John Wittmann - Director of Artist Relations and Education
AR Responsibilities:
- Woodwinds
- Brass
- Strings
- Percussion
The mission of Yamaha Artist Services Indianapolis (YASIN) is to promote Yamaha’s Band and Orchestral Division as the Nation’s leader in music education, while positioning Yamaha Artists as one of our strongest assets.
YASIN is responsible for Yamaha’s Band and Orchestral Artists, including brass, woodwinds, strings and percussion. YASIN is proud to have some of the finest musicians in the world representing all genres of music, including blues, classical, jazz and rock. Our roster is comprised of educators, professional performers, and influential musicians. Yamaha Artists appear everywhere from rock venues to symphony halls, jazz clubs to conservatories, drum corps to music festivals.
Yamaha is dedicated to education and incorporates artists in our educational programs. They present clinics worldwide, appear with the Yamaha Young Performing Artists Program, instruct at our Sounds of Summer percussion camps, and many are featured clinicians at Music for All festivals and U.S. band events. We link hundreds of artists with band directors and music students across the country.
Additional efforts of the office include communication with artists, leveraging of artist assets, artist roster management, web and social media oversight, instrument assistance, managing the YASIN Internship Program, and furthering Yamaha’s music education initiatives. One of YASIN’s crucial responsibilities is to act as a bridge between Yamaha Corporation and Yamaha Artists.
The quality of Yamaha Band & Orchestral Instruments are a result of years of interaction between artists and designers. Yamaha has established a trusted dialogue with our artists and it is through this dialogue that the refinement of some of the best instruments on the planet exist. Artist involvement in product development, corporate representation and education is of highest priority to us. We are proud to support the artists who represent us day in and day out as they expose the credibility of our musical instruments. Yamaha Artists worldwide take the title of "Yamaha Performing Artist" very seriously because they know that they represent an elite group of gifted musicians as well as the team of designers responsible for their instruments.
Yamaha Artist Services Indianapolis is located in Music for All’s National Headquarters in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana. We reside in historic union station, which is the oldest union station in the United States.
Endorsements
The first steps to an endorsement is for you to have an established music career and to love and play Yamaha exclusively. If you currently play Yamaha instruments and know that they are your first choice of musical expression, you may consider applying for a Yamaha artist designation. It is necessary for a person to have an established career in the music industry if he or she wishes to be considered as a Yamaha artist. By its definition, an endorsement is when an artist fully commits and stands by a particular product. In other words, that particular product is the best and only product an artist wants to use.
From a business standpoint, a manufacturer endorses an artist because that artist is popular enough to influence many consumers. In other words, the manufacturer receives more product sales due to the overwhelming amount of exposure from the artist.
Through this mutual relationship, Yamaha does not serve as a booking agency or management service. We simply offer sound advice and solid referrals, but it is incumbent on the artist to define and propel his or her career. Although Yamaha is unable to provide free instruments or pay artists to play our products, our artists are offered exclusive artist pricing and specialized services through our ateliers in New York and Los Angeles. We take great pride in our artist roster, which is comprised of some of the best musicians on the planet.
Here are some of the considerations for our endorsements:- Instrumentalist with a nationally recognized symphony orchestra, ensemble, or band
- Full or part time position at a university or music school
- Teaching credentials from an accredited university or music school
- Record sales approaching Gold status or above
- Television, studio, movie and video credits
- Participation in high visibility tours
- Yamaha Player - Does the artist already play Yamaha? We love signing artists who truly believe in our product and have already chosen Yamaha to represent their musical voice.
- Popularity - As listed above, an artist’s popularity is essential. Will he or she influence the buying public?
- Talent - We uphold the quality of the many talented artists on our roster. Because of this philosophy, we are honored to have legends and longevity on our roster.
- Personality - Each and every Yamaha artist has their own personality and we take great pride in our roster. We remain very selective about who is chosen. Receiving a Yamaha endorsement is being accepted into our family.
Application Process
In order for us to begin your application process, we will need to receive a completed promotional package from you.
The package should include the following:- Official Yamaha B&O Artist Endorsement Application
- Resume
- Performance Bio
- Discography
- Current recordings (CD, DVD, MP3)
To receive a copy of the official Yamaha B&O Application or if you have any questions, please email jgascho@yamaha.com.
Please keep in mind that sending the URL of your website does not serve as a promotional package. We do accept Electronic Press Kits (EPK), but still require the application to be filled out. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
If you are interested in support as an artist/clinician, you must also include:- One-page clinic outline
- Video of a recently presented clinic
- Information on your clinic fees
Please send all information to the following address:
Yamaha Artist Services Indianapolis
Attn: Jalissa Gascho
39 West Jackson Place, Suite 150
Indianapolis, IN 46225
Once we receive your materials, we will respond as promptly as possible. Thank you for your patience.