Mike Viola Holds Concert and Master Class

November 19 - Songwriter Mike Viola returns to Cal Poly Pomona for a benefit concert and songwriting master class. Proceeds will fund scholarships for students in the music industry studies program. The concert is $15 general admission and $10 students. The master class is free.

Songwriter Mike Viola in Concert
Thursday, November 19, 8 p.m.
Music Recital Hall
Tickets are $15 general admission, $10 for students
Purchase tickets online at http://csupomona.tix.com or through the Publicity Office, Building 24, room 142.

Master Class
Thursday, November 19, 3 to 5 p.m.
Music Recital Hall
Mike Viola will hold a songwriting master class with Professor Arthur Winer. The master class is open to the public.

About Mike Viola
Mike Viola is best known as the musical architect of the Candy Butchers, a highly regarded pop-rock band from New York City that recorded three critically-acclaimed albums for Sony. The success of the Candy Butchers in the 1990s led to multiple appearances on “Late Night with Conan O’Brien” and “Last Call with Carson Daly.” The group also toured alongside other musical groups such as They Might Be Giants, Robyn Hitchcock, Semisonic, Sparklehorse and Barenaked Ladies.

In 2005, Viola formed his own record label, Good Morning Monkey Records. He has since released two albums: Just Before Dark, which was recorded live at the Los Angeles club Largo, and Lurch. Viola was the co-producer and lead singer (off-screen) of the Oscar-nominated and Grammy-winning title track from the movie “That Thing You Do!” More recently, Viola wrote and co-wrote songs for the film “Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story.”

Viola is a sought-after producer for recording artists. He produced and co-wrote songs for Mandy Moore’s album “Amanda Leigh,” released in September. He has also collaborated or worked as a producer with Inara George, Tim Christensen, Dan Bern, Steve McEwan, Kelly Jones, Ryan Adams, Drake Bell, Bleu, Adam Schlesinger, John C. Reilly, Mary Wood, Sam Bisbee, The Gentlemen, John Wesley Harding and Ben Romans.

About the Music Industry Studies Program
The rapidly growing Music Industry Studies (MIS) program at Cal Poly Pomona includes two-thirds of the music department’s 265 undergraduates. The program’s wide-ranging curriculum provides a foundation in music theory, history, performance, production, recording technology and business, as well as a well-rounded university education.

MIS students tailor their studies to emphasize in music business, production or recording. In preparation for careers in music, students complete internships in the industry. For questions about the MIS program, contact Winer at (909) 869-3412 or ahwiner@csupomona.edu.