CEO, Music Agent, Conductor & Music Business Instructor
Having founded two talent agencies and devoting many years to polishing my orchestral conducting skills, I have discovered much joy teaching the many and varied aspects of the business side of music.
I spend a lot of time researching performing arts administration effectiveness and consult with organizations looking to enhance their programming, increase audience retention and exceed their advancement goals.
Contact: 212 . 521 . 4115
Biography
CEO of Celebrity Direct Inc. ~ Uniquely positioned as “The Event Planner’s Advocate” when buying and producing Celebrity Entertainment, Music Concerts, Comedians, Celebrity Chefs and Keynote Speakers nationwide.
Founder of Star Talent Inc., an innovative entertainment production company representing the event industry’s premier roster of customized Music Services, Dance Bands, Classical Ensembles, and DJs.
Adjunct Professor, University of Miami’s Frost School of Music / Instructor & Lecturer on Music Business, Performing Arts Management and Entrepreneurship.
Also a professionally trained Opera and Symphony Conductor who studied with Maestro Vincent La Selva of the New York Grand Opera and at The Juilliard School. Regularly attending Masterclasses in Conducting given by notable conductors from Rome, St. Petersburg and London Music Conservatories.
I have spent my professional career listening carefully to corporate event planners, nonprofit boards and leading entertainment producers, providing each with the finest level of musical talent. Industry trend setting and innovative performances that are always produced with complete integrity and an unsurpassed level of customization for each client’s musical style.
The way I see it, event production is complex enough. Entertainment buyers should have a reliable and uncomplicated relationship with their entertainment services firm.”
Guest Lecturer
With more than 25 years as a music talent agent, I have found very few resources available to music major undergraduates considering a career as a music talent agent. I created one.
Long Talks
What Is Your Music Business Career Path?
Participants Learn:
- Music Agent as Career Path
- Preparing for the Job
- Should I Be an Agent or a Manager
Plus Short Talks About Big Topics
Arturo Toscanini | The Maestro & His Music
Rock Stars Perform For Corporate Events
Celebrity Performers for Nonprofit Event Success
University of Miami Frost School of Music
Adjunct Professor Music Media and Industry
Graduate-Level Course:
Concert Tour Management and Production
Business
CEO | Founder | Talent Buyer | Producer
For more than 20 years, Celebrity Direct Inc. has been an industry leader booking and producing celebrity performers for corporate & nonprofit events nationwide. Recent productions have included performances by Beyonce, Tony Bennett, Sheryl Crow, Sting, Rihanna, Lionel Richie, Dave Grohl, John Legend, Earth, Wind & Fire, The Doobie Bros., Dana Carvey, Bon Jovi, Steven Tyler, Alicia Keys, BoyzIIMen, KC & The Sunshine Band, Bobby Flay, Taylor Dayne, Andy Grammer, Darius Rucker, Conan O’Brien, Jay Leno, Jerry Seinfeld, across a variety of industries including pharmaceutical, banking, jewelry, law, trade associations and charity galas.
CEO | Founder
Star Talent Inc. is New York City’s boutique entertainment company representing the event industry’s most sought after music services for the private party and corporate event industry. Proud to be a music vendor partner with many of New York’s finest hotels, conference venues and event planning teams.
Over the past 24 years, created and produced thousands of turnkey entertainment performances for major corporate, private and nonprofit organizations including 10 New Year’s Eve Galas at The Waldorf-Astoria, Performances for Three US Presidents, G. W. Bush Family Event at The White House, Microsoft, The Walt Disney Company, Coca-Cola, Greenwich Capital, Pfizer, The World Economic Forum, The Belmont Stakes, American Cancer Society, NASCAR and other Fortune 500 Firms, Sporting Events, Charitable Organizations and private individuals.
Writings about the Music and the Business
I write about music business trends, performing arts administration and much more… I Keep Score.
Keeping Score Blog
I keep score in several ways. With writings about music industry trends, performance profiles of shows my company, Celebrity Direct Inc. produces, and more literally about the score itself. The orchestral instructions given by the composer and if conductors today are keeping the composer’s intentions preserved. I keep score a lot.
Music Business Research
Journal Writing and Academic Book Chapters
When change arrives to the music industry, it tends to be swift and powerful.
I observe, research and discuss these changes. Currently preparing a chapter that probes the live music industry’s response to the pandemic shutdown.
Music Industry Pivot to Online
How to Hire a Celebrity Performance for your Virtual Event
Virtual Celebrity Shows have become opportunities for organizations to enhance their brand, introduce a new product, or drive a message. Unprecedented times in the entertainment industry have created unique opportunities for entertainment buyers.
This is the guide to hiring celebrity live stream “in-concert” performances and keynote speakers for virtual events. My clients needed an eBook to explain the process, so I wrote one.
Education
Frost School of Music
MA in Arts Presenting and Live Entertainment Management – May ’22
Award of Academic Merit
Symphonic and Opera Conducting
Four Years of Study in Orchestral Conducting with Maestro Vincent La Selva
Conducting repertoire includes all masterworks from the Baroque through Contemporary Eras Rite of Spring, Appalachian Spring, L’Histoire du Soldat, La Mer, All Symphonies of Beethoven, Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Dvorak, Schubert & Opera Works of Verdi, Puccini, Wagner, Mozart
BS in Music Business
Classical Trumpet Performance
Conducting & Masterclasses
Professionally trained symphony and opera conductor who has studied with Maestro Vincent La Selva of the New York Grand Opera and at The Juilliard School.
Viva Verdi!
Maestro La Selva, a forty year member of The Juilliard School faculty, was my teacher and friend. He was a devoted Verdi scholar and was designated by the editors of Guinness World Records as the only person to have conducted all 28 Verdi operas chronologically in fully staged productions and free to the public.
Conducting Masterclasses
Regular participant of Masterclasses in Conducting given by notable conductors from Rome, St. Petersburg and London music conservatories.
Personal
At the risk of being exceedingly breviloquent… I read a lot of books. I visit a lot of national parks. I study a lot of scores.
I continue to pursue quests of:
- Visiting all 63 National Parks
- Visiting 45 Presidential Libraries or Sites
- Visiting my Music Geography Quest
