Music Entrepreneurship Competition (MEC)

You find the list of the Finalists of the Music Entrepreneurship Competition HERE

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The music world is constantly evolving and musicians in the modern era must develop skills that connect their art directly to the audience. At no time was this more clear than the advent of the 2020 pandemic, as restrictions for all performing artists made entrepreneurial creativity an essential survival skill.

The combination of musical skill paired with an entrepreneurial mindset has become an indispensable component for any musician in the 21stcentury.

The World Trumpet Society recognizes this and has created the Music Entrepreneurship Competition with the goal of rewarding young musicians who have developed a project idea, product, or start-up concept to the point where it is ready to be implemented.

Ideas can range across a broad spectrum of proposals from new and innovative music ensembles, the use of new technologies in the production of instruments and accessories to finding new ways to add merit to music management and education. .

The possibilities are endless. Dare to dream big!

Target group

Currently enrolled students of any age and non-students up to age 35. Applications as a team are possible.

Project ideas / Start-up concepts

Competition participants will present their project or concept both in terms of its content and the specific ways it will be implemented (time line, financial support etc.). Projects can have a wide range of musical focus including artistic, management, education, technological or scientific orientations.

Evaluation criteria

The jury will assess project ideas and concepts based on the possibility of implementation, content, market potential and quality of the presentation. Although it is not required, having sponsors or investors who have expressed an interest in the participant’s project or concept will be considered to be favorable towards the participant.

A candidate who is related or professionally involved with a WTS board member or any of the participating sponsoring organizations (OA Group and Fundación Azteca), must indicate this connection in the application. The jury member in question will rescind from voting for this candidate.

Selection Process

1st round: The participants submit a digital application (PDF) to the MEC by June 15, 2021. The content of the application has the following requirements:

• PDF with a three to five-page synopsis of the project idea or concept
• Schedule of implementation 
•  Cost and financial plan. 
• Explanatory documentation (Video, PowerPoint, Excel, etc.)

The members of the jury examine the written presentation and inform the participants by June 17th whether they are advanced to the 2nd round.

2nd round (finals): Second round participants will present their ideas and concepts to the entire jury on Wednesday, June 23, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. EST in an online meeting. The presentation consists of

• a 20-minute pitch (possibly with the integration of a live demonstration, a video presentation, or similar)
• a subsequent Q&A discussion with the jury members can ask questions

Jury

Ana Aparicio (The Orchestra of the Americas)

Mariol Arias (Director of Management and Interinstitutional Relations, Fundación Azteca)

Mark Gillespie (The Orchestra of the Americas Group, CEO)

Matthias Kamps (MBA, Asscociate Principal Trumpet Komische Oper Berlin)

Mark Schwartz (MBA, WTS Financial Director)

Dr. Alexander Freund (Co-Founder and Manager of M5 Mexican Brass, Professor at Georgia State University)

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Prices

• $3000 in cash prizes.
  
  
• Music Entrepreneurship Panel
  The winners are offered to participate in a panel, lead by speakers of the "Global Leaders Program", with entrepreneurs Nathan Shabot, Deborah Wanderley, and Erin Bush
  
  
• An essential part of the Award is subsequent institutional support of the winning project(s) by The Orchestra of the Americas and Fundación Azteca, this may include promoting, marketing, support with technologies, tutorials, linking the candidates with potential institutions for either production or implementation of the project, etc. 

The jury decides whether and, if so, how many award winners will be honored. The jury can decide on prizes for the successful planning and presentation of project ideas or start-up concepts as well as project-related funding.

The jury's decisions are final. 

Registration Deadline:

Please  submit your digital application (PDF) to the MEC by June 15th, 2021 to [email protected]

Finalists will be announced on June 17th.

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