Preparing Professional Musicians at Fermatta Music Academy

Preparing Professional Musicians at Fermatta Music Academy
Robert Morrison
8/29/2014
Updated:
4/23/2016

Music schools that focus on preparing students for a professional musical career are more relevant than ever in today’s ever evolving music industry. Those that focus solely on traditional, formal musical training are having to play catch up. Or as Jan Carlo DeFan, lead guitarist of Elan and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Fermatta Music Academy, puts it: “In the past anybody with an instrument was called a musician. Becoming an agent or music executive did not require a musical background. However, with new technology and advances in music education, the culture is changing.”

Fermatta Music Academy is a Mexico City-based music school and leader in professional music education and training that has a curriculum that is fully accredited by Mexico’s Secretary of Public Education. At Fermatta, students not only receive formal music education, but they gain valuable performance experience and the ability to compare skills with like-minded musicians. But the academy also instructs its students on many often overlooked facets of the music industry such music direction, composition, production, sound and recording engineering. It also offers training for corporate music careers such as agent, manager or music executive. Since its founding in 1993, Jan Carlo and a group of music industry professionals have worked with Fermatta Music Academy to establish a curriculum that prepares students for various professional music careers.

Fermatta Music Academy began as a small school for contemporary music in Mexico City when it was founded in 1993. But academy was unique because its founders and facility are comprised of award winning musicians and music industry experts. Their knowledge and personal experience transformed the academy into a major educational institution with certificate, undergraduate, and graduate degree programs. The academy’s initial success has led to additional campus locations in Mexico City and Guadalajara, Jan Carlo’s hometown. Today, students have the opportunity to study various forms of contemporary music, engineering and production, composition, voice, and instrumentals. The academy utilizes the latest technologies and tools in classrooms, recording studios and labs to give students hands-on experience and provide them with the tools to become successful in the developing music industry. M-Utveckling Publishing Group produces and distributes the academy’s textbooks and learning materials.

Fermatta’s commitment to professional music education can be seen in its leadership and instructors. Chairman of Fermatta Jan Carlo is known to the public as the lead guitarist of Elan, but he is also an accomplished producer and has held several executive positions. White Stripes guitarist Jack White serves as honorary dean of the academy. Fermatta also counts among its professors and instructors world famous musicians and music professionals. Grammy Award-winning guitarist Steve Vai, Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith, Toto guitarist Steve Lukather, and Eric Clapton’s bassist Nathan East have all taught at the school. Award -winning music engineers Michael Brauer and Eddie Kramer have been instructors at Fermatta.

As today’s music industry continues to grow and evolve, music schools across the world are beginning to understand the need for professional musical education alongside traditional, formal music education. This understanding is epitomized by Fermatta Music Academy, which has been focused on professional musical education since its inception. Good music schools also provide you with the opportunity to work and build relationships with well-known and skilled faculty. These relationships provide students access to the music world they may be able to acquire any other way. And providing practical expertise and exposure to world-class professional musicians is perhaps what Fermatta does best.