Representatives of some of the world’s most influential arts and business organizations come together for the Music Academy of the West’s third Classical Evolution/Revolution Conference July 22-24.

Engaging preeminent artists, creators, thinkers, CEOs, and media leaders to consider the arts as the cultural fabric of society, the conference’s four panel discussions address such pertinent concerns as how best to serve the needs of today’s evolving audiences, navigating the world of commercial music, and taking control of one’s own creative life and emerging career.

The conference also features the first Fast Pitch Awards. Introduced this year to offer the academy’s young fellows the chance to pitch entrepreneurial ideas for cash prizes, the awards are designed to inspire innovations in classical performance, presentation, and audience development.

Fellows attending the Music Academy of the West will have the opportunity to participate, ask questions, and be inspired by four panel discussions that draw on the expertise of a distinguished roster of guest panelists and speakers.

The conference, which is open to the public as well as faculty, fellows, and members of the industry, builds on the success of the 2017 and 2018 editions, which established Music Academy of the West as a pioneer of thought leadership in music and the arts.

Guest panelists and speakers include:

Deborah Rutter, president/Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts; Nico Abondolo, Music Academy faculty artist, double bassist; Jeff Beal, composer; Larry Blank, conductor, orchestrator; Clemency Burton-Hill, creative director of music and arts at WQXR.

Clive Chang, director of strategy and business development/Disney Theatrical Group; Claire Chase, Mosher guest artist, flute soloist and collaborative artist; David Devan, president/CEO of Opera Philadelphia; Andy Doe, lecturer in entrepreneurship at Trinity Laban School; Joshua Rubin, clarinetist; Jane M. Saks, president and artistic director of Project&.

For more about the Music Academy, visit musicacademy.org.

— Kate Oberjat for Music Academy of the West.