How Innovation and Design Thinking Boost Music Industry Careers
09/09/2021
By
Bryan Parys
September 8, 2021
Image by Tiffany Knight/IDEO
This summer, Berklee announced the Bachelor of Arts in music industry leadership and innovation-the first degree program in Berklee's history that doesn't require being a musician. But thats only part of how it breaks new ground in training students for enduring careers in the music industry. In order to put innovation in the program name, the program itself has to be innovative.
But what is innovation when it comes to how a college program prepares students for a career?
Given the constant flux within the music industry-as well as the broader technology and entertainment industries-the new business-as-usual is that nothing is usual. The Bachelor of Arts program gives students the strategic skills needed to create change, rather than just keep up with it-something that Berklee is uniquely positioned to offer. Berklee was born out of the spirit of innovation, says Tonya Butler, chair of the Music Business/Management Department. This program, Butler says, is designed for students with a strong desire to impact, change, and even disrupt the music industry of today, while making a meaningful contribution to the industry of tomorrow.
The aspects that define this new program's curriculum-and differentiate it from those offered in the Bachelor of Music in music business/management program-are design thinking, strategic leadership, and innovation. Below, we take a closer look at each element in order to better understand how the program can give students a boost as they enter a career in the music business.
Learn more about the new program in this video:
Design Thinking If you think of creativity as an engine, then design thinking is the fuel that runs through it, powering and actualizing the engine's potential. While the concept comes from the graphic design world, it can be applied widely, acting as creativity's answer to the scientific method. According to R. Michael Hendrix, global design director at IDEO and a faculty member in the B.A. program, design thinking is, at its core, using the mindset of a designer to unlock possibilities through certain methods like observation, prototyping, remixing, synthesizing, and expressing new ideas.
Want to Help Shape the Future of Music Business?
Read more about the new Bachelor of Arts program and how musicians and non-musicians can prepare for a career on the business side of the music industry.
In that way, design thinking provides a framework for creativity and innovation. Hendrix says that being well versed in this mindset prepares you to help bands innovate the way they market themselves and the way they create their stage experiences. You can help labels imagine new ways to get their music out in the world, or help develop their artists as entrepreneurs themselves.
But it's not limited just to artist development and music labels. You can also think about adjacent industries like how we listen to music, the kinds of devices we use, the way we equip our homes now to be surrounded by sound, he says. All of those kinds of industries need innovation too, and thats the excitement of being in the digital world where everything is constantly changing.
Strategic Leadership While it may sound obvious at first-what form of good leadership doesn't require good strategy?-strategic leadership refers to a vision-based approach to leadership that centers on adaptability, agility, competitiveness, and relevance. Leadership here can certainly refer to leaders-from managers to CEOs-but the skills of strategic leadership are applicable to any career stage.
You can use these methodologies in any one of those jobs, says Christopher Wares, assistant chair of the Music Business/Management Department, adding that this helps train students to be future-oriented as they embark on their careers. In addition to the growing number innovation-specific jobs, Wares says that all the standard music business jobs will also be available to you. Those jobs could mean artist managers and booking agents, for example, or newer positions becoming more prevalent at major labels, such as business development consultant and innovation strategist.
Innovation Unchecked, words like innovation and creativity can be deployed to the point of buzzword status. But Hendrix makes it clear that both can also be rigorous disciplines, and that this new program will teach students how to make their creativity a sustainable part of their career. I think often people think creativity is like magic, he says. Its actually highly disciplined. When you start to pursue creativity as a profession, its important to recognize that it takes rigor, that theres a lot of value in being able to call upon your creativity regularly.
[B]reakthroughs of thought are coming from people who arent thinking in the box they're coming from people who are imagining what new future possibilities can be.
- Michael Hendrix
In fact, being able to lean on an innovation skill set is often what leads to some of the most radical advancements in any industry, not just music. That's the kind of thinking that leads to all of us switching from one kind of fuel to a new kind of fuel. Thats the kind of breakthrough that causes us all to go from buying these things in a store to streaming them online. Those breakthroughs of thought are coming from people who arent thinking in the box they're coming from people who are imagining what new future possibilities can be.
In order to create the equitable and sustainable music industry of the future, it's going to require more than just h
LINK: | https://www.berklee.edu/berklee-now/news/how-innovation-and-design-thi... |
See more stories from berklee |
More from Berklee
25/04/2024
Berklee Student Riko Sasaski Named 2024 Yamaha Young Performing Artist
Berklee Student Riko Sasaski Named 2024 Yamaha Young Performing Artist The accomplished saxophonist secured a spot among the elite winners of this year's ...
24/04/2024
Berklee Online to Hold 2024 Berklee Onsite Music Conference May 31-June 1
Berklee Online to Hold 2024 Berklee Onsite Music Conference May 31-June 1 The in-person conference is open to Berklee Online students and the music community ...
18/04/2024
Krisha Marcano Announced as Dean of Theater for Boston Conservatory at Berklee
Krisha Marcano Announced as Dean of Theater for Boston Conservatory at Berklee The theater educator, choreographer, and performer will join Boston Conservator...
18/04/2024
Berklee's Yoon-Ji Lee Receives Guggenheim Fellowship
Berklee's Yoon-Ji Lee Receives Guggenheim Fellowship Lee, an assistant professor of composition, creates music based on unconventional and nonlinear struc...
17/04/2024
Simone Pilon Appointed Executive Director at Berklee Valencia
Simone Pilon Appointed Executive Director at Berklee Valencia Pilon, who has served as Berklee Valencia's interim executive director since March 2023, has a...
17/04/2024
FINNEAS and Ashe Talk Confidence and Collaboration in the Music Industry
FINNEAS and Ashe Talk Confidence and Collaboration in the Music Industry Days before his sister Billie Eilishs new album announcement, producer and songwriter...
12/04/2024
Youssou NDour to Receive Honorary Doctorate at Berklee Valencia's 2024 Commencement
Youssou NDour to Receive Honorary Doctorate at Berklee Valencia's 2024 Comme...
12/04/2024
Berklee and Electronic Arts Celebrate Annual EA Day
Berklee and Electronic Arts Celebrate Annual EA Day The second annual EA Berklee Day celebrated women in the screen scoring industry and presented the Electro...
11/04/2024
Boston Conservatory at Berklee to Honor LaChanze and Lar Lubovitch at Commencement Ceremony
Boston Conservatory at Berklee to Honor LaChanze and Lar Lubovitch at Commenceme...
11/04/2024
Berklee Hosts Leading Artists and Entertainment Pros at Annual Career Jam
Berklee Hosts Leading Artists and Entertainment Pros at Annual Career Jam Grammy-winning producer and singer-songwriter FINNEAS and hitmaker Ashe BM 15 headli...
10/04/2024
Ledisi, Q-Tip, and Gilberto Santa Rosa to Receive Honorary Doctorates at Berklee 2024 Commencement
Ledisi, Q-Tip, and Gilberto Santa Rosa to Receive Honorary Doctorates at Berklee...
05/04/2024
Berklee Honors Three Outstanding Artists at Alumni Achievement Awards
Berklee Honors Three Outstanding Artists at Alumni Achievement Awards Natalie Toro, Gustavo Borner, and Mark Kelley were recognized for their achievements in ...
05/04/2024
Berklee's Africana Studies Department to Host its First Annual Symposium
Berklee's Africana Studies Department to Host its First Annual Symposium The inaugural event will feature scholar, political commentator, and author Dr. E...
04/04/2024
Boston Conservatory at Berklee to Present Five Iconic Works at Spring Dance Concert: Limitless
Boston Conservatory at Berklee to Present Five Iconic Works at Spring Dance Conc...
04/04/2024
Morton Subotnick Named 2024 Herb Alpert Visiting Artist for Electronic Production and Design Department
Morton Subotnick Named 2024 Herb Alpert Visiting Artist for Electronic Productio...
03/04/2024
Boston Conservatory at Berklee to Present Four Iconic Works at Spring Dance Concert: Limitless
Boston Conservatory at Berklee to Present Four Iconic Works at Spring Dance Conc...
03/04/2024
Berklee's Signature Series Presents Gospel Extravaganza 2024
Berklee's Signature Series Presents Gospel Extravaganza 2024 Gospel singer and composer Bishop Hezekiah Walker will be among this year's inductees int...
30/03/2024
Celebrating Women's History Month with Berklee and Spelman College Students
Celebrating Women's History Month with Berklee and Spelman College Students Idriemeka Bailey and Madyson S. McSwain open up about their experiences in the...
29/03/2024
Student Spotlight: Bethanie Liu
Student Spotlight: Bethanie Liu The electronic musician shares how Berklee helped shape her desire to be a songwriter and arranger into something that incorpo...
28/03/2024
Boston Conservatory to Present Center Stage Production of A Midsummer Night's Dream at The Huntington
Boston Conservatory to Present Center Stage Production of A Midsummer Night'...
27/03/2024
15 Latin Artists Who Became Musical Idols
15 Latin Artists Who Became Musical Idols Listen to iconic Latin musicians across genres in this playlist and read about how they've influenced Berklee st...
22/03/2024
Berklee, A3 Communication, and the Gnaoua and World Music Festival Launch Berklee on the Road Program
Berklee, A3 Communication, and the Gnaoua and World Music Festival Launch Berkle...
19/03/2024
What Is Dembow? Tracing the Roots of a Global Phenomenon
What Is Dembow? Tracing the Roots of a Global Phenomenon The story of the dembow beat, which can be found in reggaeton, hip-hop, pop, and far beyond, speaks t...
19/03/2024
Berklee's Roger H. Brown Jr. Building Honored by Boston Society for Architecture
Berklee's Roger H. Brown Jr. Building Honored by Boston Society for Architec...
19/03/2024
Applications Open for 2024 Berklee at Umbria Jazz Clinics
Applications Open for 2024 Berklee at Umbria Jazz Clinics The 39th edition of the program will be held from July 9-21. By Callista Chan March 21, 2024 Ima...
14/03/2024
Berklee Career Jam Concert Showcases Student Artists for Music and Entertainment Industry
Berklee Career Jam Concert Showcases Student Artists for Music and Entertainment...
14/03/2024
BPMI to Host 22nd Annual Showcase at Brighton Music Hall on April 17
BPMI to Host 22nd Annual Showcase at Brighton Music Hall on April 17 The Berklee Popular Music Institute will showcase performances from six rising stars who ...
08/03/2024
Berklee Presents the Michael Jackson Ensemble: Human Nature
Berklee Presents the Michael Jackson Ensemble: Human Nature The Signature Series concert honors the King of Pop, surveying the entirety of his iconic career. ...
07/03/2024
Bruce Hornsby Is Still Seeing What He Can Get Away With
Bruce Hornsby Is Still Seeing What He Can Get Away With Since The Way It Is, the visionary songwriter has made his mark on so many genres. His latest, Deep Se...
06/03/2024
Student Spotlight: Mehrpouya Daneshvar
Student Spotlight: Mehrpouya Daneshvar The clarinetist from Iran talks about discovering a love for Iranian classical music and how coming to Berklee has allo...
02/03/2024
Applications Open for Berklee in Puerto Rico 2024
Applications Open for Berklee in Puerto Rico 2024 Registration is open now through April 11. By Colette Greenstein March 1, 2024 Students perform at Berklee...
01/03/2024
Student Spotlight: Shivaraj Natraj
Student Spotlight: Shivaraj Natraj The vocalist, konnakol beatboxer, and percussionist reflects on his musical journey from Oman to India and beyond, and how ...
01/03/2024
Berklee to Present American Master Award to Arturo Sandoval
Berklee to Present American Master Award to Arturo Sandoval Berklee will recognize the Cuban-American legend's legacy and impact on jazz and Latin music. ...
28/02/2024
Announcing the 2024 Issue of STAGES Magazine: Future Proof
Announcing the 2024 Issue of STAGES Magazine: Future Proof This issue takes a deep dive into how a Boston Conservatory education lays the foundation for futu...
28/02/2024
40 Years Later, Thriller's Grammy Sweep Still Resonates
40 Years Later, Thriller's Grammy Sweep Still Resonates Professors Lil John Roberts and Mimi Jones, part of the team leading the upcoming Michael Jackson ...
27/02/2024
The Rubin Brothers Bring Circus Spectacle to American Idol
The Rubin Brothers Bring Circus Spectacle to American Idol Berklee alum Colescott Rubin and his brother, current student A.J., rode unicycles and sang about lov...
24/02/2024
Berklee International Hip-Hop Symposium Spotlights Local Artists, Entrepreneurs
Berklee International Hip-Hop Symposium Spotlights Local Artists, Entrepreneurs SAMMUS, DJ Troy Frost, and DJ WhySham are among featured guest speakers for th...
22/02/2024
Berklee's Signature Series Celebrates Vibraphone Master, Composer, and Educator Joel Ross
Berklee's Signature Series Celebrates Vibraphone Master, Composer, and Educa...
17/02/2024
Boston Conservatory Dance Students Perform in New Music Video by Pop Artist Piao
Boston Conservatory Dance Students Perform in New Music Video by Pop Artist Piao The video for Neopet features choreography by commercial dance major Sofia ...
17/02/2024
Berklee Awards Fenway Neighborhood Improvement Grant to Five Organizations
Berklee Awards Fenway Neighborhood Improvement Grant to Five Organizations A total of $25,000 will be distributed amongst the Boston-based nonprofits. By Co...
14/02/2024
Cecil Adderley Named President-Elect of the National Association for Music Education
Cecil Adderley Named President-Elect of the National Association for Music Educa...
14/02/2024
Cecil Adderley Named President of the National Association for Music Education
Cecil Adderley Named President of the National Association for Music Education The chair of Berklee's Music Education Department will serve as NAfME's...
14/02/2024
Berklee's Signature Series Presents Great American Songbook: Night and Day-A Celebration of Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga
Berklee's Signature Series Presents Great American Songbook: Night and Day-A...
09/02/2024
Sounds of Black History at Symphony Hall
Sounds of Black History at Symphony Hall Boston Conservatory Orchestra will showcase works by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, Margaret Bonds, Valerie Coleman, and ot...
09/02/2024
Berklee Valencia Alumni Recognized at the Grammy Awards
Berklee Valencia Alumni Recognized at the Grammy Awards Carla Patullo, Gracie Laboy, and MT Aditya Srinivasan took home awards on musics biggest night. Febr...
09/02/2024
Lee Berk Tribute Concert Honors Legacy of Music Education Pioneer and Former Berklee President
Lee Berk Tribute Concert Honors Legacy of Music Education Pioneer and Former Ber...
07/02/2024
Berklee Abu Dhabi Music Summit Aims to Empower Aspiring Artists
Berklee Abu Dhabi Music Summit Aims to Empower Aspiring Artists The third annual event will focus on essential music business principles that enable creatives...
06/02/2024
Boston Conservatory at Berklee's New Music Festival Highlights Original Student Works
Boston Conservatory at Berklee's New Music Festival Highlights Original Stud...
05/02/2024
Berklee Alumni and Faculty Win at the 2024 Grammy Awards
Berklee Alumni and Faculty Win at the 2024 Grammy Awards Laufey, Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway, Miguel Zen n, and Carla Patullo were among the winners of musi...
02/02/2024
Vimbayi Kaziboni Wins Prestigious Ditson Conductor's Award
Vimbayi Kaziboni Wins Prestigious Ditson Conductor's Award The Boston Conservatory faculty member joins a group of legendary conductors who have received th...