Below is a transcript of our conversation with Jay Batzner:
David Nicholas:
I'm David Nicholas and this is Central Focus, a weekly look at research activity and innovative work from Central Michigan University students and faculty. College music departments traditionally produce educators and performers focused on classical music, concert band music and jazz. Professor Jay Batzner from CMU’s School of Music has expanded the possibilities with the creation of a new field of study, commercial music. I sat down with him to learn more.
Jay Batzner:
There are a lot of students that want to make music. And schools of music don't necessarily have ways in for them. How can we use these to basically help students make whatever music it is they want to make in whatever form and whatever genre and whatever style. I think here in year 2, we are already past the projections of what I had five years out. So, it's clear that there's a lot of that. There are a lot of students who want to learn and be engaged in creating the music they want to make
DN:
As these things evolve overtime and leadership, administration within any of these individual departments that you're bringing together or higher up in the administration of the university. Is it an ongoing thing where you're going to just sort of have to keep refreshing and making sure that everybody's still on the same page?
JB:
That is a strong part of having a successful program. I think. It’s that kind of self-reflection and that idea of, OK are we doing right by our students? Are our students learning what they need to learn? Are they getting out and being able to do the things that they want to do? And so, in that kind of convincing way, you know, I (I, I) don't necessarily think that we're going to have to fight with the administration about the validity of musical creativity or anything like that.
David Nicholas
The aspect of the (the) music business and (and) this is something that that comes up so often when you hear from pop stars or country artists, hip hop artists, they, you know, I was so immersed in the music. What I didn't know when I got into this was how to navigate the business. (JB) Yeah. How is that integrated into what you're teaching in this program?
JB:
Yes, that's great, because the, the core of the degree is a (a) three-part structure. There are basically 3 areas in which all students have a (a) set core of classes. One of those is in the School of Music where we teach music theory. And so, they take a music fundamentals class. They also take (a) music theory course that's specific to pop and (and) rock styles or you know, their music. And then they take classes in digital music production as well as experimental electronic music. Over in MCA, they are taking the audio production classes and learning how to really, you know, fine tune recording audio and things. And over there, Heather Polinsky does have a specific course about teaching the business of the recording industry. And then the third component of this is over in the College of Business and (and) specifically with courses in you know, beginning business and entrepreneurship, our entrepreneurship program, I (I) don't know if that's a common thing in other campuses, but you know, (I), it's not something that I've encountered other places and so students learn to think along those business lines as well, just kind of as a core part of the three.
DN:
So, were you building off of a model of what some other music schools were doing, or are people now noticing what CMU is doing and saying, hey, they're on to something?
JB:
There are very, very few, if any. I mean, you kind of have to get down to like, Nashville or something like, you know, some place like that in order to start to deal with popular music and yeah, right now we're the first in Michigan. I'm happy that we're the first, but I want to maintain that we are the best, you know, being (being) the first is one thing, being the only is one thing. Turning out good students and good, good talent, that is always going to be at the front of things.
DN:
Jay Batzner, professor, composer. Trendsetter. I don't know if I don't know if they put that on business cards these days, but congratulations on the launch of the program and (and) already the (the) wide interest and success and the best of luck as it moves forward and (and) continues to grow and (and) attract students from a lot of different aspects that want to do a lot of great things. Thank you for sharing the story with us.
JB:
Yes, thanks for having me.
