BELMONT UNIVERSITY

MIKE CURB COLLEGE OF ENTERTAINMENT AND MUSIC BUSINESS

COURSE SYLLABUS

MBU 4830.01 CONCERT PROMOTION AND BOOKING

Semester: Spring Semester 2008

Instructor: Dr. David Herrera

Instructor Contact Info: Phone: 460-6908 Cell-419-2954 E-mail: herrerad@mail.belmont.edu

Instructor Office: RM 227 MBC

Office Hours: M 10-12PM & 3-5PM; Wed. 1:30-3:30 & by appointment--Call first!

Course Credit: 3 Hours

Class Location: MBC Room 414

Class Meeting Time: Wed. 3:30 PM-6:15PM

Final Exam:  Last day of Class

Educational Objectives of the Mike Curb College of Entertainment & Music Business: 1) To provide a personalized, career-oriented and practical education that emphasizes leadership, innovation, private enterprise and entrepreneurship.  2) To equip students with the tools to think critically, communicate effectively, accept responsibility, make successful decisions, and prosper in diverse work environments. 3) To emphasize quality classroom instruction within the parameters of ethical Christian principles.

Course Description: MBU 4830. Concert Promotion and Booking (3). Prerequisites: MBU 3520 or permission of instructor. A study of the role of the concert promoter and the organization of concert promoting, including contracts, riders, venues, audience projections/demographics, and finance (budgets, corporate sponsorships, gate receipts, etc.).
Gen. Ed. Designation: EL (I – Internships, Clinicals, Practica).

Learning Outcomes: This interdisciplinary course is designed to give students the opportunity to work together in a competitive, teamwork situation in the development of, and the promotion/marketing of actual concerts in local venues featuring local artists. This course links the understanding of course content through a demonstration of knowledge through the active promotion of concerts at small local venues. By the end of the course, each student will be able to demonstrate the following:

• Discuss the overall state of the industry and analyze issues affecting the current concert promotion/touring both as an independent artist and as a buyer recording industry.
• Plan and execute the agreements and steps needed in order to soliciting venue, talent, and the coordination of promotional activities related to course content.
• Demonstrate the development of professional qualities/time management leading to professional excellence in concert promotion, including: responsibility, dependability, initiative, and respect for self and other team members.
• Define and apply the component parts of concert promotion (set up / confirmation / execution / settlement) & understand the different factors that affect the responses of promotional effectiveness to audience attendance.
• Discuss and demonstrate the central position and needs of typical promotional media planning, media buys, publicity, and sponsorship solicitation
• To offer opportunities to engage students and community partners in community service learning though engagement of local artists and venues.
  
  

Performance Criteria:

Students will demonstrate their understanding and application of learning outcomes through their execution of the following:

• Students will create and document the component parts needed for the projecting a revenue stream for an activity or concert in both a club and major concert level.
• Students will execute and document successful completion of problem based assignments that demonstrate the forecast, set up, promotion, and execution of a set up and settlement of a typical event/concert.
• Students will demonstrate understanding of the calculations needed to assess concert scenarios and project break even, cost estimates, and net percentage splits per deal constructs given as typical in the industry.
• Students will apply and document the professional qualities of time management, leading to professional excellence in project management, project design, and team excellence with respect for self and other team members.
• Students execute and document the actual set up, forecast, break-even analysis, and execution of promotional strategies at a local venue with local talent. 
• Students will demonstrate and document the design and research needed to create a sponsorship proposal for an activity or event/festival.

Honor Code:  It is the responsibility of each student to abide by the Belmont University Honor Code.  “In affirmation of the Belmont University Statement of Values, I pledge that I will not give or receive aid during examinations; I will not give or receive false or impermissible aid in course work, in the preparation of reports, or in any other type of work that is to be used by the instructor as the basis of my grade; I will not engage in any form of academic fraud. Furthermore, I will uphold my responsibility to see to it that others abide by the spirit and letter of this Honor Pledge.”

Accommodation of Disabilities:  In compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act, Belmont University will provide reasonable accommodation of all medically documented disabilities.  If you have a disability and would like the university to provide reasonable accommodations of the disability during this course, please notify the Office of the Dean of Students located in Beaman Student Life Center (460-6407) as soon as possible

Course Requirements:

1. Attendance:  Class attendance follows university policy as stated in the current Undergraduate Bulletin.  Class participation is expected; attendance and absence will be noted.  Due to time lines, class attendance policy is more critical than Belmont Policy. Attendance will be taken at each class and is 15% OF YOUR GRADE. . Due to timeliness of class, attendance is expected—especially if teams are meeting.  Occasionally class will be cancelled for team preparation: Check web site for notice.
2. Materials:  1) The Business of Concert Promotion and Touring: A Practical Guide to Creating, Selling, Organizing, and Staging Concerts. By R. Waddel, R. Barnet, and J Berry. Billboard books. 2007 Available at Billboard.com and University bookstore. 

a. Optional—Performing Musicians should purchase Billboard Musician's Guide 23rd Edition: available online ASAP, Price: $ 15.95 See Billboard .com and click “directories” or try Davis Kidd Bookstore. This is a cheap and useful tool for tour design at the indie level.

b. Additional supplementary material (contracts-agreements-spreadsheets) will be provided as at campus.belmont.edu/herrerad   Please check frequently for updates

3. Assignments (30%): Students will be given written assignments and projects to complete weekly and throughout the semester.

a. Assignments: Class will incorporate the following from reading/class materials and implement into actual projects due from outside class concerts as well as assignments given in class:

i. Weekly Status report from team for team project

ii. Offer Sheet-talent acquisition

iii. Offer Confirmation-documentation of deal points for both venue and artist

iv. Contract Budget / Settlement Sheet-projection of expenses

v. Performance Contract: confirmation document negotiated with Artist-Tech/Hospitality Rider (as needed)

vi. Expense Sheet: Projection for complete Show/venue of students choice

vii. Production timeline” Load in / Load Out specifications: applied to Artist (Fall); Artist/Vendors (Spring).

viii. Marketing plan/timeline and cost sheet (design of promotional activities off campus)

ix. Creative design of artwork/posters

x. Miscellaneous work problems replicating set up, promotion and execution calculations.

b. Off/On Campus Projects (30%): Small teams will be formed for the set up/booking/promotion and settlement of actual concerts in local venues. Details will be delivered in class. All class members are expected to attend each other’s concerts—as well as assist in street level promotions. Grading will be split between the set up/promotion of the event and the execution of the event. This will involve promotional concepts, solicitation, talent buying, confirmation, load in/load out, and general execution of the show and all promotional activities. A small budget will be utilized for these events to be discussed in class. Acts will be proposed by students for approval by instructor.

c. Latin Street Fair (15%) (Seasonal-Spring only-May 3rd). Class will be directly involved in the set up of the Nashville Latin Music Street Festival to be held each Spring semester from 8AM-6PM at Belmont University. Group teams will be distributed and managed by students’ team leaders with firm responsibilities and assignments. Class time will be utilized for this activity, but may need “outside time” in group setting.

d.

D.  Quiz/Testing:  (10%) Exams/Quizzes will be given weekly post lecture from material presented in class and readings, so it is expected that notes will be kept and reviewed periodically. You will be asked to read assigned readings before class.  In addition to mid-term and final exams, quizzes will be given at the discretion of the instructor along with work to be completed outside the classroom.  Quizzes will reflect readings, and all materials presented. No test or quiz will be “made up.,” Excused absence per official University Function of activity with a note from Provost. Excessive unexcused absenteeism will result in a reduction of the course grade at the instructor’s discretion—with warning to student prior to action. Guest Speakers may be used, and students are responsible for all material presented in class from lecture, readings, and guests for testing purposes. If you want to receive a respectable grade in this class, you will need to make it a point to be present for every session.

E.  Basis of grade evaluation: Grading scale as per the current Undergraduate Bulletin (0-100%). Grade distribution:

30% Assignments/weekly status reports

15% Latin Street fair

10% Quizes / Tests 

30% Off / On Campus Concert Projects 

15% Final Exam (Final Event Implementation & test)

(97–100) = A+      (87-89) = B+    (77-79) = C+    (67-69) = D+

(93– 96)  =  A       (83-86) = B       (73-76) = C      (63-66) = D

(92–90)  = A-        (80-82) = B-     (70-72) = C-     (60-62) = D-

Class Schedule: 

**Additional readings at instructor’s discretion--TBA.

Instructor reserves the right to modify this syllabus as well as assignments, tests, and readings as needed.