in Germany. He went on to run a nightclub and restaurant until 2010, and today is one of the chief shareholders of a Berlin-based talent recruiting company young targets. His role has led Lutz into the city’s Berlin Musicboard and Chamber of Commerce, where he frequently votes on development issues that protect creative space affected by gentrification. In 2017, alongside former Night Mayor of Amsterdam, Mirik Milan, Lutz launched the Creative Footprint, a project to measure, compare, and advocate for creative spaces in cities like Berlin, New York and Tokyo.