Music festivals, record labels, and creating a new pipeline of SDSU students entering the music industry. Since the day I first got to attend the first Aztec Music Group (AMG) informational session on April 30, 2015, AMG has felt something special to me. I would compare it to a great new artist that you discover. Nobody else knows about this artist, but you say to yourself “I can’t wait until this artist's blows up because I am going to be able to say I was there since day one.” Same goes for me, I can’t wait until 10 years from now when I’m able to say I saw the beginning. That I’ve been here since day one.
Aztec Music Group is all about a community of passionate individuals (musicians, artists and business people alike) coming together for the love of music. Making it in the music industry is no doubt competitive. An artist’s work is personal and sometimes sacred. However, in an industry filled with small talk and rejection, we believe that moving as a unit rather than as an individual is more powerful than ever. In the music industry, there is a need and want to say that you are self-made, and you were able to make it despite your friends and family not believing in you. However, the culture of AMG is a desire to believe in you. A desire to invest in you. With that investment comes the risk of setbacks and alienation, but we are here along for the ride.
A year after I attended that informational session, I had the great fortune of becoming the president of the organization. Since I have began my term, AMG has started thinking about a distinct vision not only this year, but for the long term. Five months later, we have a mission and vision that we believe in.
Aztec Music Group will act as the official independent SDSU student music collective that provides entertainment, performance opportunities, and music industry knowledge to the San Diego State University community.
Due to our mission, we focus on the prioritization of creation, education and culture. It is the basis of our meetings, it is the makeup of our group, and it is what we want to provide our community. It is an interesting balance that AMG faces as we look to shape and scope the best of the best SDSU talent, but also engage our surrounding community in a way where the music and what we are doing matters. As an organization that caters to both artists/musicians and those who want to work within the business side of the industry, we face some unique challenges. However, we know that if the above words stay true, we will be headed in the right direction.
We believe this organization is not only a benefit to our members, but benefits the entire SDSU and college area community. Music is the heart of community and people. Once we create a platform for entertainment, performance opportunities and music industry knowledge that harnesses the pulse of the community and people, we believe we will contribute to the overall experience of attending San Diego State University.
To become a leading university-based music business entity that advances SDSU culture and the SDSU student’s pursuit of a career in the music industry.
This is our goal. 5-10 years from now we are focusing on becoming a leading student music business entity in southern California. This means record distribution, song production, publishing, and an annual concert. While we know our goals won’t be accomplished in the 2016-2017 academic year, it is important to focus on setting the foundation to accomplish this vision. If you are part of Aztec Music Group, we hope that you are ambitious, creative and believe in our future. Believe in who we are and what we are about. If you are not part of Aztec Music Group, we hope that the impact of our product/creations can be utilized and enjoyed to the benefit of your college experience. We believe we are shaping the music leaders of tomorrow, and we believe that something as young as our organization has yet to reach its potential.
For this academic year we have several things planned. We plan to bring back our annual Silent Disco, work with the CSU Entertainment Alliance to bring industry professionals on campus, and release our first project as a group. Everything that we were founded on, and the basis of our existence is summarized by our need to bring music to the world around us. At the end of the year, we aim to do just that.
Together we create, together we inspire. Welcome to Aztec Music Group.
Written by Anthony Lee
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