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connect with fans, musicians, music businesses and venues around the state and to be a stimulant for the growth of the music industry and culture in Oklahoma. “The school’s mission to support and expand Oklahoma’s overall music culture has a huge direct and indirect economic and cultural impact,” Sofsky says. OF+MO is continually researching and connecting with new artists and support services for the music industry and venues—all of which are pop- ping up across the state at a steady pace. “There’s something happening in Oklahoma I don’t see in a lot of places.


We have this great situation where we are just big enough to make great things happen, but still small enough you can know the people who can make those things happen,” Booker says. Booker says each student is potentially a small business that could fl our- ish in the state. “The Flaming Lips employs 20 people and brings several millions of dollars in revenue annually into Oklahoma,” Booker says. “Imagine if one band a year started in year 10 at our school, next thing you know hundreds of millions of dollars are coming into our state that weren’t coming here before.” The school works to foster this foundation by training the public as well to be more willing to check out local bands and experience local music. By putting on events like seminars and free festivals, the school hopes to make it easier for students to have an internationally successful career without having to leave their home state.


Creating a Community Scene The biggest annual event since the academy’s inception is the “ACM@


UCO Metro Music Fest.” This year, more than 60 ACM@UCO bands performed throughout Oklahoma City. “We had about 10 stages,” Booker says. “We wanted a national headliner


on each stage so our students could then say they performed or did pro- duction for those well-known professionals on their resumes.” The university also opens its doors to educate the general public through the ACM@UCO Masterclass series. The school brings in artists who have been in the industry for years to talk about their experience and open up the fl oor for questions.


Some of the star-studded Masterclass speakers include Roger Daltrey, lead singer of “The Who,” Ben Folds, Grammy Award-nominated Moby, Ben Lovett and Ted Dwane of “Mumford and Sons” and Rock and Roll Hall- of-Famer Jackson Browne. Additionally, ACM@UCO students and alumni can be seen performing gigs at local venues across the state. Herring now plays an average of three to fi ve times a week, and she says her love for modern music has only grown stronger. “There are times when I have played for packed rooms and times I play for just one person, but no matter what, I want to make people feel special through music.” Looking back at the timid girl she used to be, Herring says she would be star struck how different her talent, drive and passion have become. “I was so painfully shy I would sing my song and run off the stage,”


Herring says. “Now when people come up to me I want to talk and see where they are from—it’s been a 360 degree change from where I fi rst started and I can’t wait to see what will come next.” To learn more about Herring’s music, visit www.jessicaherringmusic.com.


For more information about ACM@UCO’s programs and public oppor- tunities, visit www.acm-uco.com.


Scott Booker, ACM@UCO CEO and executive director (left) leads a Masterclass series event with legendary performer John Oates (right). Photo courtesy ACM@UCO


[EXPERIENCE ACM@UCO]


ACM@UCO strives to create “real world” experience through per- formances, auditions, business negotiations, and linking students with industry professionals.


For application information, visit www.uco.edu/em/apply/acm- uco.asp.


Back row: Students Jimmy Jackson and Michelle Demers; front row: students Melea Jones and Cody Knight


[SEE THE SOUNDS]


To support local artists and musicians, fi nd an upcoming event with your nearest visitors bureau:


Stillwater: http://www.visitstillwater.org/events/ Oklahoma City: http://www.visitokc.com/events/ Norman: http://www.visitnorman.com/events/ Tulsa: http://www.visittulsa.com/events/


AUGUST 2015 13


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