LA Phil to Present First-Ever HACK MUSIC LA at Walt Disney Concert Hall

Continuing its mission to inspire and strengthen communities through the power of music, the LA Phil will present the first-ever Hack Music LA, a multi-disciplinary convening of ideas exploring the intersection of music and technology October 7-8 at Walt Disney Concert Hall.

Inspired by Los Angeles Philharmonic Music & Artistic Director Gustavo Dudamel's belief that "music is a fundamental human right," 75 of the country's most creative musicians, engineers, artists, game makers, filmmakers, and entrepreneurs will come together to create tools and experiences that expand access to music. Teams will compete for two grand prizes: the LA Phil Prize, including $2500 and the opportunity for the winning team to develop its experience or tool with the LA Phil in 2018/2019, and the Kickstarter Prize, providing its winner with $1000 and mentorship from Kickstarter.

Selected through a highly competitive application process, the 75 hackers will include undergraduates, grad students and early-stage creatives from music, engineering, entrepreneurship, and multi-disciplinary programs across the entire country. Participants will create tools or experiences that expand our physical or emotional access to music, and in doing so, inspire authentic connections between people of different backgrounds.

Including all musical genres and disciplines, Hack Music LA will challenge hackers to develop innovations that will bring music to life for people in the classroom, in public spaces, at work, on stages, on the go, or in the virtual world.

Hack Music LA will kick off on Saturday, October 7, and will include tech-inspired performances and lightning keynotes by experts, including Erica Muhl, Founding Executive Director of USC's Iovine and Young Academy; Zach Dunham, Design and Technology Outreach Lead at Kickstarter; and Amy Seidenwurm, VR for Good at Oculus. Participants will form teams Saturday afternoon, October 7, and create their projects through Sunday afternoon, October 8. The weekend will culminate with final pitches streamed over Facebook Live.

Hackers are encouraged to apply beginning August 24 at hackmusicla.com. Applications are due September 10.

Hack Music LA's partners include Kickstarter and Silicon Valley Bank, as well as leading educational institutions across Los Angeles - University of Southern California Iovine and Young Academy, USC Games, USC School of Cinematic Arts, USC Marshall School of Business, USC Thornton School of Music, California Institute of the Arts, Colburn School, and California State University Los Angeles.

For more information, visit hackmusicla.com or follow Hack Music LA on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

The Los Angeles Philharmonic Association, under the vibrant leadership of Music & Artistic Director Gustavo Dudamel, presents an inspiring array of music from all genres - orchestral, chamber and Baroque music, organ and celebrity recitals, new music, jazz, world music and pop - at two of L.A.'s iconic venues, Walt Disney Concert Hall (www.laphil.com) and the Hollywood Bowl (www.hollywoodbowl.com). The LA Phil's season at Walt Disney Concert Hall extends from September through May, and throughout the summer at the Hollywood Bowl. With the preeminent Los Angeles Philharmonic at the foundation of its offerings, the LA Phil aims to enrich and transform lives through music, with a robust mix of artistic, education and community programs.