Workshops & Residencies
Workshops & Residencies
It's a great joy for me to draw from my experience in higher education, the concert hall, and my time as an arts administrator, businessman, and composer to bring engaging lectures and interactive workshops to your institution. Below are some of my most popular offerings, all of which can be stand-alone presentations or as part of a multi-day residency. My aim is to create a program that is custom-tailored to the particular needs of your institution, your faculty, and your student body.
"As Jeff’s colleague in the College of Music at the University of Colorado Boulder, I appreciate the perspective and passion he brings to equipping our students to succeed in today’s increasingly competitive market.”
Gary Lewis, Director of Orchestras, University of Colorado-Boulder
“Jeff knows how to speak directly to students, regardless of back-ground, and implore each one of them to pursue their boundless potential."
Jonathan Kuuskoski, Chair of Entrepreneurship & Leadership
School of Music, Theatre & Dance–University of Michigan
Sample Workshops:
The Entrepreneurial Musician
This interactive and paradigm-shifting session challenges students to define the purpose of their art in terms of the audience they seek to reach and how it will impact them. Participants will learn the core principles of entrepreneurial thinking and how they apply to the arts. Topics include crafting a value proposition, five steps for implementing the entrepreneurial process, and why our artistic product is our most valuable asset, never to be compromised. For all audiences.
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Presentation Options
60-minute interactive lecture
2-hour workshop
Day-long, in-depth workshop
"Jeff's lecture was one of the highlights of our year!"
Peter Thoresen, Former Project Jumpstart Coordinator
Jacobs School of Music - Indiana University
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Popcorn, Vending Machines, and Purpose: Lessons from a non-linear career path
This TED-style talk uses the lowest point in my professional life as a springboard for a discussion about expectations, failure, relationships, and the importance of finding purpose in something outside ourselves. Though created for students in the arts, and specifically music, this talk can be modified for any young audience.
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Presentation Options
60-minute TED-style lecture
Can also precede the Entrepreneurial Musician workshop
"Thank you so much for your talk kicking off our annual Teaching Intensive: it was perfect. At the conference the following day, many graduate students told me how meaningful it was for them. I, too, was moved by your self-reflection and deep humanity."
Kirk Ambrose, Professor of Art History
Founding Director, Center for Teaching and Learning
University of Colorado-Boulder
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Crowdfunding: Raising dollars through community
Crowdfunding can be a powerful tool for creatives looking to raise money for projects, but it’s not always as easy as it looks. In this interactive session, misconceptions surrounding crowdfunding are debunked – and replaced by strategies that have been tested in the trenches. Done well, crowdfunding can do more than help you raise dollars; it can help you build a deeper connection with your audience and community. For students and young professionals.
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Presentation Options
60-minute interactive lecture
2-hour workshop
“All the crowdfunding campaigns that launched after attending Jeff’s seminar reached their goal!”
Donna Wang Su, Bienen School of Music–Northwestern University
Why Don’t We Riot Anymore? Classical music concerts for the 21st century
Using the famous riot at the premiere of Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring as a point of reference, this provocative lecture explores how changes in culture and technology have marginalized concert audiences, and offers powerful suggestions on what we can do to bring the classical music concert back into the American mainstream. For all audiences.
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Presentation Options
60-minute interactive lecture
Day-long full workshop
“Jeff’s engaging talk on the state of classical music and the urgent need to recapture innovation and provocation in the concert experience balanced a forward-thinking philosophy with concise historical examples to show us that, indeed, artists have always been entrepreneurial.”
Jonathan Kuuskoski
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The Conductor as Curator: Artistic identity, programming, and audience engagement
With the world of classical concert music undergoing tremendous changes, artistic planners must re-examine the role their programming plays in the life of their organizations. Today’s artistic planners must take a more active and holistic role in shaping the identity of their groups, creating meaningful connections with their audience, and making their organizations a uniquely valuable asset in their communities. Geared for conductors, artistic administrators, and civic arts planners.
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Presentation Options
60-minute interactive lecture
Day-long full workshop
“The response to your lecture has been extremely positive, and the issues you illuminate are universal.”
Craig Kirchhoff, Director of Bands (Emeritus)—University of Minnesota
“My students and I appreciated and enjoyed your insightful lessons
and ideas on creativity in entrepreneurship!”
Ken Szymusiak, Managing Director-Burgess Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation
Broad College of Business-Michigan State University
Entrepreneurship and Creativity: A match made in heaven
The “art vs. commerce” dichotomy – namely, that the creative impulse and the business impulse are fundamentally opposed to one another – is well-entrenched in both higher education and society at-large. For those in creative endeavors like the fine/performing arts, design, architecture, etc., this bias keeps students and practitioners from understanding how to unlock value for their work, for fear of needing to “sell out.” Meanwhile, business practitioners limit the vision and impact of their work by failing to appreciate the role of creativity in developing innovative ventures that thrive in the marketplace. This thought-provoking talk identifies several principles that exist in both artistic and commercial enterprises, and demonstrates how much businesspeople and creatives can each support, empower, and inspire the other. Ideal for business students and introductory entrepreneurship courses.
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Presentation Options
60-minute interactive lecture
Symphony No. 1: Formations - Lectures and Presentations
In 2013, the Boulder Philharmonic and the Geological Society of America teamed up to commission Jeffrey Nytch’s first symphony, inspired by the geology of the Rocky Mountains. This exciting work has thrilled audiences and received extensive press nationally and internationally. Professor Nytch has developed a number of presentations that can take place as either valuable case studies for students to see entrepreneurial principles in action, as classroom lecture-performances, or as pre-concert talks. A 2016 residency presented all three of these talks in a variety of settings, culminating with a live performance of the symphony by the university orchestra; the whole campus was abuzz!
A Geological Symphony
In this talk, specifically for geoscientists and informed hobbyists, Professor Nytch draws on his geology background to create an in-depth exploration of the geology behind Formations, and then illustrates his process for using the geologic story of the Rocky Mountains to inspire the music of the symphony. With recorded musical excerpts.
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Presentation Options
60-minute lecture
An Entrepreneurial Symphony
Hear the inspiring story behind the commissioning, funding, creation, and promotion of the Formations symphony. An excellent case study in how entrepreneurial principles can go beyond just supporting artistic projects; those principles can actually inspire and empower the art itself. Can be tailored for composition students, conductors, or general audiences.
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Presentation Options
60-minute lecture
Anatomy of a Symphony
This lecture discusses the form of the symphony, geology behind the music in lay-person’s terms, and the creative process for translating a scientific journey into a musical one.
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Presentation Options
30-minute or 45-minute pre-concert talk for audiences
60-minute lecture for composition students and others interested in the creative process
“Jeff’s symphony is an incredible example of arts entrepreneurship in action.”
Greg Sandow, “The Future of Classical Music”
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“The story of our evolving planet is a universal one, and I hope it will
inspire people to think about how that story fits in with where they live. Ultimately, this is about trying to give Earth a voice. Earth has told us the story of how it formed: it's in the rocks. 'Formations' is about trying to
interpret that in a language we can understand.”
Jeffrey Nytch, as quoted in NATURE magazine
Sample Residencies
Residencies can range from a single day to an entire week, depending on your needs and interests. Professor Nytch aims to customize an itinerary that maximizes his impact on students, faculty, and administrators, and he is open a wide variety of possibilities to teach, consult, and engage. Packages can be modified to fit your budget, but all residencies require airfare, hotel, and an honorarium to be negotiated. Single lectures/talks are available remotely but are not considered optimal. Below are a few examples of what a typical residency might look like.
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8am | Breakfast with host(s)
9-10:30 | Consulting session with Faculty and Administrators: What is arts entrepreneurship, and how might it operate at your institution? [For institutions with existing programs, how might your offerings be expanded or improved?]
11am-Noon | Keynote lecture for the entire school
Lunch: meet informally with students and faculty
1:00-2:30 | Afternoon workshop
3:00-4:00 | Composition seminar
6:30pm | Dinner with students, faculty, and/or administrators
* Note: Professor Nytch requests that he not travel on the same day as presenting, so as to maximize the day for residency activities and minimize the chances of travel-related disruptions.
Single-day Visit
Multi-day Visit
Day One:
Arrive late afternoon; dinner with faculty host/administrators
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Day(s) Two - ?:
Student advising sessions, composition lessons, in-class visits (composition seminar, conducting seminar, entrepreneurship class, etc.), in-depth workshop, school convocation, etc. Talks to students in the business school and/or geology department, as well as performances of Prof. Nytch’s works, are all possibilities!
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Final Day:
9am-Noon | Continuation of residency activities
Depart late afternoon
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