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Delta Music Institute expands outreach

By April 15, 2014Delta Music Institute

The Delta Music Institute (DMI) entertainment industry studies program at Delta State is partnering with the Coahoma County Higher Education Center (CCHEC) this summer to offer a slate of continuing education courses on multiple topics associated with the music and entertainment industries. The series will be called “Off The Record” and will focus on how the music business works.

The first series, titled “Off The Record: How The Music Industry Works,” will be held June 3, 10, 17 and 24 from 5:30 – 7:45 pm in Room 301 of the Lewis Building at the CCHEC. Content for these courses will cover three main revenue streams of the industry: song/publishing, label/studio and management/live events. DMI Director Tricia Walker will instruct this series of classes for adult learners, with the entire cost of four classes set at $150. A minimum of ten participants is needed for the class to take place.

“Music Biz Boot Camp” is a series of six Saturday classes for ages 16 and above. Classes will meet from 2 – 5 p.m. on May 24 and 31 and June 7, 14, 21 and 28. These classes may be taken as a complete series or participants may select classes individually. Course content for this series includes: Music Biz 101: Overview; Songwriting: The Craft & Business of Words & Music; In the Studio: Recording Techniques; In the Box: Digital Audio Workstations (DAW); Music Production: Putting A Creative Vision Together; Event Mgmt:  Live Performance and Touring. Classes will be taught by DMI faculty/staff, and the cost for the classes is $40 per class or $220 for the entire series. Participants successfully completing all six classes will receive a Music Biz Boot Camp certificate.

Walker is excited to see this partnership form to help spread industry education.

“Partnering with the CCHEC to offer these classes is a natural outgrowth of efforts the DMI has in place in Coahoma County,” said Walker. “We feel like we can offer quality instruction on topics of interest to the music and entertainment communities that will feed into the creative economy of the Delta region.”

The classes will be offered at the CCHEC located at 109 Clark Street in Clarksdale, MS.

The Delta Music Institute is an independent center of study under the College of Arts and Sciences at Delta State University, offering a B.S. in Music Industry Studies degree. The focus of the DMI is to provide students with a broad and thorough education in the technological, creative, and business areas of the music and entertainment industry. For information about the DMI, contact (622) 846-4579 or visit http://dmi.deltastate.edu.

The Coahoma County Higher Education Center (CCHEC), a partnership between Delta State University (DSU) and Coahoma Community College (CCC), was designed to enhance the outreach capabilities of both institutions. The partnership encourages regional growth and development by expanding educational opportunities for the people of Coahoma County, and the surrounding communities. The central location of the CCHEC campus gives people in the North Mississippi Delta an advantage by offering a variety of educational opportunities to participate in. Both higher education institutions support programs at the CCHEC that target high needs in the area and spur growth and development within the region.