Recent Activities
UNT Musical Entrepreneur Summer Courses
Please see this new promotional video about some of our 2017 summer course offerings in musical entrepreneurship.
Musical Entrepreneur Class (MUCE-5000/MUGC 4890) taught by Dr. Fabiana Claure teaching musicians how to build their careers and develop an entrepreneurial mindset. Business plan writing, website building and regular guest speakers will provide valuable tools to help musicians become successful.
Dr. Armen Shaomian presents to entrepreneurship classes.
Our entrepreneurship classes this week featured Dr. Armen Shaomian, musician, entrepreneur, consultant, and University professor. Students had a great time hearing from his vast experience.
Bio Writing Workshop Week!
Students exchanging each other's bio drafts and getting valuable feedback in our Musical Entrepreneur class. Website design is next!
Entrepreneurship Workshop III – Final Plan Review Presentation Tips
Join us for the third and final competition workshop, "Final Plan Review Presentation Tips," featuring guest speaker Ron McCurdy! Hope to see you there on March 3, 2:30-3:30 pm, UNT College of Music room 258!
Click here for competition information
UNT News Article about the Music Entrepreneurship Competition
Published by the UNT News Service
DENTON (UNT), Texas - Music students at the University of North Texas are invited to create and submit business plans as part of the College of Music’s inaugural Music Entrepreneurship Competition.
Competitors will be eligible to earn cash prizes totaling $18,000, which can be used by the students to launch start-up businesses.
Fabiana Claure, director of career development and entrepreneurship in music, said the competition aims to engage students in entrepreneurial thinking and help them develop plans of action.
“We want students to know that even though they are busy with coursework, college is one of the best times to start a business,” Claure said. “So many trendsetting businesses, from Google to Facebook, were started by college students.”
Claure knows the potential for such competitions. She won several prizes in a similar contest as a doctoral student at the University of Miami, which helped her launch her own business, Superior Academy of Music, in Miami, shortly after graduation in 2011.
UNT’s competition will have a graduate and undergraduate track, and all College of Music students are eligible to enter.
To develop business plans, students can use a variety of resources, including online tutorials, existing courses, university-sponsored workshops and faculty mentorship. Plans must include summary statements, business descriptions, market analyses, operations statements and financial information.
A panel of judges will include musicians and business people from North Texas and beyond. The competition also will host an artist-in-residency featuring David Cutler, author of The Savvy Musician and founder of the Savvy Arts Venture Challenge at the University of South Carolina.
Deadline for entries is March 15, and three finalists and two honorable mentions in each track will be announced April 14. A grand finale on April 23 in the College of Music’s Recital Hall will feature a live audience. Judges and audience members will be able to ask questions and vote on their favorite students before an awards ceremony. The event is free and open to the public.
Entrepreneurship Workshop II – Writing Your Business Plan
The UNT Music Entrepreneurship Competition's second workshop was on February 10th and presented by Dr. Fabiana Claure and featured guest speaker David Cutler via Skype. Attendees learned how to develop their music business ideas and write a music business plan
The next competition workshop "Final Plan Review Presentation Tips" is on March 3rd. Click here to sign up.
UNT Music Entrepreneurship Competition Workshop I
The UNT Music Entrepreneurship Competition's first workshop was held on January 20th and presented by Dr. Fabiana Claure. Introduction to entrepreneurship for musicians, idea development and feasibility, and business model canvas, were among the many topics discussed. Students chimed in with great ideas for potential business plans. It will be a great competition!
The next competition workshop "Writing Your Business Plan" is on February 10th. Click here to sign up.
Career Development Panel ~ 2016 CollabFest at UNT
Dr. Fabiana Claure, UNT's Director of Career Development and Entrepreneurship in Music, moderated a career-development panel during the 2016 CollabFest held at UNT. The panel included renowned collaborative pianists Ann Baltz, and Anne Epperson. Several career-related topics were discussed such as building an online presence, developing professional portfolios, and positioning yourself in the marketplace as a collaborative pianist.
Catherine Barr, Founder and Executive Director of Texas Winds Musical Outreach
Catherine Barr, Founder and Executive Director of Texas Winds Musical Outreach presented in the graduate-level music entrepreneurship class. She was truly inspiring explaining her organization's trajectory of 31 years bringing musical concerts to those who could otherwise not attend. Thank you Cathy for sharing your wonderful work with our students!