Banjo Performer and Entrepreneur Last fall, Project Jumpstart had the honor of hosting a Meet & Greet with Béla Fleck at the MAC lobby. Click here to watch the multiple Grammy Award winner perform and share his words of wisdom with Jacobs School students. “If your vision is the practice room, then it’s not such an interesting vision… Read more »
Hornist and Entrepreneur With a wide-ranging career as an internationally acclaimed hornist, pedagogue, entrepreneur and professional advisor, world-renowned Jacobs School of Music professor Jeff Nelsen is Project Jumpstart’s Entrepreneur of the Month. His enterprising activities connect with an amazing cross-section of the music industry. Jeff is one of the many pig-farm-raised Canadian magician horn players… Read more »
Alumnus William Harvey arrived in Bloomington in 1997 to study violin with the legendary Mimi Zweig. Little did he know then that his studies and training would propel him into an extraordinary and groundbreaking career that includes world-wide accolades for his cultural diplomacy, a not-for-profit organization Cultures in Harmony, and innovative teaching position in Kabul, Afghanistan. The… Read more »
Executive director of the Fifth House Ensemble, virtuoso flutist, and passionate advocate for chamber music, Melissa is an active educator who serves as Adjunct Professor of Flute at Carthage College, teaches a music entrepreneurship course at DePaul University, and maintains a private studio. Read Melissa’s bio here >> Project Jumpstart interviewed Melissa about her career as… Read more »
A sought-after pianist, teacher, and gifted entrepreneur, Frederic Chiu has embarked on a career that matches his virtuosic performances with highly innovative projects. Since completing a BM in piano at the Jacobs School with Professor Karen Shaw and a Master’s Degree at the Juilliard School with Abbey Simon, his performing career has taken him to many… Read more »
For our inaugural (November, 2013) Entrepreneur of the Month feature, Project Jumpstart interviewed JSoM alumna Diana Smith Nixon, who started her online business here in Bloomington while still at IU. She is now founder of Mpingo Studios, on the board of directors of Roundabout Opera for Kids, and initiated Tunaweza Kimuziki (Swahili for “Through Music All is… Read more »
Studio Forza was founded by Jacobs School of Music horn doctoral student Mike Walker and his opera-singing wife Katie Dukes. Their mission is to offer accessible, interdisciplinary arts experiences through expert education and performance in the Bloomington community. Studio Forza’s wide array of services are focused on making art and music more relevant in the lives… Read more »
Ezra Donner (b. 1986) is a composer, pianist, conductor, and educator currently pursuing a DM in composition at the Jacobs School of Music. His music draws on an eclectic range of influences and has been performed throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, Europe, and Turkey. Ezra is a frequent performer of his own music, and his… Read more »
Project Jumpstart is proud to feature Stevan Jovic as our newest featured entrepreneur! A Performer Diploma student studying with Ernesto Bitteti, Stevan is also an inventor. His innovative new creation, the Practice-Right device, is intended as a tool for aspiring and professional guitarists alike. Because of Stevan’s shrewd entrepreneurial work, the Practice-Right was recently awarded first place in the… Read more »
At only 20 years old, Madalyn Parnas has firmly established herself as a musical force to be reckoned with. According to Berkshire Living Magazine, Madalyn is “poised for potential major careers in an increasingly superstar-oriented classical music business.” Both as a soloist and as half of Duo Parnas (with sister Cicely), Madalyn has made strides in the music… Read more »