Paul Young
Lecturer of Music Industry
Instruments/Expertise: Music Industry, Trombone
paulyoun@usc.edu
LPB G-116
Biography
Dr. Paul Young is a full-time lecturer in the areas of Music Industry Studies and Music Education, and serves as the director of the Music Industry Studies minors program.
Always an accomplished trombonist, Young began leading and booking professional groups from age 13. Earning his bachelor’s of music degree from University of the Pacific in 1993, he majored in Music Business/Management under Dick Etlinger (former attorney for RCA and Casablanca Records) and Don Gorder (founder of Berklee College of Music’s Music Industry program) while performing all four years as the lead trombonist and a regularly featured soloist with the UOP Jazz and Wind ensembles. Upon moving to Los Angeles in 1993, Young started his private teaching studio and performed at night while working by day at Lee Solters Public Relations as a junior publicist for Paul Anka, Michael Jackson’s MJJ Records label and actors from the TV show, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. In 1995, Young joined MCA Records working as a paralegal and a sample use coordinator for new releases by their artists, including Mary J. Blige, Heavy D, Sean “Diddy” Combs and Sublime. Moving over to their Licensing Department in 1997, Young became a licensing contract specialist and royalty collector for the label as they merged with PolyGram Records (later re-named Universal), and produced several compilation records for their re-issue imprint, Hip-O Records. By the time Young left in 2004, he had become director of Licensing and Contract Administration for Universal Music Group (now the largest record label in the world) and a highly in-demand performer and arranger for hire, effectively becoming a working professional in literally all styles of music.
To further his inter-disciplinary musical interests, from 2004-2009 Young attended USC to earn his master’s of music and doctor of musical arts degrees, working closely with professors Bill Watrous, Shelly Berg, Kim Richmond, Terry Cravens, Sheila Woodward, Mark Goldstein and Dick McIlvery. While still a student he served several years as the lead trombonist in the Thornton Jazz Orchestra and as a lecture assistant for the Music Industry Department.
Now a full-time instructor at USC, Young specializes in teaching business and legal aspects of the music industry and general technology classes for future musicians, performers and arrangers. Young is a certified member of the Technology Institute for Music Educators (“TI:ME”), teaches computer music notation classes for the American Federation of Musicians in Hollywood, and is on the board of a charity program run by former music industry professionals to benefit under-funded music education school programs.
Young has performed with countless artists, including Bobby McFerrin, Wynton Marsalis, Dave Brubeck, Bill Watrous, Bill Holman, Gerald Wilson, Les Brown, Med Flory, Steve Miller, Michael Bolton, Stevie Wonder, Take 6, Patti Austin, Wynonna Judd, Natalie Cole, Seth McFarlane and Ron Jones’ orchestra for the TV show Family Guy, and many more. He is a regular member of the John Daversa Progressive Big Band, Tex Beneke Band, Ron King Big Band, Budman-Levy Orchestra, Swing City Orchestra and still freelances regularly throughout Southern California.
