Mar 16 2018
Arts Entrepreneur Coffee Talk

Arts Entrepreneur Coffee Talk

Presented by Council on Culture & Arts (COCA) at COCA - Council on Culture & Arts

Join COCA every month for an informal get together for Art Entrepreneurs - "Artpreneurs"!

We want to offer a supportive space for the Artpreneur community to come together to share their goals, challenges, and achievements. Everyone could use a little support in their lives and we are happy to help contribute. Artpreneur Coffee Talks will be held on the third Friday of each month at the COCA offices (816 S Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Tallahassee, FL 32311) and is powered by Journeyman Coffee.

This month's guest speaker is local classical guitarist, Ben Lougheed. Ben will discuss his entrepreneurial journey and what it is like to balance all of the aspects of being a working musician.

Register for the event

Learn about the artist:

Classical Guitarist Benjamin Lougheed has made it his mission to share the classical guitar and its music with as many people as he can. Mr. Lougheed believes in the power of music to educate and improve lives as well as its remarkable ability to connect people and he uses his knowledge and talent on the guitar to achieve this goal.

Community engagement is one of Ben’s passions. As the President of the Classical Guitar Society at FSU he has played in and organized dozens of concerts in diverse venues around Tallahassee including churches, hospitals, middle and high schools, restaurants, and on FSU’s beautiful campus. This has provided a wonderful opportunity to connect with people in every walk of life and stimulate a love of guitar music in them.

In his role of President, Ben also works as an administrator. To help members further their own education, he assists in securing funding for numerous members to attend conferences and Festivals. To spread the guitar to even wider audiences, he also produces guitar concerts at FSU, organizing every facet of the process from the contacting of guest artists to booking the halls to promoting the events and obtaining funding.

Inspired by the impact that his numerous teachers had on him, Ben began teaching shortly after finishing high school and has worked with over 100 students from age 4-88. He now has over 25 students and is a registered Suzuki teacher. Helping people of all ages progress both as musicians and as people is the most rewarding thing he has experienced in his life.

In addition to his busy life teaching, leading, and studying, Ben still finds time to perform frequently in and around Northern Florida, sharing his music in many environments. He regularly plays at corporate events, weddings, awards ceremonies, and social events.

Furthermore, not satisfied with the traditional classical music environment, he co-founded a chapter of Classical Revolution in 2014 and works as one of the artistic directors for the organization which has now given more than 25 concerts showcasing the talents of over 100 different performers and has become a fixture in the Tallahassee music scene. One of Ben’s proudest contributions to this venture has been that each and every concert has featured at least one guitarist, bringing the instrument’s wonderful music to even more people.

Mr. Lougheed is also one of the Co-Directors of the Florida Guitar Festival and Competition. In two incredibly successful years, which both came in under budget, the Festival has included masterclasses, concerts, lectures, a guitar showcase, and a competition with individuals from around the world. Ben and his associates are now planning the third year of the Festival.

Ben began his guitar study at the age of six with notable Suzuki pedagogue Marylou Roberts. He then earned his Bachelor of Music in Guitar Performance from the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University, studying with department chair Julian Gray. He completed his Masters of Music in Guitar Performance at Florida State, under the tutelage of Bruce Holzman, who was recently inducted into the Guitar Foundation of

America Hall of Fame. Currently, Ben is continuing his studies with Mr. Holzman while completing his Doctorate of Music in Guitar Performance from FSU. He has also participated in master classes with several of the most accomplished guitarists in the world, including Jason Vieaux, Denis Azabagic, Alvaro Pierri, Judicael Perroy and Paul Galbraith.

 

For more details please contact Megan O'Neill at megan@tallahasseearts.org or call 850-224-2500.

 

Admission Info

FREE

Dates & Times

2018/03/16 - 2018/03/16

Location Info

COCA - Council on Culture & Arts

914 Railroad Avenue, Tallahassee, FL 32301

Parking Info

Parking spaces in the COCA/Domi Station lot