Elias Arts’ Jonathan Elias Launches “Prayer Cycle” Sequel

Jonathan Elias of music house Elias Arts (NYC, Santa Monica) has released the sequel to his Prayer Cycle album with Prayer Cycle 2: Path to Zero.

The Emmy Award-winning Elias’ recent commercial work includes projects for Nissan, MSNBC, Audi, Lexus and Sprint. The latest in a series of experiential and diverse albums, Elias’ latest work – a deeply sobering but highly musical experience that can be previewed here — brings to light the intense social and moral implications of nuclear weapons, with all proceeds to benefit nuclear disarmament charity Global Zero.

Prayer Cycle 2: Path to Zero is a complete six-track song cycle retracing J. Robert Oppenheimer’s path of discovery in unlocking the secrets of the atomic bomb. The album features orchestral work, electronic music, rock shades and both sung and spoken-word performances from a group of contributors spanning multiple genres.

Robert Downey Jr., Sting and wife Trudie Styler, lead singer Alexander Ebert from Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, Sinead O’ Connor, System of a Down’s Serj Tankian, Korn’s Jonathan Davis, and, posthumously, Doors frontman Jim Morrison make appearances on the album.

Elias made the composition by first crafting symphonic pieces, then bringing in the voices of world singers such as Salif Keita and Rahat Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. He then globetrotted to capture the celebrity voices, either singing a duet with the world singers, or in the case of Robert Downey Jr. or Sting, a voiceover.

“This is a legacy project,” explained Elias. “You try to write a few things in your lifetime that you can pass down to your kids. I see what kind of world we’re leaving behind for them. It seems obvious that if we allow the continuing proliferation of nuclear weapons, there soon won’t be much of a world to live in.”

The album already launched on iTunes and will be heard on NPR radio this week.

Joe D’Ambrosio Management (NY) Opens European Office

Joe D’Ambrosio, founder and CEO of Mamaroneck, NY-based producer/mixer management firm Joe D’Ambrosio Management, Inc. (JDMI)  has announced the opening of a European office based in Paris, France: Joe D’Ambrosio Management/Europe.

Former EMI Continental Europe and Capitol France executive Emily Gonneau will be running the European office as liaison between the JDMI roster and their European clientele. Ms. Gonneau is a graduate of the Sorbonne and speaks English, French, Spanish and German.

Now in its 10th year of operation, Joe D’Ambrosio Management represents such talent as Tony Visconti, Hugh Padgham, Elliot Scheiner, Kevin Killen, Joe Zook, Larry Gold, Rob Mounsey and Thom Monahan among others.

JDMI’s clientele have worked with U2, Kanye West, Jay-Z, Katy Perry, Rihanna, David Bowie, Beyonce, OneRepublic, Foo Fighters, Paul McCartney, Sting, Shakira, Pink, Kaiser Chiefs, Peter Gabriel, Morrissey, Ayo, Raphael, Norah Jones, Modest Mouse, Beck, Justin Nozuka, The Roots, Fujiya & Miyagi, Little Joy, Angelique Kidjo and hundreds of others.

Sear Sound Hosts Spring Sessions with Sting, Foreigner, Gipsy Kings

Sear Sound has had a strong spring, with big sessions in their Neve 8038-equipped Studio A, and the sun-kissed, Sear-Avalon custom console-equipped Studio C.

Sting was in Studio C composing and recording with Sear Sound’s 1973 Steinway “D” grand piano. Rob Mathes was arranging and co-producing with Sting. David Shoenwetter assisted.

Foreigner tracked in Studio A. Original producer/leader/founder Mick Jones co-produced with Jeff Pilson, Tom Gimble and Kelly Hansesn completing the band.  Wyn Davis of Total Access Recording Studios in Redondo Beach engineered, and Ted Tuthill was the assistant on the sessions.

The famed Gipsy Kings mixed with engineer James Farber, assisted by Chris Allen, in Studio A, working to RMGI 1/2″ 900 tape using Sear Sound’s ATR 102. Bernard Paganotti produced and supervised the mixes from France.

Also in Studio A, James Farber mixed more live Brad Mehldau tracks for Nonesuch Records. Farber engineered and produced the sessions, with David Shoenwetter assisting.

Studio Sweet Spot: EastSide Sound

Facility Name: EastSide Sound

Website: www.eastsidesound.com

Location: Lower East Side of New York, since 1972!

Neighborhood Advantages: The LES is the heart of live music; there are musicians everywhere, rehearsal spaces, venues etc so musicians are very familiar with the area and feel right at home… no uptown traffic hell and office scene…plus EastSide Sound is in on the ground floor and right in front of a park so you can avoid elevator gear load ins and you can go take a break surrounded by greenery, shoot some hoops, throw a football or kick a soccer ball in the nearby courts.

Date of Birth: We’ve been in business since 1972 when Lou Holtzman opened the original EastSide Sound on Allen St. In 2001 Lou Holtzman partnered up with Fran Cathcart and we moved to Forsyth St, just a few blocks away.

Facility Focus: We are primarily a tracking and mixing facility although we occasionally do mastering sessions and we do have a production suite often used as a writing room. We are also set up for audio post and to sync audio to video for film/TV work.

Mission Statement: EastSide Sound believes that your music and your vision come first and we are committed to working hard until you are satisfied with the results. Many Gold, Platinum and Grammy award winning records have come out of EastSide Sound which shows how many artists have made EastSide Sound their home.

Clients/Credits: Gold and Platinum records, 5 Grammy Awards; clients include Les Paul, Lou Reed, John Zorn, Santana, Sting, Joss Stone, Eric Clapton, Pat Metheny, Jeff Beck, Laurie Anderson, Luther Vandross, Sevendust, Mariah Carey, Cindy Lauper, John Leguizamo, ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons, Buddy Guy, Keith Richards, Joe Perry, Goo Goo Dolls, Edgar Winter, Chico Freeman, Peter Frampton, Beyonce, Herbie Hancock, Toni Braxton, Hanson, MeShell Ndegeocello, Joe Claussel, Steve Torre, Robin Eubanks, Isaac Mizrahi, Randy Brecker, Frank London, Violent Femmes, Twisted Sister, Gravity Kills, System of a Down, Leela James, Lila Downs, Estelle, MTV, VH1, HBO, BBC, Comedy Central, Target, Grupo Latin Vibe and many, many more.

Key Personnel: Lou Holtzman (owner/engineer/the oracle), Grammy-winning Fran Cathcart (owner/producer/engineer), Grammy-winning Marc Urselli (producer/chief engineer/studio manager), Eric Elterman (producer/engineer/multi-instrumentalist)

System Highlights: EastSide Sound is the perfect hybrid between analog and digital. We believe in and offer the best of both worlds. We have a fantastic Harrison Series Ten B board, a warm and punchy sounding 96 channel true analog board with total digital recall and full automation (no converters, the sound stays analog but you can automate anything and everything: faders, EQs, sends, inserts etc). The Harrison is complemented by a 64 output Pro Tools HD system and by a vast amount of analog outboard gear (LA2, LA3, LA4, 1176, Altec’s etc) and pre-amps (API, Neve, Trident, Ampex, Universal Audio, TF Pro, Summit, Altec’s etc).

We have analog reverbs (Lexington 480′s, 300, MasterRoom II, Demeter, PCM60) and of course have loads of plug-ins for any need and any sound. Our mic collection spans from the early ’50es to today’s best microphones (Neumann, Coles, RCA, Sennheiser, Telefunken, Microtech Gefell, Shure, AKG, Rode, Oktava, JZ Microphones, Electro Voice, etc).

We also have a beautiful 1977 Steinway B grand piano, a Fender Rhodes electric piano, vintage Rogers drums, bass and guitar amps, guitars and basses available for anyone to use.

Distinguishing Characteristics: The single most distinguishing characteristics of EastSide Sound is the fact that we are the only studio in NYC and, to our knowledge, the only or one of very few studios in the world that has 6 isolation booths in addition to a good sized live room which means we can have up to 7 musicians (or just their amps) completely isolated, with good line of sight and headphone mixers in every booth. If the musicians want to all play live in the same room that is also possible. The studio is cozy and welcoming, with comfortable chairs, a lounge, a fridge and freshly brewed free coffee all day!

The building is on fire, you only have time to grab ONE thing to save, what is it?

Is this a trick question? Of course I will risk my life throwing water, milk, coffee and juices at the fire to save everything! …but if in the fire I were to spot a wild dragon running at me I guess I’ll grab the hard drives with all the sessions and get the hell out!

Rave Reviews: When people keep coming back, record after record, it must mean something, right? John Zorn has made hundreds of records and the last 30 or so were done at EastSide Sound. He also said that his records have never sounded so good, and others have said the same thing.

Everyone that comes by EastSide Sound always comments on what a cozy and relaxed vibe there is and everyone that records at EastSide comes back for more. They love the ability to choose between recording in the same space or being isolated in different booths so that they can later edit all the tracks without leakage. They love the ability to have total recall to instantly continue working on something unfinished a month later, with no downtime. They also love our professional, award-winning, cool and down to earth staff. And last but not least they LOVE the sound we get!

Most Memorable Session Ever: Too many… but one I recall is when Les Paul was over for some tracking and we were about to order in some pizza and he said something like “1947, Corona NY, First Pizza: I was there!”

Session You’d Like to Forget: The no-shows, the guys that think they own the world and arrive 4 hours late, the singers who can’t sing for the life of them but think that Autotune and capable audio engineers are an excuse for them to attempt a career in music anyway!

Dream Session (if you could host ANY session with any client, living or dead, what would it be?): Some of my personal favorite sessions are the ones with John Zorn, an incredible composer, genius and fantastic personality. Every session is always populated with incredible musicians.

Living or Dead? Would love to have worked with Hendrix, The Beatles and a… how about a Led Zeppelin reunion? But I guess we can’t complain considering many of the other giants have worked here (Les Paul, Eric Clapton, Sting, Lou Reed and many others). – Marc Urselli

Visit www.eastsidesound.com for more information and to get in touch!

Wines That Rock: Cultivating Inspiration, Music and Marketing Zen

MIDTOWN, MANHATTAN: Sometimes a winning idea is pure as the driven snow, and other times it’s a more complex combination. The progress of NYC-based Wines That Rock shows that a great music business concept only requires one simple spin on the obvious to get ahead.

Launched in 2009, Wines That Rock didn’t just inject more alcohol into the marketplace. Instead, they put their finger on something that people were really ready for, creating music-inspired wines that resulted in three initial rock varietals: Rolling Stones “Forty Licks” Merlot, “Woodstock” Chardonnay, and Pink Floyd “The Dark Side of the Moon” Cabernet Sauvignon. Most recently, a Police “Synchronicity” blend has entered the mix.

File under: “Why didn’t we think of that?” Each wine – crafted by the sustainable Mendocino Wine Company winemaker Mark Beaman – features the album’s iconic art (or the Woodstock 40th Anniversary poster), and plays off an entirely different dimension of emotional appeal than your typical bottle of vino. Like wine and food, wine and music is a prime pairing – the difference is that the latter remains largely unexplored.

As you might suspect, Wines That Rock had some connections and experience to make the idea take flight. One of the primary partners is NYC’s RZO Interactive, a division of the rock business management firm RZO that represents The Rolling Stones, David Bowie, U2, Sting and The Police. Along with Bowie, RZO created the first online fan club company in UltraStar Entertainment, which grew to over 30 artist online fan clubs and was eventually sold to Live Nation – in turn, a core group of UltraStar founders are the creative force behind Wines That Rock.

Get the picture? These are people that understand music and how to execute a business plan. Wines That Rock Co-founder/Partner Ron Roy spells out here how to grow your gestalt, and then make the market flow in your direction.

How did the Wines That Rock concept come about?
One day I was sitting at the kitchen table with some baseball cards and listening to the Flaming Lips. I said, “Wouldn’t it be cool to loop this glass of wine into something that connects the music to me? If I saw the “Dark Side of the Moon” album cover on a wine bottle, I’d go check it out.

In Wines that Rock, my partners and I are from the music industry. We started UltraStar Entertainment in the ’90, and were a ticketing technology company that provided fan clubs with a VIP experience – we represented the Rolling Stones, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, David Bowie among others. It was eventually sold to Live Nation in 2005.

We’re entrepreneurs at heart, always trying to come up with some interesting things. I said, “How about this? We know we can get to the artist. So what if we could find a winery who would believe in what we’re doing, and challenge them to make an interpretation of what “Dark Side of the Moon” means, making a custom-crafted wine to put in the bottle.”

That sounds like a deceptively simple concept.
It’s traditional to make wines that pair well with food. But if you think about pairing music and wine, music is everywhere – romantic dinners at a restaurant, in a bar, on TV via commercials and film soundtracks. Even though music is part of a lifestyle that people project, no one was really taking a serious look at music and wine. So there’s an opportunity there. Last year there were 100,000 different wines available. That’s a crowded market – I don’t want to play in that sandbox with a normal wine company.

We wanted to look at it as part of an experience. When people bring these wines to parties, or when we do tastings or events, the stories just come out like crazy when they see the labels. “I saw the Stones in ’95,” “I had Pink Floyd posters in my dorm room,” “My uncle went to Woodstock.” Our wines tell these amazing stories of people, and it brings out this whole social atmosphere.

How are you picking what albums to design a wine around?
We wanted a good variety, and we look at a number of things when making this decision. To start with, we wanted to pick amazing albums, and then you also have to put your marketing hat on.

Dark Side of the Moon has sold 50,000,000 copies worldwide – it’s such an iconic album and everyone knows that album cover. Cabernet sauvignon is the best selling varietal, so when we talked to our winemaker, Mark Beaman, we told him to be experimental with it – you can do a lot with cabernet.  Meanwhile, the Rolling Stones’ biggest touring album, 40 Licks, is the only album with the tongue-and-lip artwork, and that’s one of the most recognizable images in rock. We wanted to bring out what the Stones are all about – the big, complex, heaviness of the music – and so that’s why we chose to make it a merlot.

Our winery in Mendocino County is one of the most sustainable. We won the Governor’s Economic and Environmental Leadership Award two out of the last three years, so we wanted something that presented sustainability and the Earth. When we looked at the Woodstock poster we said, “Let’s bring the whole philosophy of what Woodstock is about through the farms of Mendocino.” The result is this 2008 chardonnay.

For Synchronicity, that was interesting. Our first three wines are all varietals, but red blends are hot. We wanted something unique and different, and the word “synchronicity” kept sticking with us – bringing all these events together, and somehow they work. Mark sold us on taking several grapes that typically aren’t matched together. UltraStar worked with Sting, it’s an iconic album cover, and we thought it would be different to do something from the New Wave environment. That all added up, and when our winemaker gets excited he makes something interesting.

So once the wine is conceptualized, what kind of business arrangement has to be worked out with the artist?
For our first three launches, it’s about going to them, partnering with them and saying, “Let’s work together and make this a success: great music, and great wine in the bottle.” The fan base of bands like Pink Floyd and the Rolling Stones are the wheelhouse for our demographic. They have their fan clubs, email lists, Websites, and we work together as partners — they send out a nice newsletter announcing the wine, for example. In another initiative, we’ve just launched a contest with Wine Enthusiast magazine giving away a guitar signed by Sting. All of these bands or events have been brands for 40 years, and they have a following.

Then there’s our past history with UltraStar, and one of my partners has the management firm RZO that produced the Reunion Tour of the Police – that made it easier in the case of Synchronicity. When we went to the Police we said, “We’ve been out there a year now. We’ve had great success and wide distribution, done well at the varietal level, got great press, and we’re ahead of our projections.”

It all gets back to Marketing 101. We wanted to make this a partnership, doing cooperative marketing with the band. We coordinate with the Police, Pink Floyd and Rolling Stones marketing, and that’s the model we take to our bands and their partners.

It’s obviously a very smart approach to getting a music-related idea off the ground. If someone is reading this and they’re inspired, how would you suggest that they come up with their own winning concept?
I teach entrepreneurial studies, and I tell my students every semester, “It’s so difficult to be 100% unique, and have a purely organic idea that no one else has touched in some way.” But if you can come up with an original idea, also bring in a proven idea, and look at the big picture, you might develop a hit.

Looking at Wines that Rock as an example, the wine industry is a $70 billion industry, with 100,000 different wines on the market. So our question was, “How do I get myself some of that shelf space? How can we stick out in this crowded industry?” There’s so much room in the music industry to come up with a unique idea, you just have to find it.

My favorite term in the class is, “What’s the secret sauce?” For example, if you have a mobile technology and it somehow intertwines with music, what are you putting out there that another company isn’t doing? There’s a lot of ways to skin it, so really look at what’s successful, and then look for an opening that you can prove no one else is doing. No one was doing a custom wine based on the experience of an album and a label – that I could prove when we were conceptualizing Wines That Rock.

The great thing about music is that there’s new product all the time, especially from a technologically standpoint. There are companies that have made a fortune building a widget. The idea doesn’t have to stand alone or be self-supporting – it can converge with something that’s already out there. So what’s your secret sauce?

– David Weiss

The SCL in NYC Presents “The Art of Music Production” Wednesday, 9/15

The Society of Composers and Lyricists aka the SCL in NY presents “Getting a Great Performance – The Art of Music Production” on Wednesday, September 15th, at 7:00 PM at MMAC, the Manhattan Movement and Arts Center.

The event will include an experienced group of panelists, including producer/3X GRAMMY winner Russ Titelman (Eric Clapton, George Harrison, Chaka Khan, Steve Winwood, Cindi Lauper), arranger/keyboardist Rob Mounsey (Madonna, Usher, Steely Dan, Aretha Franklin), and studio session singer Vaneese Thomas (Stevie Wonder, Sting, Celine Dion, Disney’s Hercules Score). Moderator Chris Hajian of the SCL in NY Steering Committee will oversee the action.

Topics covered will include:

– Getting the best possible performance from musicians/singers
– What’s the difference between a great performance and a legendary performance?
– How can creativity still win out with shrinking production budgets?
– How do you pick the perfect musicians or singers for your project?
– What’s the future of music production?
– Q&A with panelists

Full Coordinates:
“Getting a Great Performance – The Art of Music Production –“
Featuring three time GRAMMY Award-Winning Producer Russ Titelman
Wednesday, September 15th at 7:00pm at MMAC
Manhattan Movement and Arts Center
248 West 60th Street
New York City
RSVP by Email Only to rsvp@TheSCL.com,

Seating is Limited
Admission free for SCL members
Non-members $20, Students with college I.D $10
Join the SCL at www.TheSCL.com before the event and attend this event for free!

Recording Sweet Spot: KMA Music

Facility Name: KMA Music

Website: www.kmamusic.com

Location: The Brill Building, Midtown, Manhattan

Neighborhood Advantages: There are amazing views of Times Square here, a great selection of food, and our studio is located in a landmark building.

Date of Birth: 2007

Facility Focus: Tracking and mixing!

Mission Statement: “Bringing the music back to the Brill.”

Clients/Credits: 50 Cent, Alicia Keys, Birdman, Black Thought, Bow Wow, Bravo TV, Britney Spears, Cash Money Records, Claude Kelly, Clipse, DJ Clue, DJ Khaled, DJ Swivel, David Cook, David Foster, Demi Lovato, Duro, Eric Hudson, Estelle, Eve, Fabolous, Fantasia, Flo Rida, G-Unit, G-Unit Records, Geffen Records, George Clinton, Ghostface Killah, Gloria Gaynor, Gym Class Heroes, Honor Society, Ice Cube, Interscope Geffen A&M, Island Def Jam Music Group, J Records, J-Cole, J-Lo, Jamie Foxx, Jay Sean, Jay-Z, Jazmine Sullivan, Jennifer Hudson, Jeremih, John Legend, Jonas Brothers, Jordin Sparks, Joss Stone, Justin Bieber, Kelly Rowland, Kristin Chenoweth, LMFAO, Little Steven, Lil Wayne, Ludacris, Mariah Carey, Mary J. Blige, Michael Jackson, Mos Def, Nas, Nelly, Nick Cannon, Paul Simon, Phil Ramone, Rihanna, Roc Nation, Sean Paul, Sesame Street, Shaggy, Snoop Dogg, Sony Music, Sting, Swizz Beatz, T.I., The Neptunes, Tiesto, Twista, Universal Motown, Universal Republic Records, Warner Bros. Records, Whitney Houston, Wyclef Jean, Yung Joc

Some of our recent credits include: Mixed: “Empire State of Mind” by Jay-Z ft. Alicia Keys from The Blueprint 3, “Do You Remember” by Jay Sean ft. Sean Paul & Lil Jon from All or Nothing,  “Throw It In The Bag” & “My Time” by Fabolous from Loso’s Way,”Baby” by Ghostface Killah from Ghostdini: Wizard of Poetry in Emerald City, “Bittersweet” by Fantasia, “Work Hard Play Hard” by DJ Tiesto, “Who Dat” by J. Cole, 12 out of 16 tracks on Fabolous’ Loso’s Ways, 11 out of 14 tracks on Jay Sean’s All or Nothing. Recorded and Produced “Worth It” by Whitney Houston from I Look To You.

Key Personnel: David “Roz” Rosner – Studio Manager , James M. Spano – Asst. Studio Manager, Casey R. Flynn – Chief of Operations

System Highlights: We have a lot on hand, including AKG C12 VR, API 3124, Avalon 737, Digidesign Control 24, Digidesign Icon, Focusrite Red 7, Griffin G 1.5, Griffin LFE 18”, Lexicon 960L, Logic Pro 9, Neumann U87, Pro Tools HD 8.0, SSL XLogic E Signature Channel, SSL XLogic SuperAnalogue, Sony C-800G, Tube-Tech MP-1A, Teletronix LA-2A,, Universal Audio 1176, Yamaha Disclavier 6 Grand Piano

Distinguishing Characteristics: We are a boutique studio with a vibe like no other.  Our entire facility has panoramic views of Times Square.  KMA was designed by famed studio designer, Fran Manzella (The Palms Studio, The Barber Shop Studios, Sterling Sound) who built our flagship A room around his very own Griffin monitors.  This is why clients such as Duro and DJ Swivel (Jay-Z, Jay Sean, Nas, Mariah Carey, Fabolous, Mary J. Blige, T.I., Britney Spears, The Neptunes, Ludacris, The Beastie Boys, Diddy, Ashanti and Will Smith, etc.) choose to record and mix their projects in our extremely quiet and sonically accurate rooms.

The building is on fire, you only have time to grab ONE thing to save, what is it? Our tech, Casey R Flynn haha… and the hard drives!

Rave Reviews: Our sound, our service, our staff, the views of Times Square, the vibe and the stripper pole (always a conversation piece!).

Most Memorable Session Ever: We’ve had many memorable sessions at KMA, but probably the most notable session was with the legendary Paul Simon and Phil Ramone while recording Paul’s single “Questions for the Angels.”

Session You’d Like to Forget: N/A!

Dream Session: We can’t narrow it down, so pick one for us: The Rat Pack, Michael Jackson,
Van Halen, U2, Johnny Cash. [SonicScoop selects ALL OF THE ABOVE laying down a slammin’ version of “We Want the Funk”.]

– David “Roz” Rosner, Studio Manager KMA Studios

Music Unites: Inspiration and Music Education in Motion Across NYC

MIDTOWN, MANHATTAN: Charged up is a good way to describe the onset of Music Unites. A non-profit focused on bringing music education to underprivileged children in underfunded inner city school systems, Music Unites is one of many emerging organizations with an ambitious agenda.

A classically-trained pianist, Michelle Edgar launched Music Unites in mid-2009, after looking extensively for a charity that she would be thrilled to donate $1000 to. But lacking a match, she moved fast to start her own philanthropic program. Just a year later, Music Unites has made itself heard quickly by hosting innovative events, then following up with a star-powered style of community outreach that appears to be resonating.

The founder filled us in on the eve of two notable events in one week. First they’re teaming with Rolling Stone to present InTune with the Fiery Furnaces and DJ Alexandra Richards downtown on Tuesday, 6/29. The next day, Wednesday 6/30, Music Unites will be the sole charitable beneficiary of an anticipated Culture Project production, the performance of “Twin Spirits” with Sting and Trudie Styler at Jazz at Lincoln Center.

Why did you kick off Music Unites?

I wanted to create a community that supported emerging and established musicians across all genres of music, and broke down traditional barriers between classical, rock, hip hop and jazz—bringing that music to underserved communities and funding music education programs.

I also wanted to give artists a chance to develop and build a philanthropic outreach program tailored to what they’re passionate about. We work closely with the artists and their teams to develop long-term initiatives, and fundraise on the artists’ behalf to make their initiatives and programs come to life, so they’re proud of their initiatives which are personally tailored to what they stand for.

The community of artists and the showcases are meant to inspire artists of different genres to collaborate with one another, and expose people to new types of music across all genres that they traditionally might not be used to.

This seems to be a concept that’s gaining steady steam, city-wide. Why do you think the focus of Music Unites — bringing music education to underprivileged children in inner city school systems – seems to have such a sense of urgency?

An investment in music education is an investment in both our children and in our society: Our mission is to foster and nurture the next generation of young artists.

Regardless of age, race, gender, or ethnicity, music has the ability to transcend barriers between people and effect positive social change. Music provides children with a creative outlet that promotes the development of self-discipline, self-esteem, cross-cultural understanding, teamwork, critical thinking, and problem solving skills. In adults, music can help strengthen the connection to our local community and society at large.

It’s well documented that the skills learned through musical training and education are critical to both scholastic and future workforce success. Music Unites strives to build a platform for emerging artists – one that connects with under-privileged youths to engage them in music education.

That’s a big mission to take on. So tell us about the approach you take to accomplishing your goals: How are you spreading the Music Unites message and helping it to take effect?

Started only one year ago, Music Unites has garnered much acclaim by raising $55,000 to support our first major initiative — The Music Unites Youth Choir, an inner city choir bringing together under-privileged children from the five boroughs of New York City together with our partners from the Young Audiences of New York.

Launched in fall 2009, this free after-school program allows young people to develop their musical, vocal and performance skills under the guidance of professional vocalists, musicians and theater artists, while exploring a variety of musical styles. The kids made their debut at Carnegie Hall in a Who tribute back in March and we’ve brought our artists, including John Forte and Jaicko, to do workshops and speak to the children. Back in May, we also brought the kids into a studio to record their first song they wrote.

On the educational outreach front, we’ve brought our services to inner city schools in Harlem and Brooklyn by doing programs with our artists where they go into the schools and share and inspire the children through their stories on how they got where they are today—teaching them the right lessons as well as their struggles and challenges along the way.

You do a lot of public events as well, including a dynamite duo this week: first InTune with the Fiery Furnaces and DJ Alexandra Richards on Tuesday, followed by benefitting from a a production of “Twin Spirits” with Sting and Trudie at JILC. Wow.

The charity continues to grow in leaps and bounds as we’ve produced successful events and gotten a diverse community of artists to support our cause from Sting, Joshua Bell, Lang Lang, Melanie Fiona, and Peter Bjorn and John, Fiery Furnaces to Alexandra Richards and more. Through these events and many others, we’ve worked with prestigious venues including Lincoln Center, the U.N. and Carnegie Hall which has helped us garner a certain level of respect in the industry, being such a young grassroots organization.

We are currently at a pivotal point in our organization’s growth to help support of our music education initiatives, which include a nationwide instrument drive and the creation of an all-scholarship-based Music Unites Summer Camp, similar to that of Tanglewood but for children who would traditionally not have the opportunity to go to such a camp.

Those are some fast achievements, and tantalizing possibilities. But what differentiates Music Unites from other non profits out there?

We’ve built a dynamic and culturally diverse community of artists that are committed to our mission, and we give our artists an opportunity to create their own programs tailored to their passions — so they can feel strongly for what they represent and stand for.

There’s consistency and regularity with our artist showcases which happen on a monthly basis. We’ve created a community where musicians across genres come and support one another

In less then a year, we’ve been able to partner with major companies like OK magazine, Rolling Stone and Lancome which has been tremendously exciting to such a young charity.

What’s rewarding about working with a musical non profit? Let us in on a memorable moment or two.

There are so many—it’s hard because they’re all very special for different reasons and a labor of love. I would have to say the UN peacekeeping concert with the UN, Lincoln Center Fall Masquerade with the Young Patrons, The Who Tribute at Carnegie Hall where the kids made their debut and the HIGHLIGHT- our December event with Sting and Trudie premiering their Twin Sprits project, a classical music project which I really think speaks to what we stand for.

And now, being involved with the live production of the music on the 30th at Lincoln Center with our Music Unites artists including Joshua Bell and Natasha. Sting and Trudie’s Rainforest Foundation gala was the inspiration of Music Unites and it has been such a true privilege and honor to work with them.

Those are some serious privileges. On the flipside, what makes this initiative a bigger challenge than you expected?

The desperate need for this kind of thing. With budgets being cut every single day we need to raise significant funds to service the schools and communities, to keep music alive. We have the artists who are willing to do whatever it takes: Now the focus is on fundraising and helping take this organization to the next level.

We all need mentors. Who are people that have been inspiring you along the way?

Gustavo Dudamel, Conductor of the LA Philharmonic, Julie Greenwald, Atlantic Records President, and Sylvia Rhone, the President of Universal Motown. I’ve been inspired with the work Gustavo has done tied to El Sistema orchestras and want to be part of the work he is doing here in the US with building these orchestras. Also, he works hard in bridging the gap and looks to do things out of the box by pushing the envelope. This is needed, especially right now to attract new audiences to classical music.

Julie and Sylvia are women I look up to. They are leaders and innovators in the music business who inspire the next generation. If I can do half of what they’ve contributed to the music community over my lifespan, I’d be content with myself.

If people or companies want to get involved with Music  Unites, what are the different ways they can help?

We’re always looking for strategic partnerships and are always open to new ideas across a multitude of industries from music, fashion, technologic, entertainment. We build platforms and look to 360 marketing integrations that are mutually beneficial for the organization since they help raise money, in addition to being mutually beneficial for the brand and company.

Finally, we say: Why must you be in NYC?

We were born here and NY will always be home. It’s the melting pot—uniting people and music!

– David Weiss