Known for it’s top notch training for artists, songwriters and worship leaders, the Gospel Music Association has now added training for future music business professionals to it’s new event, IMMERSE, which takes place at Belmont University in Nashville, Tenn. from July 29 to August 2, 2009.

In addition to excellent networking opportunities, concerts and other offerings, IMMERSE will provide registrants with first-rate classes taught by professionals in the fields of artist management, marketing, radio promotion, music publishing, publicity and more. Teachers and panelists include Laurie Anderson (True Artist Management), Lesley Burbridge Bates (Rogers & Cowan), Mark Funderburg (Word Entertainment), Jeff Gregg (Creative Artists Agency), John Mullins (SESAC), Brad O’Donnell (EMI CMG), Mitchell Solarek (Maximum Artist Group), Nina Williams (Provident Music Group), Jody Williams (BMI) and Holly Zabka (Essential Music Publishing).

Class titles include “I Like Telling People What To Do - The Manager,” “I Love To Close The Sale - The Role of An Agent,” “It All Starts With A Song - The World of Publishing,” “No Publicity Is Bad Publicity - The Publicist,” and “Do Careers Within Record Labels Still Exist? The Future of the Label.” For a full listing of classes, please visit www.experienceimmerse.com.

IMMERSE will also feature nightly concerts by Pillar, KJ-52, Phil Stacey, Leeland, Krystal Meyers and others, along with music row fieldtrips, “speed networking,” artist meet-and-greets and more.

For more information, visit www.experienceimmerse.com or connect to IMMERSE on Facebook and Twitter.


About GMA:

Founded in 1964, the Gospel Music Association serves as the face and voice for the gospel/Christian music community and is dedicated to exposing, promoting and celebrating the gospel through music of all styles including pop, rock, praise & worship, black gospel, R&B, hip hop, southern gospel, country, and more. The GMA community consists of more than 3,000 members including agents, artists, church leaders, managers, promoters, radio personnel, record company executives, retailers, songwriters and other industry visionaries. The GMA produces the GMA Dove Awards, GMA Music Week and the GMA Academy. For more information, please visit www.gospelmusic.org.