Music 360 is a career hub for musicians designed to help you build a life you love.
All of our resources, programs and work with you are centered on our belief that in order to grow sustainably and intentionally, you must address the many layers of who you are: an artist, human, entrepreneur, creative and so much more.
Co-directed by Ixi Chen, Dr. Tiffany Valvo, and Ted Nelson, we are professional musicians, administrators, coaches, and entrepreneurs that are here to connect you with ideas and people that will amplify your growth.
Things we do:
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Provide free content to help you on your journey on Instagram, through our weekly newsletter and our blog!
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Create awesome resources like our 7-Day Free Email Course
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Run our Thrive Membership, a space where musicians develop their multiple skill sets
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Host events to introduce you to the best creative minds we can find
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Create challenges to help musicians make progress in a specific area with directed, action-oriented lessons and events
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Design digital courses like The Studio Building Masterplan and The Audition Lab
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Coach musicians to build projects, launch their own programs, design their practice & more
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Sell a Musician's Practice Planner to help you build habits for remarkable results!
- Tiffany & Ixi also run the Digital Clarinet Academy, a program of Music360
7 things to know about us!
1. We love what we do
We're here because we want to give you something that opens doors to your learning, that helps you see your musicianship and the world differently and that helps you move forward. Our business is built on YOUR possibilities!
2. Our Programs Will Change You
We offer programs that will make you better. We design trainings to help you evolve faster and adopt a practice that makes you confident in the creative work you are doing. Our programs seek to help you overcome your doubts and take you to the edge of what you're capable of!
3. We've Got Your Back
When you find yourself in "resistance", or can't shake those voices of hesitation, fear or insecurity, we will guide you back to your process, your focus, your creativity and always bring you back to trusting your work!
4. We sell things
Yes, we are a business. We sell training programs, lessons, coaching, consultations, services and design work. Our goal is for everyone to walk away feeling that they got tremendous value, can put lessons into immediate action, and that they signed up with a business that truly cares about them and their dreams.
5. That's so we can deliver a ton of free educational content
We're committed to creating the best content in the performing arts industry! From free resources on our website, to insights, conversations and support in our community, and tips and strategies on social media and in emails, we want to share our experience and knowledge. Our paid programs also support scholarships for those less able or not in a position to fund their studies.
6. You can trust us to overdeliver
We're here to go above and beyond for you. We won't just help you show up for yourself, but find your greatness! We'll take you to the edge of possibility and then some.
7. We are People People
We love our customers and followers. You are the reason we're here! We welcome everyone who wants to do good work, build a powerful network and connect through support and encouragement. We are warm-hearted, but our policy is strict: this is no place for hate, judgement, mean-spirited behavior or dishonesty.
WANT THOSE LONG BIOS?
CO-DIRECTORS OF MUSIC360 INCLUDE:
IXI CHEN (Founder)
Ixi Chen is the Second Clarinetist of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and enjoys a versatile and active career as an orchestral player, chamber musician, artistic director, educator and coach.
Following her studies at the Manhattan School of Music and the University of Southern California, Ms. Chen was appointed by Maestro Paavo Järvi to the position of Second Clarinet of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra in 2002. In 2004, she joined the woodwind faculty of the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, and in 2006, founded the chamber ensemble concert:nova whose fusion of traditional and contemporary elements seeks to cultivate a new audience for music and deeper understanding .
Ms. Chen's commitment to diverse experiences has taken her around the globe. She has performed in music festivals such as the Munich ARD, Aspen, Tanglewood, Evian, Schleswig-Holstein, Rheingau, Jerusalem, Thessoloniki, Saint Petersburg, Mexico City UNAM and the Beijing International Clarinet Festival.
Ms.Chen has trained with Rosario Mazzeo, Gary Gray, David Krakauer, Ricardo Morales, Wolfgang Meyer and Yehuda Gilad. An active presenter and clinician, she presents masterclasses and workshops at universities across the US and abroad. As a Buffet Group and Vandoren Artist, Ms. Chen performs exclusively on Buffet Crampon clarinets and D'Addario reeds.
DR. TIFFANY VALVO
Tiffany Valvo is a clarinetist, educator, and entrepreneur on a mission to empower the next generation of thriving music professionals. Residing in San Francisco, CA, she is the instructor of clarinet at California State University, Stanislaus, and is a marketing professor at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, in addition to being the co-director of Music360 and the Digital Clarinet Academy.
Fueled by teaching and learning, Tiffany has presented on pedagogy at many international conferences with organizations including the International College Music Society, International Clarinet Association, and American Single Reed Summit.
In January 2022, she started in her role as the Social Media & Digital Content Specialist for Cal Performances, the performing arts presenter at the University of California, Berkeley, where she creates digital content and strategy to get people excited about watching and supporting the performing arts!
Formerly, Tiffany was the Assistant Professor of Clarinet at Virginia Commonwealth University for five years. She’s a frequent collaborator with the American Wild Ensemble and Alla Ballena Ensemble and has performed as a soloist with the Richmond Symphony, and with the Rochester Philharmonic and Tallahassee Symphony Orchestras.
Tiffany holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree and Masters degree from the Eastman School of Music and a Bachelors Degree from Florida State University, with additional studies at the Trossingen Hochschule für Musik with Israeli clarinetist Chen Halevi. She is a D'Addario artist and performs on Buffet clarinets.
She loves pens, a good matcha, and beautiful ceramics.
THEODORE NELSON (Founder)
Theodore Nelson is a member of the cello section in the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. Prior to this engagement, Mr. Nelson served as Associate Principal cellist of the Kansas City Symphony for five seasons, and he has also been a member of the Akron Symphony and Toledo Symphony Orchestras in Ohio.
An avid chamber musician, Mr. Nelson has been a member and artistic director of concert:nova for the past 10 seasons. He has performed at the Kneisel Hall Festival in Blue Hill Maine, the Utah Music Festival, and the Johannesen International School of the Arts and Scotia Festival in Canada. While in Kansas City, he performed for the Ruel Joyce Recital Series, the Summerfest Chamber Music series, and was a regular participant with the New Ear Contemporary Music Ensemble. He is a regular participant in the Cincinnati Symphony Chamber Players series, and has appeared as guest artist at the Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music.
A native of Vermont, he received his Bachelor of Music degree at the Eastman School of Music and his Master of Music degree at the Cleveland Institute of Music, where he performed Strauss’ Don Quixote as soloist with the CIM Symphony Orchestra. In 1995, he was invited to participate in the Gregor Piatigorsky Seminar for Cellists at the University of Southern California. His teachers include Alan Harris, Pamela Frame and Elsa Hilger.
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