A New Adventure

I was a Senior Program Manager whose job it was to meet with customers and evaluate/agree to their wants/needs/desires/dreams. Then I would organize an IPT of system engineers to design a system to meet their requirements (usually contractual by this time) Afterwords, I would organize a different IPT to manufacture and integrate the new system. Finally I would manage the installation and "bring-up" of these systems. These systems virtually all involved overseas installations: Norway, Denmark, Turkey, India, Britain, Rome, Bogota Colomia-------and,yes, there were a few in the United States. These systems were either special electronic warfare stations (with the customers being various governement "three letter" entities) or digital television stations (virtually all using satellite distribution)

Now, since the age of 4 years, I have always (and to this day) taken music lessons of one sort or another. Indeed, I had given serious consideration to attending the Music School at USC in Los Angeles for my BA. However, cooler heads prevailed and I went the hi-tech route. I have a BA in Mathematics/Econ from Claremont McKenna College, an MSEE from the University of Colorado (Boulder campus), an MBA from Santa Clara University, and a Certificate in Program Management from UC Santa Cruz. I then spent 30 to 40 years in the high tech profession first as an engineer and ultimately as a senior program manager. (along the way I picked-up a flight instructor certificate and have over 1200 hours of pilot in command time with about 700 hours as an instructor).

During my lay-off period, I was given the opportunity (no pay) to upgrade the acoustics in an auditorium and establish the site as venue for live music performances. Among other things I was responsible for purchasing a new concert piano and managing bookings and assiting the performers/renters in their performances. This awoke my latent urge to get involved in the music business----and so I started looking for opportunities in the Fine Arts Management (F'Arts Management)work space. I managed to book Jon Nakamatsu (Van Cliburn Gold Medal winner) as the opening performer for the new venue and also have booked a couple of ther professional performing groups.

What a joy!

So how does one go from high-tech to fine art performance after spending a "lifetime" in the hi-tech arena?

Networking, networking, networking is the key. But the real way is to build personal relationships with those in the F'Arts Management area. Using my role as the manager of the performance venue, I built as many personal relationships as possible----something more than networking---and as a result, I was invited to join the staff at the Community School of Music and Arts in Mt. View. CSMA is expanding and growing, so I am looking forward to a busy future.

I had a long talk with the Director of Music and he told me that CSMA had grown so large that it was not longer a place where art and music teachers pooled their resources to facilitate their students and teaching. It now needs a serious business team to manage and run the place-----and let the teachers (he is a music teacher by training and work history) go back to teaching.

My plan is to establish myself in the F'Arts Managment area and go back to school for a Master's in Music (I have already spoken to a couple of schools and it appears that all I have to do is pass an audition---all other academic reuirements are basically passed due to the two Master's degrees I have)

So, I am "paying my dues" and looking forward to a new adventure in professional and life experiences

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