New book charts the first thirty years of recorded music
St. Paul, MinN. - With a career in the music business spanning nearly three decades, including senior-level positions at A&M, GRP, and BMG records and teaching posts at Fairfield and New York Universities, McNally Smith College
of Music’s David Steffen has used his vast knowledge and experience in
the industry to author his first book: From Edison to Marconi: the First Thirty
Years of Recorded Music.
Published by McFarland & Company, From Edison to Marconi documents the
astonishing and imaginative technological breakthroughs and fascinating personalities
that invented the popular music industry.
Steffen, McNally Smith’s Chair of the Music Business Department, joined
the college in January, 2004 to develop one of the country’s best music
business programs and ensure that students would gain the necessary educational
muscle to access industry opportunities post graduation.
At A&M Records, where he spent the majority of his career, Steffen was
Senior Vice President, Sales & Distribution. He went on to be Senior Vice
President and General Manager of BMG Video, an American division of BMG Records,
where he coordinated music video releases and developed new film projects. During
his tenure, Steffen worked with Sting, The Police, Janet Jackson, Supertramp,
Herb Alpert, Bryan Adams, George Benson, Amy Grant and Diana Krall.
“Edison’s ‘Talking Machine’ was the revolution that
led to today’s mp3, and radio remains a powerful global force,”
remarks Steffen. “The music industry is built on creative, technical,
and entrepreneurial innovations. My students at McNally Smith demonstrate this
to me every day.”
McNally Smith is known for faculty and staff that excel in and out of the classroom.
From Edison to Marconi is another in a long list of achievements by internationally
accomplished faculty members that set McNally Smith apart from traditional music
colleges and trade schools.
About McNally Smith College
of Music
McNally Smith College of Music offers degrees in Music Performance, Recording
Technology, and Music Business. Founded in 1985, the accredited, Saint Paul,
Minnesota-based college features uniquely personalized instruction and a Northern
European annex, providing its 450+ students with an authentic American popular
music education. www.mcnallysmith.edu
