Professional Music Leadership Speaker Series

Professional Music at The Creative School is bringing together world-class musicians, visionaries and thought leaders with a new Leadership Speaker Series (external link) . From legendary artists to front-line executives, each speaker will share their unique insights, personal journeys, and groundbreaking strategies which have propelled them to the forefront of the music world. The three year Speaker Series will first feature five speakers over the course of seven months. Professional Music students will also be able to meet the speakers in a more intimate setting. 

The inaugural year of the series will showcase the following speakers: 

Bob Lefsetz - September 19, 1:00 p.m.

Bob Lefsetz (external link)  is the author of “The Lefsetz Letter.” Famous for being beholden to no one and speaking the truth, Lefsetz addresses the issues that are at the core of the music business: downloading, copy protection, pricing and the music itself. His intense brilliance captivates readers from Steven Tyler to Rick Nielsen to Bryan Adams to Quincy Jones to EVERYBODY who’s in the music business. Never boring, always entertaining, Bob’s insights are fueled by his stint as an entertainment business attorney, majordomo of Sanctuary Music’s American division and consultancies to major labels. 

Julien Christian Lutz P.K.A. Director X - September 26, 6:30 p.m.

Julien Christian Lutz P.K.A. Director X (external link)  is one of the most iconic music video directors of our time, known for his work with Drake, Rihanna, Rosalia, Kendrick Lamar, and Kanye West, among many others, he has been nominated and received many accolades for his work. Using his platform for social change, Julien founded Operation Prefrontal Cortex, an initiative created to reduce Toronto’s gun violence through mindfulness and meditation. A highly intelligent speaker, Julien’s talks hit on creativity, innovation, wellness, and community, and how bettering ourselves and those around us is the way to ensure a more peaceful, compassionate world.

Lindsay Unwin - November 21, 1:00 p.m.

Lindsay Unwin (external link)  is an accomplished music executive and the current COO of SALXCO, a leading music management company home to The Weeknd, Swedish House Mafia, Diddy, Brandy, French Montana, Metro Boomin and more. With over 15 years of experience in the industry, Lindsay has worked alongside the CEO & Founder, Wassim “Sal” Slaiby, since the company’s inception, starting as its very first employee. Lindsay’s impact and leadership have been widely recognized, and she has recently been named on Billboard’s 40 under 40 and Women in Music lists. Her innovative approach and exceptional business acumen make her a highly respected figure in the music industry as she continues to lead SALXCO to new heights of success.

Buffy Sainte-Marie - January 19, 2:00 p.m. (virtual)

Buffy Sainte-Marie (external link)  is touring constantly, and coming off her critically acclaimed, award-winning 2015 album Power in the Blood, nobody could ever accuse the Academy Award-winning songwriter of taking it easy. Since her groundbreaking debut, 1964’s It’s My Way!, the Cree singer-songwriter has been a trailblazer and a tireless advocate, an innovative artist, and a disruptor of the status quo. Sainte-Marie has spent her whole life creating, and her artistry, humanitarian efforts, and Indigenous leadership have made her a unique force in the music industry. She is an icon who keeps one foot firmly planted on either side of the North American border, in the unsurrendered territories that comprise Canada and the USA.

Christian McBride - March 26, 1:00 p.m.

Christian McBride (external link)  moved to New York in 1989 to pursue classical studies at the Juilliard School. There he was promptly recruited to the road by saxophonist Bobby Watson. Call it a change in curriculum: a decade’s worth of study through hundreds of recording sessions and countless gigs with an ever-expanding circle of musicians. He was finding his voice, and others were learning to listen for it. He has since been named Artistic Director of the Jazz Aspen Snowmass Summer Sessions (2000), co-director of the National Jazz Museum in Harlem (2005), and the Second Creative Chair for Jazz of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association (2005). Currently he hosts and produces “The Lowdown: Conversations With Christian” on SiriusXM satellite radio and National Public Radio’s “Jazz Night in America,” a weekly radio show and multimedia collaboration between WBGO, NPR and Jazz at Lincoln Center. 

The Creative School at Toronto Metropolitan University

The Creative School is a dynamic faculty that is making a difference in new, unexplored ways. Made up of Canada’s top professional schools and transdisciplinary hubs in media, communication, design and cultural industries, The Creative School offers students an unparalleled global experience in the heart of downtown Toronto.