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IDAGIO presents a new online Academy

Insights

 

The Classical Music Platform ventures in education- for professionals and amateurs alike

 

Following extensive research, Classical Music service IDAGIO will present online lessons to its subscribers- taught by artists present on IDAGIO. WFIMCnow talked to IDAGIO talked to Vanda Gaidamovic, the driving force behind the new IDAGIO Academy.

 WFIMC: Please tell us a few things about yourself and how you found your way to IDAGIO.

Vanda Gaidamovic: My background is in performing arts production, but in the recent years I pivoted fully to music education and education technology (EdTech) more broadly. I happen to be one of the co-founders of OAcademy Music Conservatory - a remote-first program with the mission to shake up traditional music education and make top-notch training affordable, accessible, and career-focused. After learning about IDAGIO Academy from a mutual friend, I immediately felt drawn to this new venture. I was thrilled to be invited to work on the development of the platform and to supervise its vision and execution. I witnessed firsthand how technology can open up learning opportunities and career paths for people, and am excited about this new chapter at IDAGIO, which has already built one of the most beloved classical music streaming platforms in the world. 
 

 

Vanda Gaidamovic. ©IDAGIO

What is the IDAGIO Academy going to be like? Who is it for? Who will be teaching?

We built IDAGIO Academy with our community of passionate listeners in mind. We know that 50% of our subscribers play an instrument or sing, and a huge number have expressed interest in studying with IDAGIO Academy. 

Our platform will help match our enthusiastic learner community with Teaching Artists of the highest caliber. At the same time, we want the platform to be a place where everyone, no matter where they live or their level of playing, finds a Teaching Artist to help them reach their learning goals. 

In terms of the Teaching Artists - we're all about shining a spotlight on the rising stars in the music world. We see this as an opportunity to give rising talent exposure and audience. So it’s a win-win: young musicians can put themselves out there, build direct relationships with classical music fans, and earn extra income while teaching, whereas our learners get to deepen their appreciation for the repertoire they love and listen to on IDAGIO by advancing their own instrument and performance skills. 


What do I need to do in order to apply? What is it going to cost me?


While we welcome any actively performing artists to apply to teach on IDAGIO Academy, our team handpicks the Teaching Artists to feature based on things like where they are in their career. To apply, the artists are welcome to fill out the interest form or reach out to me directly at vanda.gaidamovicatidagio.com. 

It costs absolutely nothing to apply or to set up a Teaching Artists profile. The Teaching Artists decide how much they want to teach, how often, how much to charge for lessons, and what level of students they feel most comfortable teaching. We estimate that these teaching gigs can earn our Teaching Artists up to an additional 10,000 EUR annually, given they are able to give regular 2-4 lessons a week. 

Why do you think people are still interested in online lessons after covid? What gave you the impetus to start this project?

Our lives are increasingly online. I remember seeing this research somewhere that predicts that by 2030 the offline-to-online ratio when it comes to our social, professional, and leisure life will be 90% to 10% in favor of digital. Scary? Perhaps. But the classical music industry, whether we like it or not, must be part of that digital life. Now is the time to start building the know-how, the relationships, and the infrastructure to thrive in these digital spaces, instead of playing catch up. And platform like IDAGIO Academy is a great place to start. Furthermore, online music education, when done right, gives us unprecedented global reach, scale, and access to those who might be too far away or too busy to engage with us through traditional in-person channels. 


 When will the project be launched? If I/my organisation is interested in taking part, what should I do?

IDAGIO Academy is launching in mid-October. We're currently onboarding Teaching Artists from partnering mentorship programs for young artists and competitions. We believe competitions have an opportunity to support a wider network of 'alumni' and not just laureates - past and future finalists, semi-finalists, and those who've graced their stage over the years - by sharing all kinds of career opportunities. And IDAGIO Academy is a step in this direction. 

Our focus right now is on Piano, Violin, Composition, Cello, and Voice, so if any of the Federation member organizations want to join forces in supporting their artists, please feel free to reach out directly to vanda.gaidamovicatidagio.com, or circulate this Teaching Artist Deck with your networks. 

 

©WFIMC 2023/FR