Music industry legend and founder of Motown Records Berry Gordy Jr. has committed $5 million to establish the UCLA Berry Gordy Music Industry Center. The center — launched in partnership with The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music — will open during the 2024/2025 academic year.
“I am excited to create a center that provides opportunities for students at UCLA to prepare for careers in the music industry,” Gordy said in a press release. “Music is powerful, inspiring, universal, transcending political, cultural, social and economic barriers. It reaches ALL people and has been the guiding force in my life. These students will be the future innovators, artists and executives who will lead us into the twenty-first century.”
“This center will position the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music to become the premier music industry program in the world,” he said. Eileen Strempel, inaugural dean of the music school. “It will help enable us to recruit and attract the best faculty and students and conduct research in cutting-edge areas. Thanks to Mr. Gordy's gift, our program will be a leading force in shaping the music industry of the twenty-first century.”
Dedicated to extending Gordy's legacy of teaching and mentoring, the center will support the development of new courses and offer a specialized curriculum in songwriting and production. To further raise awareness of careers in the music industry, the center will provide funding to partner with primary and secondary schools. It will also fund research exploring technology, streaming algorithms and social justice.
“Berry Gordy is an American treasure,” said the other music industry veteran Michael Austin who is also a member of the dean's advisory board. “What he created at Motown was truly remarkable as he combined creative and business acumen in a way that had never been done before. It represents everything we want to incorporate into our music industry program. He is also known for his generosity. It's no surprise that Berry would make such a benevolent and transformative gift to help train and educate the next generation of leaders in our industry.”
Under Gordy's direction, Motown Records became one of the most successful and influential independent labels in the music industry. His legendary roster of hitmakers includes Smokey Robinson, The Miracles, Diana Ross, The Supremes, The Temptations, Marvin Gaye, Michael Jackson and The Jackson Five, among many others.
“I always knew Berry to be generous and kind,” Robinson commented. “Early in my career, I benefited from Berry's guidance. He was always a teacher at heart. What I love about this center is that it's driven by the philosophy that really great music comes from nurturing young talent and getting them to think holistically about their art and their careers.”
from our partners at https://www.billboard.com/music/rb-hip-hop/berry-gordy-new-music-industry-center-ucla-1235692164/