LA-based production and songwriting team HEAVY will be in residence at the School of Music and Dance on May 16-18. HEAVY’s residency will include two public lectures.

This visit is a part of a slate of Spring popular music guest artist residencies at the school:

On April 20th, the neo-soul group Moonchild gave a masterclass in which it performed for, answered the questions of, and listened to performances by students.

On May 2-4, LA-based film and television composer, orchestrator, and conductor Phil Giffin (Die Hard, Lethal Weapon, Darkwing Duck) and studio vocalist Karen Blake (The Simpsons, Star Trek, Boomtown) were in residence holding events and teaching students. Their residency included the first inaugural UO PopVoice singing competition.

On Friday, June 8th at 2pm in Room 163 of the Frohnmayer Music Building, Richard Smith will be in residence giving a lecture on Going Pro: Building a 21st Century Career in Music. Richard is a recording artist and full professor at the University of Southern California’s Thornton School of Music in Los Angeles, where he teaches guitar, ensemble and popular music production and performance. Many of his former students are currently working professionally from Broadway and the Los Angeles Philharmonic, to recording and touring with such luminaries as Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, Marc Anthony, Josh Groban, Michael Buble, John Legend, Madonna, Bono, Maroon 5, Jenifer Lopez, John Mayer, Gwen Stefani, Knower and current hit television programs American Idol, Teen Wolf and Glee. Material for ‘Going Pro’ was derived from dialogues with these young professional musicians – who are violinists, guitarists, bassists, vocalists, composers and singer/songwriters.

At the end of the term, UO alumnus and LA-based songwriter and producer Alex Sacco, of Papa Ya, will be producing select songs written by students in MUS 151 – Popular Songwriting.