Music Industry Program Guest Speakers and Industry Partners

Visiting Speakers and Artists

At Fredonia, guest speakers provide students with realistic perspectives on the music industry including its successes, downfalls, and potential careers. Past guest artists have included highly-interactive lectures and performances. 

These are some guest speakers hosted by the Fredonia Music Industry Program.

Tim Donahue

Tim Donahue is a creative multi-instrumentalist and creator of the fretless and fretted electric harp guitars. Donahue spent March and April 2024 as a Williams Visiting Professor at SUNY Fredonia, working with students and faculty in multiple departments across campus on his multifaceted career in Japan and Europe. His tour culminated in a public lecture and performance called Japan's Influence on My Life and Music on April 25th, 2024. Donahue also worked with a student group, NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS, presenting his innovative instruments and distinctive musical style including a fusion of jazz, rock, and progressive metal. His residency centered on the convergence of music, culture, and business, providing students with a unique chance to learn from a globally recognized musician and composer.

Read more about Tim Donahue in the Campus Report

Nick Karp

Nick Karp, a Fredonia alum, is an event photographer specializing in music based out of New York City. He has been published in Rolling Stone, The New York Times, Vice, Spin Media, AV Club, Alternative Press, and more. Some notable artists that Nick has shot over the years include Kanye West, Ed Sheeran, Cage The Elephant, and Shawn Mendes.

Chris Ring

Chris Ring is an entrepreneur hailing from Buffalo, NY. Working in the music business for nearly 20 years, Chris has hands-on knowledge of the industry. As owner and president of After Dark Entertainment, Inc., he currently books and produces over 200 concerts a year throughout Western NY. Chris Ring has given many students the opportunity to intern at his merchandising company, Tour City, Inc., which specializes in the needs of touring musicians.

Tom Rizzo

Tom Rizzo is an LA-based guitarist and composer who plays music from BeBop to funk, folk, and pop. An exercised member of the Doc Severinsen and Maynard Ferguson bands, Rizzo was also a member of the Tonight Show Band in its final Carson years, where he composed and arranged much of the music heard on the show during his tenure. Rizzo is one of the leading guitarists working in the business today, in frequent demand as a recording artist, as well as a composer for a wide variety of projects for major motion pictures and Grammy-winning songs.

Anthony Caucci

President, Concord Atlantic. Anthony Caucci is a New Jersey Licensed Professional Engineer specializing in the design of commercial, energy conservation, education, public sector, and casino/hospitality projects. Mr. Caucci has been with Concord Atlantic Engineers since 1998.

As Vice President and Director of Mechanical Engineering, Mr. Caucci's overall responsibilities and duties include client proposals, the order of magnitude cost estimates, managing client relationships, client liaison, and contract administration. He is also responsible for the design, management, and coordination of the various disciplines necessary to provide efficient, cost-effective and state-of-the-art mechanical solutions for the client; facilitating all in accordance with CAE standards. Mr. Caucci holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Drexel University

Vic Anesini

Fredonia Alum, Vic Anesini, is one of the premier catalog mastering engineers in the world. For the past 30 years, he was a Senior Mastering Engineer at Sony Music Entertainment, where he has brought his talents to master and mix music legends such as Aerosmith, Bob Dylan, Simon & Garfunkel, Janis Joplin, Santana, Elvis Presley, Sly & the Family Stone, The Byrds, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Cheap Trick, Lou Reed, Hall & Oates, Jeff Buckley, and James Taylor .

Vic joined Sony during the exponential growth of the Compact Disc. This gave him the opportunity to apply his skills to the reissue of hundreds of catalog albums and newer box sets; making him an expert in utilizing digital technology to deliver authentic sound. This recognition propelled him to be an in-demand mastering engineer for a broad range of current artists.

Artie Kornfeld

Artie Kornfeld, songwriter, co-creator of the Woodstock Music Festival and the youngest Vice President of Capitol Records has promoted over 100 platinum records, working with artists such as Tracy Chapman, Pink Floyd, Aerosmith, and Bruce Springsteen. He collaborated on an academy award-winning documentary about the Woodstock Music Festival, and elaborates on his experiences and achievements in his book, The Pied Piper of Woodstock.

Chris O'Dell

Chris O'Dell worked with The Beatles at the height of their fame, assisted The Rolling Stones through their Exile on Main Street tour, and road-managed Bob Dylan's Rolling Thunder Review. Considered royalty in the inner circles of music, O'Dell recently published her tell-all novel titled, "Miss O'Dell: My Hard Days And Long Nights With The Beatles, The Stones, Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, and The Women They Loved," describing her life and unique stories working with legends of rock.

Joey Molland

Liverpool, England has been the home to some of Rock and Roll's best-known acts. Liverpool native Joey Molland pushed through the music industry to become one of those greats. Molland came to Fredonia in February of 2013 to lecture and perform for the campus and community.

Growing up working on the docks, having a paper run, and playing music was only the tip of the iceberg for Molland. Joey's tenacity, dedication, and passion for music led him to join the band Badfinger in 1969, and begin a lifetime of touring and writing hit songs. Listen to Joey discuss his life experiences with members of The Beatles, Badfinger, and Allen Klein.

Anita West and Bruce Moser

Bruce Moser began his career after college working as a distributor for a record company. He is responsible for helping break U2 and others major acts into the U.S. through his relentless work promoting them, live and on the radio. During one of his presentations, he began talking about how so much has changed in the industry. When he started, record companies gave bands "tour support", meaning that they would pay them to do shows and get them air play on radio stations.

As a Pioneer to women within the radio industry, Anita West started her current job at 97 Rock in 1988. She got involved in her college radio station and went into radio right after graduation. She quickly realized that she wanted to be a radio personality, which was much more popular at the time.

Joey DeMaio

Award-winning bass guitarist for the heavy metal band Manowar, Joey DeMaio founded the entertainment group, Magic Circle Music. DeMaio lectured about the importance of merchandising, the relevance of large festivals in today's music industry, and his work with Magic Circle Music.

Victor DeLorenzo

Victor DeLorenzo, the former drummer of the Violent Femmes, currently plays with the jazz trio, A Free Society, and owns Joe's Real Recording Studio. DeLorenzo shared his musical experiences as a member of the Violent Femmes, including the lifestyle of a professional musician and his present work as a producer.

Click here to see a recording session with Victor DeLorenzo, Mary Ramsey and John Lombardo of 10,000 Maniacs, and Music Industry students, as they record an original song of Tina Marie Williams.  

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Artie Kwitchoff

Formerly a concert promoter for Clear Channel, Artie Kwitchoff now owns and operates The Town Ballroom, a prominent concert venue in Buffalo, New York. The Town Ballroom has hosted many national touring acts such as Yellowcard, New Found Glory, and Anthrax, to name a few. Kwitchoff lectured about his career in booking and promoting musical acts for a privately owned venue.

Michael Ivins

Michael Ivins is a founding member and bassist for the rock band, The Flaming Lips.
Ivins discussed the transformation of the Flaming Lips from a small independent band in the 1980's to a famed, major-label group.

Dennis Drew

Keyboard player and founding member of the 10,000 Maniacs, Dennis Drew is currently the general manager of WRFA: Radio for the Arts, a low-power radio station based in Jamestown, New York. Drew spoke about his career in a multi-platinum selling band and his interaction with industry professionals throughout the band's lifetime.

Andy Karp

Andy Karp is the former Vice President of A&R at Lava/Atlantic in New York. The acts he has signed include Kid Rock (his first major success with Lava), Uncle Kracker, Simple Plan, and Porcupine Tree. Karp delivered a lecture on the political dynamics of significant record label agreements and the current trajectory of the music industry.

Robbie Takac

Bass guitarist, songwriter, and vocalist for the Goo Goo Dolls, Robbie Takac currently chairs the non-profit organization, Music is Art, and owns Good Charamel Records. Takac spoke with students about his use of his celebrity-level status in launching and benefiting charity organizations.

John Lombardo & Mary Ramsey

John Lombardo and Mary Ramsey, of the alternative rock group 10,000 Maniacs, discussed their history and performed at SUNY Fredonia. Ramsey is a Fredonia Alumna, and Lombardo graduated from SUNY Geneseo. Three current Music Industry students – Bianca Wales, Libby Reed and John Carrera performed promotional duties for the duo’s campus visit as part of their curriculum for MUSB 351: Digital Marketing for the Music Industry.

Lynn Lowry

Horror film icon Lynn Lowry visited Fredonia to discuss her experience in the film industry and answer students' questions in September 2024.

Abigail Morrisette

SUNY Fredonia Alumna Abigail Morrisette returned to Fredonia to discuss her current experience in the music industry with a presentation titled "My Music Industry Journey, From Fredonia to ASCAP to Warner Music Group."

See the whole lecture on youtube

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