The OECD and iCadenza – a company that offers consulting and coaching services that help musicians succeed in music – invite you to a set of virtual workshops designed to help develop and refine your innovative project ideas. Whether you’re building an ensemble, a teaching studio, a business, a new performance project, a new album, or any other entrepreneurial pursuit, this two-day online event will provide ways to build, polish, and present your Perfect Pitch!
The OECD and iCadenza have crafted the Games to help you gain invaluable insights on perfecting your ideas and funding your project. During the event, you’ll be provided with individual coaching sessions, panel discussions on how to develop, fund, and pitch your project, and we’ll end with a fun-filled “Shark Tank” style competition for all participants, with the chance to win prizes such as $500 from the OECD, two free ebooks, and free access to iCadenza’s Insider Club for 6 months!
Current IU students can register for this two-day virtual event for FREE! Jacobs School of Music alumni can register for this event for the low price of $10! Stay tuned for more details on the Pitch Perfect Games– we will be announcing panelists and other fun surprises soon!
Current students: register here!
Alumni: register here!
September 20-21: Pitch Perfect Games
(all times are listed in Eastern Standard Time)
Friday, September 20
- 2-2:45pm Introduction and Keynote
- 2:45 – 3pm Break
- 3 – 4:30pm Panel 1: “Perfect Your Pitch.” Hear from panelists how they successfully pitched their ideas, and learn how to craft your pitch!
- Featuring panelists Julia Levitan, Jennie Moser , and Peter Seymour
- 4:30 – 5pm Virtual Happy Hour + Networking
Saturday, September 21
- 11:30am – 1pm Panel 2: “Fund Your Project.” Hear from seasoned professionals how you can crowdsource, write grants, and find other avenues for funding.
- Featuring panelists Sara Robinson and Eric Ashby, and Alain Barker
- 1-1:45pm Break
- 1:45 – 3:15pm Panel 3: “Enroll Your Team.” Learn how to find the right people to match your vision for your project. You’ll hear about networking, the art of collaboration, and more!
- Featuring panelists Khelsey Zarraga , Lara Downes, and Debbi Ponella
- 3:15-4:00pm Virtual Happy Hour + Networking
- 4:00 – 6pm Pitch Perfect Games competition
- Featuring panelists Debbi Ponella, Alain Barker, Jennie Moser, and Julia Levitan as judges!
- 6:00-6:30pm Celebrations, Feedback, Closing Remarks
Introducing the Panelists
Julia Levitan
Julia is a trained opera singer and relates first-hand to the journey that performing artists undertake on their quest to success. She is the founder of the Eden Festival and co-founder of iCadenza and Cadenza Artists, a top tier artist agency. Julia is known for her unique combination of business savvy and heart-centered nature. Having earned a Master of Science in Executive Leadership from the University of San Diego and Bachelor of Arts degrees in Music, International Relations, and Russian and East European Studies with High Honors at Tufts University, also minoring in Philosophy, Julia is the co-author of the book Awakening Your Business Brain: An iCadenza Guide to Launching your Music Career.
Peter Seymour
Double bassist Peter Seymour is a founding member of internationally touring chamber music ensemble, PROJECT Trio. In addition to his ongoing work with the Trio, Peter has performed with many of the world’s most highly acclaimed artists and ensembles, including the Cleveland Orchestra, Houston Symphony, and New York City Ballet Orchestra. He was the recipient of the Downbeat Magazine Award for Best Jazz Soloist and has shared the stage with such luminaries as Roy Hargrove and Bobby McFerrin. He is especially passionate about education and outreach and has organized events for the Trio benefiting over 700,000 students on four continents in seventeen countries and 44 States.
Jennie Moser
Jennie Moser is the Founder/CEO of Stagetime, the professional hub for the arts, a graphic designer, and a soprano. Previously, she led a small team at creative studio Jennie Moser Design. Projects included the design of hundreds of websites for professional artists and arts organizations, which were the inspiration for the design and function of Stagetime. Proud alum of Northwestern University, Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, and Aspen Music Festival and School.
Sarah Robinson
Sarah Robinson is a flutist, serves as a premier Coach for iCadenza, and is a founding member of Helix Collective, a Los Angeles-based ensemble that specializes in multimedia, collaborative performance, and recording. As a flutist, she has recorded for television, video games, commercials, and over thirty film scores. She is the director of the Los Angeles Live Score Film Festival. Sarah is the author of Clubbing for Classical Musicians and presents workshops on alternative venue performance at colleges and universities around the U.S.
Alain Barker
Alain Barker is the Director of Entrepreneurship and Career Development at the IU Jacobs School of Music. He has an entrepreneurial career that includes arts organization development, arts policy research, communications and marketing, teaching and performance. Barker was executive director of the Bloomington Early Music Festival from 1994 to 2004 and has worked as a consultant to not-for-profits.
Eric Ashby
Eric is from Pittsburgh, PA and a Hoosier since 2017 who brings a background in grants, strategic planning, nonprofit management, data analysis, and entrepreneurship to his work at the Indiana Arts Commission (IAC) as the Grants and Research Manager. He holds a B.S. in Arts Management as well as a Masters in Arts Administration and a Masters in Public Affairs from the O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University, Bloomington. Prior to joining the IAC, Eric has worked at the Indiana University Center for Rural Engagement building engagement frameworks and programs to improve quality of place through arts and culture. Additionally, he worked as a project manager for the Arts Administration Program and Dean’s Office at the O’Neill School. Eric also serves as a project specialist with Bridgeway Capital supporting efforts to track and support small creative business development. Outside of work, Eric is a drummer and has been playing since the age of 3.
Lara Downes
Lara Downes is an American pianist (and NY Times crossword clue) and was recently honored as Classical Woman of the Year by NPR’s Performance Today. Downes has been called “a musical ray of hope” by NBC News. She occupies a unique position of visibility through her dynamic work as a sought-after soloist, a Billboard Chart-topping recording artist, and a beloved NPR personality as host of her popular video show Amplify with Lara Downes. She has garnered millions of fans spanning diverse communities and formed a broad and constantly expanding fan base.
Debbi Ponella
Debbi Ponella has a passion for creativity in all forms and fashions. She recently completed a master’s degree in Creativity & Innovation from Drexel University. Rather than a change of course, this was more of a focusing of what she has been doing throughout her life. Her pursuit of creativity expands beyond personal creative exploration, incorporating exploration into the creative process (Discovering the Creative Impulse), application of creativity across domains and demographics (“The Defining Creativity Podcast”), and facilitating the cultivation of creativity in others— particularly with youth (Creative Arts for Young People/CAYP). Along the way, Debbi became an accidental entrepreneur by founding programs and providing opportunities for personal and collaborative creative development that have benefited her local communities and beyond.
Khelsey Zarraga
Khelsey Zarraga is excited and proud to serve as the Chief of Staff & Culture at the Merit School of Music. Recently the violinist and Director of Operations of Fifth House Ensemble, she brings a passion for community-focused engagement and the amplification of marginalized voices into all facets of her work. As a violinist, Khelsey is a member of D-Composed, an all-black chamber music collective, and the violinist of Black Moon Trio, where she enjoys the exploration of new works and innovative collaboration.
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