HOW TO MAXIMIZE MUSIC AT CORPORATE EVENTS

By Jeremy Dobrish

What do Bruce Springsteen, Eric Clapton, Stevie Wonder B.B. King, Jon Bon Jovi, INXS, Queen, and Air Supply have in common? Some of the biggest names in the history of modern music? Well, yes, but they've also had the pleasure of working with Mike Mancini or MiG Ayesa. Mike and MiG are experts at bringing music to corporate events.

I asked them why we need music at corporate events, anyway:

MiG: “Music adds excitement and spice to an event. And also, I think one of the major things is that it shows that the organizer or the creators of this event really care about the attendees by taking the time to create something more of a relaxed atmosphere, more pleasant atmosphere. People feel special that they're part of this event.”

Mike: “Music is the expression of human emotion. And so it's not only about pumping up the people it's also about, you could write a piece of music for a video presentation that accentuates what you're trying to explain, whether it be something serious, whether it be something sad, whether it be something motivational. So I look at it more like it's a way to express human emotion. So it doesn't always have to be, ‘Hey, let's party’. It could also be like, this is a really serious moment right now, so let's underscore that with some music.”

And what about for virtual events? How does music play a part then?:

MiG: “In some ways it may even work better in the virtual realm as far as the desired effect, because at least when you're doing in-person events, you've gone to a ballroom, you've gone to a convention center and you think, oh, this is exciting, that sense of occasion is already there.”

One of the challenges in the virtual world is dealing with the latency issue which prevents musicians from being able to play together. But MiG says they’re working on it:

MiG: “We're actually going to be trialing this machine called real-time audio. And this company that makes this sync box. And this will be a game changer.”

In terms of technology, Mike got excited about a recent art exhibit and wondered about bringing elements of what he experienced to the corporate world:

Mike: “Something that really inspired me was the Van Gogh immersive experience, which is this exhibit that travels around the country and you walk into it and it is a 360 digital representation of Van Gogh's life. And there's this beautiful score in 3D playing around it. Even the floor is lit up and some of his paintings and artwork reflect on your body. That really got me excited. Like I'm thinking maybe you could designate a room somewhere and actually have that relate to the client's needs.”

Mike and MiG both have extensive experience with employee talent. In fact, that’s the aspect of their job that means the most to them:

Mike: “It sounds corny, but you really do change their lives. And there are some situations where the production values, the people around them, the way that they get treated by the company - you'll never have that experience ever again.”

MiG: “We give them the opportunity, the ability, the permission to shine, so to speak. And we see that from the beginning. They're a bit tentative and inhibited. By the end of our session, you basically can't sit them down. You can't stop them.. It makes us feel like, wow, this is why we do what we do.”

Mike and MiG had lots to say about new technologies, ideas they’re interested in trying, and even why it would be so cool to see Bono interview Elon Musk.

If you want to hear more about how to maximize music at corporate events, listen to the full episode.