New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Musicians
Institute (MI), the College of Contemporary Music, is proud to announce its brand new DJ Performance and Production program, which gives students in-depth knowledge and training in the latest technologies, tools and techniques used in contemporary electronic performance, composition and production. Aspiring DJs, producers, beat-makers, remix artists and electronic musicians can enroll now for classes starting in MI's
Spring Quarter on April 4th.
The six-month, two-quarter DJ Program will train students in the use of industry-standard software and equipment including Ableton Live, Traktor Pro and Serato DJ; along with courses in Beat-Matching, Vinyl Turntablism, Synth Programming, Sound Design, Remixing and much more. MI's world-renowned DJ Program faculty includes Scratch Champions DJ Jedi and DJ Swift; Ableton-certified artist Josh Spoon; Max For Live pioneer Tom Hall; acclaimed House/Techno producer Art Bleek; and prolific House/Disco DJ and producer Magic Touch.
"Our DJ Performance and Production program takes full advantage of MI's size," said Charles Chemery, Program Chair of MI's DJ Performance & Production Program. "It is nimble and flexible enough to provide one-on-one attention and personalized development to our budding DJs and producers in a way large institutions cannot; yet it also provides unmatched cross-pollination options with our performance students and state-of-the art recording facilities. Our strategic partnerships with Ableton, Pioneer, Serato, Native Instruments and other leading manufacturers ensure that we benefit from next-generation equipment. Furthermore, our innovative curriculum offerings have been developed by instructors who are recommended and certified by these manufacturers. These instructors are widely recognized as authorities in their fields, and they guarantee the program will remain on the cutting edge. Finally, the excitement, anticipation, and support we are receiving from the industry, and the DJ community as a whole, demonstrate that MI is the new leader in DJ education."
"With the explosion of Electronic Dance
Music (EDM), DJs have become the new rock stars," said Jonathan Newkirk, MI's Dean of
Industry Studies. "MI's DJ program is built on our history of training the next generation of contemporary musicians, and the synergy between our School of Performance and School of
Industry lends itself perfectly towards developing this revolutionary new type of program. It will be a truly unique educational experience, as students walk away with a holistic understanding of the DJ world, and an awesome skillset to rock any gig."
DJ students will be trained in multiple settings, allowing them to study electronic music and hip-hop techniques in solo situations as well as part of a live band.
Music business and marketing concepts will also be taught in relation to what pro DJ/producers need to know: income streams, social media management, business contracts, publishing law and touring. A well-rounded music education will be ensured by Musicianship, Marketing, Song Building and
Music Appreciation courses. Specialty electives such as Live Sync, iOS DJing, Max For Live and Controllerism will also be offered. In addition, a final concert at the end of the program will give students the opportunity to demonstrate their abilities in a live performance event.
As Program Chair of both the DJ Performance & Production and Independent Artist Development programs at MI, Charles Chemery brings a wealth of professional experience as a Los Angeles-based DJ, vocalist, guitarist, and record producer. He is currently recording with
Chaka Khan and DJ Sneak, and has performed around the world in cities including L.A., New York, Paris, London, Tokyo, Cannes, Miami, Helsinki, Rio de Janeiro, Hong Kong and Casablanca. He has DJ'd the official Hollywood premieres of many movies such as The Artist (2012 Best Picture Academy Award Winner), Clint Eastwood's J. Edgar, Steven Spielberg's Lincoln and The Adventures of Tintin, Blood Diamonds, and countless others. Before joining the MI faculty, Chemery studied Jazz and received his BA at Berklee College of
Music in Boston.