Deborah H. How

About Deborah H. How

Deborah H. How received her BA in Humanities (Major: Music, Minor: Theater–Scenic Design) from Swarthmore College, MA from the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music (Ethnomusicology: Kabuki Theater), PhD from the USC Thornton School of Music (Musicology: 12-Tone Theory), and MBA from the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst. She is the owner of the Westside Music Conservatory in West Los Angeles (Brentwood), where she maintains an active piano, flute, chamber music, and music theory studio with national and international competition winners.As a pianist, harpsichordist, flutist, and piccoloist, Dr. How enjoys playing chamber music with her ensemble group, Passacaglia. She frequently concertizes for fundraising events and has appeared as a concerto soloist (piano, flute) with the Culver City Chamber Orchestra, San Fernando Valley Symphony Orchestra, Los Angeles Doctors Symphony Orchestra, Formosa Chamber Orchestra, and Two Cranes International Music Festival Orchestra. Her piano teachers include Sharon Lipman and Dr. Charles Abramovic, and she has been coached by Antoinette Perry. Her flute teachers include Leslie Weinberg and Marcia Tallant Goodman, and she has been coached by Dr. Rik Noyce.Dr. How is widely known as a connection builder and fundraising architect for nonprofit arts organizations and is a member of the MTNA (Music Teachers National Association) Business Resource Network. She is the CEO/Co-Founder of several small consulting companies, including Pagoda Artworks (IT/website/graphic design), Musical Etudes (music education software), and Bravura Innovations (management/marketing/branding solutions). Committed to community service, Dr. How is the President/Co-Founder of the Westside Music Foundation (501c3) and currently sits on the boards of SCJBF (Southern California Junior Bach Festival), SYMF (Southwestern Youth Music Festival), MTAC (Music Teachers\' Association of California) Santa Monica Bay Branch, and the Vicente Chamber Orchestra.

Experience

1. Chief Executive Officer (Co-founder & Managing Partner)

   Bravura Innovations

   Mar 2013 — Present · Santa Monica, CA, US

   innovations offers virtuoso solutions for the Performing Artsthrough inspired ideas and technology integration.DIVISIONSBRAVURA INNOVATIONS SOLUTIONS - Consulting for the Performing ArtsServices include:Management, Marketing, & Branding Solutionsfor Performing Artists & Performing Arts OrganizationsBusiness Planning & Developmentfor Teachers & StudiosOrganizational Strategy & DevelopmentTechnology IntegrationWebsite Design & Re-DesignBudgeting, Accounting, & BookkeepingFundraising & Event PlanningBRAVURA INNOVATIONS TECHNOLOGYDeveloping content delivery systems to compliment our consulting work in management, marketing, branding, and social music making.SOCIAL MUSIC WORKS - Global Accessibility of Music through InnovationSocial Music Works is dedicated to exploring global accessibility and creating community building through music making.Programs include:International Video Upload CompetitionCreativity in Music ProjectMusic-Making Events

Education

• Isenberg School of Management, UMass Amherst

  Master of Business Administration (MBA)

  2015

• Swarthmore College

  Bachelor of Arts (BA) in the Humanities, Honors Program: Music & Theater

• University of Southern California

  Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Music, Historical Musicology: Schoenberg Twelve-Tone Theory

  2009

• Santa Monica High School

  High School Diploma

• UCLA

  Master of Arts (MA) in Music, Ethnomusicology: Music of Asian Theater

Skills

• Music
• Chamber Music
• Pianist
• Piano
• Flute
• Flutist
• Ethnomusicology
• Musicology
• Keyboard Literature
• Music Theory
• Harmony & Counterpoint
• Music History
• Non-Profits
• Association Management
• Arts Administration
• Strategic Financial Planning
• Social Media Marketing
• Website Development
• Fundraising
• College Counseling
• College Applications
• Alumni Relations
• Event Planning
• Event Management
• Team Management
• Team Leadership
• Team Building
• Virtual Teams
• Harmony
• Music Education
• Keyboards
• Classical
• Composition
• Piano Education
• Performing Arts
• Nonprofits
• Ensemble
• Musicians
• Orchestral Music
• Public Speaking