Recognized for his work in the field of Music Business and Entrepreneurship

David Cutler has devoted his life to exploring how innovative practices can transform organizations, careers and lives. As a distinguished professor of music entrepreneurship, his non-traditional approach prepares his students with actionable strategies for careers in in the music industry.

In recognition of his expertise and creative approach, Cutler has been honored as Yamaha’s first  Master Educator for Music Business and Entrepreneurship. The Yamaha Master Educator Collective is an elite group of 30 educators who are available as a resource for educators and students at the middle school through collegiate levels, offering professional development opportunities, mentorship and expert advice.

The big picture:

• Music business and entrepreneurship is an area of study that has been growing exponentially, according to Marcia M. Neel, senior director of education for Yamaha Corp. of America.
• The Yamaha collective’s newly launched group in this area focuses on new opportunities for innovation and growth within this expanding educational field. Other groupings focus on band and orchestra and keyboard pedagogy.

What it means:

• “Yamaha is an extraordinary company committed to innovative music making,” Cutler says. “Their elite roster of master educators includes some of the most influential thought leaders from our field. I am honored and humbled to join this group."
• Tayloe Harding, dean of the School of Music, praised Cutler’s honorary recognition on the national stage. "David is one the pioneers of the field of Music Entrepreneurship education and we are lucky that he has built so much of his stellar career working with us and our Spark Lab at Carolina,” Harding said. “He possesses an innovative approach in his classroom as well as in the community, and we are proud of his recognition.”

Background:

• Cutler, author of The Savvy Musician, The Savvy Music Teacher and an upcoming visual book, The GAME of Innovation, is an internationally recognized expert on innovation, leadership and entrepreneurship – in and out of the arts. 
• He has built a diverse career as a multi-genre musician, author, educator, speaker and consultant. 
• His compositions have been commissioned and performed by artists around the world. 
• He also was the organizer of the 2019 Carolina/College Music Society Summit 2.0, an international workshop held at UofSC that challenged participants to consider the future of music in higher education by reimagining curriculums.