Polyphonic HMI

Gerd (44) is a respected digital music expert, futurist and often-quoted visionary and thought-leader. He is well-known as a music industry innovator, a sought-after strategic adviser and music industry 'super-node', with a background as a performer (guitar), writer, and producer. A native of Germany, Gerd has spent almost twenty years in the music, e-commerce, and entertainment-technology industries, and is equally at home in the U.S. as well as in Europe. He currently resides in Basel, Switzerland and recently co-authored the book "The Future of Music" (Berklee Press, Boston, www.futureofmusicbook.com). He lectures extensively at tradeshows, conferences, think-tanks and leading events around the world, as well as on podcasts and Net forums such as ITConversations, Corante and ‘Inside Digital Media’.

During the dotcom 'fat years', Gerd was the Founder and President/CEO of LicenseMusic.com, Inc. in San Francisco, an influential start-up that revolutionized the process of music licensing and B2B transactions for labels and publishers. He now is the Founder and CEO of ThinkAndLink (TAL), a boutique strategic advisory agency based in Basel / Switzerland and San Francisco, collaborating with Kelli Richards’ AllAccess Group. TAL connects people, ideas, companies, and resources in the converging sectors of entertainment and technology; clients include companies such as Media Rights Technologies, Bluebeat, PassAlong Networks, SUISA, BerkleeMusic, Gracenote, Sony Net Services / StreamMan, Mercora, PassAlong Networks, Musicrypt, and many others. Gerd is also the Founder, Chairman and Executive Producer of the annual Popkomm “Innovations in Music & Entertainment Awards” (IMEA; Sept 14, 2005 in Berlin, see www.popkommawards.com for more details), and works with many cutting-edge start-ups and new ventures in the entertainment and technology industries worldwide.

In the 90s, Gerd served as the Executive Producer of the pan-European talent event EuroPopDays, as Expert Advisor on the Cultural Industries to the European Commission in Brussels (1993-1996), and as Senior Strategic Adviser to Rightscom Ltd. (London). In the 80s Gerd graduated with a diploma in Jazz Performance (Guitar) from Boston's Berklee College of Music (1987), and won the college's highly acclaimed Quincy Jones Jazz Masters Award. His performance credits include touring internationally, including opening engagements for major acts such as Miles Davis. Gerd has been quoted in Billboard, Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, The San Francisco Chronicle, Business2.0, The Wall Street Journal, the BBC Online, NBC, and Wired, and continues to speak, moderate, and/or present at the music and media industry's biggest events. He publishes his thoughts on digital music on his blog at www.musiclikewater.com

2005/2006 marks the 50th anniversary of Lorin Hollander's Carnegie Hall debut at the age of eleven, the beginning of his continuous professional career spanning five decades. He was an infant child prodigy who composed music at age three and performed the Well-Tempered Clavier of Bach at five. He has performed with virtually every major symphony orchestra in the world and is a veteran of nearly 2,500 performances: with orchestra, in recital, lecture/recital, chamber ensemble as pianist, symphony and choral conductor. He has collaborated with Bernstein, Mehta, Ozawa, Monteux, Szell, Leinsdorf, Slatkin, Previn, Schwarz, Levine, Kirchner, Haitink, Fleisher, and Ormandy among many others. He had his own national recital series on PBS and performed in the soundtrack of "Sophie's Choice." His mentors were Steuermann, Rudolf and Fleisher and he spent two summers at Marlboro performing with Serkin and Casals. Over the years he has appeared repeatedly with the symphony orchestras of New York, Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Cleveland, Detroit, St. Louis, Seattle, Dallas, San Antonio and the National Symphony of Washington DC. His international performances have included the London Philharmonic, the Concertgebouw of Amsterdam, L'Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Warsaw Philharmonic, the Berlin Symphony, Jerusalem Symphony, ORTF of Paris, New Tokyo Philharmonic and Seoul Philharmonic among many others. He appears often on Ocean Cruise Ships as pianist, conductor, lecturer, mentor for University Study Abroad programs; he serves as festival coordinator and even as on-shore tour guide exploring the historical perspectives of Art, Science and Religion. He has recorded for RCA Victor, Columbia, Angel and Delos and PianoDisc.

For over 30 years he has led community outreach and university residencies giving master classes, conducting youth orchestras, counseling students, guiding the gifted, holding seminars on stagefright and training mentors for the arts and sciences. He performs in the workplace, for lifelong learners, in hospitals, prisons, for hospice and with people at risk. Hollander also lectures on, and leads explorations of, human consciousness and creativity, transpersonal psychology, transformational education and mentoring, spiritual and personal growth and integral health. He investigates how we may end and prevent the violent, criminal and suicidal dysfunctions of our children, (Columbine High) while empowering our senior citizens to become true mentors and Elders. He sheds new light on the relevance of sacred and ancient knowledge. He works with corporate leaders on the process of transformation in the workplace and explores in depth a multi-cultural understanding of the nature of being human.

Jeffrey Weber is a twenty-eight year music industry professional. He has produced over 150 CDs with releases on just about every major label as well as a host of independent labels. Along the way, his projects have yielded two Grammys, seven Grammy nominations, at least seventeen top ten albums, two number one albums and an assortment of other honors.

Jeff is a former member of the Board of Governors of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS) as well as a former National Trustee and Chapter Vice President.

Jeffrey is well known for his involvement in high technology recording techniques, especially live two track recording, live multi-track and digital recording. Because of their sonic excellence, his recordings have been repeatedly selected by major hardware manufacturers (Sony, Toshiba, Threshold, Boston Acoustics, Jeff Rowland, Martin-Logan, Psion, to name a few), to demonstrate their product lines.

Founder and President of Weberworks Entertainment. During his twenty-eight year career, he has founded, ran or participated in various label capacities from A&R, Music Supervision for film and TV, Production, Interactive Programming, Marketing, Sales, International Relations, Business Affairs and Art Director for independent labels.

His productions have also appeared on every major label including MCA, Warner Bros., Atlantic, BMG, Columbia, A&M, Elektra as well as such labels as GRP, Hip-O, Sheffield, Concord, Bainbridge, Silver Eagle, Zebra, among countless others.

Jeff is also very active as a music supervisor for film, television and cable. In addition to music production, Jeff has spent over fifteen years behind the microphone as a voice-over talent for commercials, cartoons, industrial films, infomercials, live web broadcasting, and television.

He co-founded and programmed Studio M, a nationwide broadcast television network that utilized their growing 28,000 music video library to broadcast multiple genre based music video shows. It was on the air seven days a week, for five hours a day to an estimated audience of thirty million homes.

Jeff has also worked with companies such as Global Music One, Media X and Music Co.JP developing content and marketing tools for the convergence of music and emerging technology, most specifically dealing with the changing face of physical and non-physical based music distribution.

Well versed in video production, Jeff has written, produced and directed over two-dozen music videos. He has been a music journalist with articles in major industry publications nationwide. He has received numerous awards as an art director and many of his album cover designs have been published in ”Best of...” annual publications. As an educator, he has taught courses on the music industry at universities and law schools across the country.

Osman Kent, an accomplished musician and producer recently elected to become a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts in the UK, is a seasoned high technology entrepreneur who has founded and led successful technology start-ups since 1983 on both sides of the Atlantic. Most recently Osman was the founder and CEO of 3Dlabs - a NASDAQ listed semiconductor company which pioneered the 3D graphics revolution on the PC.

As the founder and CEO of 3Dlabs - at one time one of the fastest growing companies in Silicon Valley, whose products were used in the making of films like Titanic and The Matrix – Osman pioneered and revolutionised 3D computer graphics on the PC.

When 3Dlabs was sold in 2002 to Creative Technology Ltd (of SoundBlaster fame) in a multi-millionaire deal, Osman left the company after almost 20 years, giving him the time and the resources to put his heart and soul into his first love – music.

Osman Kent, is Founder and CEO of Songphonic Records , a Label with the mission of providing an artistic and commercial platform to develop quality contemporary music for discerning listeners.

The label is currently incubating four artists and just released its first album, ‘And How’ by the singer/songwriter Xanda Howe. This CD is a collection of 11 adult contemporary songs co-written by Xanda and produced by Osman. The album has received critical acclaim from various online and print media and is distributed by Universal in the UK and EMI in Osman’s native Turkey. Songphonic's catalog is also available worldwide through reputable download services such as iTunes and Napster

Hailed by the Turkish media as the next Arif Mardin (the veteran Turkish-born record producer whose credits include Aretha Franklin, Dusty Springfield and more recently Norah Jones) Osman, humbled by the analogy, is focused on becoming a better all round producer

Osman has now embarked on a mission in music with the birth of Songphonic Records, fulfilling a life long ambition after an intermission of thirty years.

William A. Nazaret has spent its professional life sailing through the confluence of three different oceans: Music, Technology and Business Development. He holds a Ph.D. degree from the University of California, Berkeley. After a successful early professional career in AT&T Bell Labs, he turned his efforts to the development of new products and businesses in the areas of telecommunications, internet and digital media. He participated in his first successful IPO in 1993 and from there he went on to become partner of several successful new ventures.

Currently William is the founder of Carijazz Productions, a company dedicated to the discovery, production and launching of alternative latin artists. He has been the CEO of two very successful GSM operators in Latin America: DIGITEL AND DIGICEL.

He has been the producer of artists like: SAXOMANIA – Salsa Jazz Band, GOYO and La Timba Loca. He comments and writes occasionally for music publications and radio stations.

Peter Swartling is internationally renowned for his A&R talent and has enjoyed more than a decade of major success nurturing and developing superstar talent. He is known as one of Scandinavia's greatest trendsetters; by changing the mass market appeal, the sounds in vogue and music marketing methods, Peter has gained a reputation as the most influential A&R of the last decade in Scandinavia and is responsible for the acceptance of Soul/R&B and Hip-Hop/Rap music in Sweden. In 1996 Peter, together with Max Martin and Denniz Pop, created the Swedish R&B/Pop sound that has since ruled the worldwide charts. The release "Robyn is Here" was the team's first US hit, with a string of #1s to follow.

Peter Swartling has spent his career finding, developing, nurturing and impacting talent worldwide. His revolutionary thinking and marketing helped break borders with artists like Robyn, who continues to enjoy significant worldwide success today. He has also been instrumental in guiding the careers of songwriters/producers Gerry DeVaux, Anders Bagge of Murlyn Music, Nicole Renee, Billy York and founded DZI Works Inc. DZI has an A&R consulting contract with Sony Music and is currently representing the following producers: Supa'flyas, Ghost, Dalos, Webb & Collén, Blaö, Tromberg and Dickie Klein. DZI is also developing recording artists Tori London, Lala, C-Rayz Walz, Vera Brown, Dunderhoney, Adjovi, Shirley Haim, Tantra and Bloodline.

Carlos Quintero is one of the most famous Producers based in Spain. As Director of Orixe and Jamm Records, Carlos has been the producer of some important number one artists who have broken the record in permanence / continuity, from Spain to the international Market..

His professional career as the Managing Director at Jamm Records has led this label to specialize in the hit creation by means of a personal and dynamic style. In the modern market, tendencies change rapidly. However, the style lasts through the time. In the last three years, the people in charge of Jamm Records have designed the musical and visual style of some of the greatest number one in the charts: Chenoa, María Isabel, Carlos Baute, etc. All of these artists have left a deep mark in society, having more than 2,800,000 sold copies and some of the important number ones.

The innovative strategy of Jamm records lies in facing new musical projects which give an answer to the immediate needs coming from the market. Its "just in time" philosophy allows to develop and locate high quality products in a record time, by taking into account the national and international tendencies, the demands of the public / audience, and the needs coming from the labels. In short, this philosophy leads to commercial success

His professional path is endorsed by his 18-year-experience as Label Director, Programmer and Arranger. He has had a lot to do with the greatest glories in Latin music, such as Celia Cuz, as well as with the most up-to-date hits of the international fan phenomenon. He has supplied his label to each production, which is marked by an ‘indie’ trend and a clear commercial vision. He has positioned / located his publishing and producing company (Orixe) as one of the most important staff-writers companies in Spain, by shaping a professional team able to develop both national and international Hits.

Antoni has a Degree in Physics from the the Universidad de Barcelona where he graduated with high honors and also a Ph.D. in Physics from the Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona where he graduated Cum Laude. Antoni is the creator of much of the core technology that drives Polyphonic HMI's music analysis technology.

As an academic he was a visiting postdoctoral research fellow from 1974 to 1976 at the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory of the University of California. He then moved to Venezuela, where he held a teaching position in Theoretical Physics at the Universidad Simón Bolívar, Caracas until 1985, teaching numerous courses in Physics and Mathematics. During this period he was promoted to full professor and was responsible for the design of the Ph.D. Program in Physics. He has been invited in several occasions as a visiting member of the State University of New York at Stony Brook, invited by the Nobel Prize Professor C.N. Yang, as well as a visiting professor of the Universidad Autónoma of Madrid and the Instituto de Física of Montevideo (Uruguay).

In 1985 he returned to his home country of Spain, where he taught at the Theoretical Physics Department of the Universitat Autónoma de Barcelona. A year later he won a Professor tenure position in the Applied Mathematics Department of the Telecommunications Engineering School in the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya.

He is the author of more than thirty research papers published in international journals and has directed several Ph.D., Master and Graduating Thesis.

In business he was a founding partner of Aplicaciones en Informática Avanzada (AIA), and Vice-Chairman and R&D Director. AIA is a Software and Consulting Company specialized in business and industrial applications of Innovative Software Technology. AIA is also Polyphonic HMI's parent company.

Under his direction the Innovation division has produced a series of algorithms suited to solve a broad variety of technical problems of great complexity. The key for this success has been his ability to combine the mathematical techniques and models from the theoretical physics field with optimization algorithms and artificial intelligence techniques.

Among his main achievements we may cite:

First and second generation Expert Systems used to solve a variety of problems in the railway business (incidence solving, intelligent electrical network editor with on-line connectivity analysis, intelligent review and maintenance planning)
A non iterative, convergent load-flow algorithm, suited to develop black-out recovery strategies in electric transport and distribution networks.
A solution for the hydraulic energy generation optimization problem that takes into account all relevant elements.
A supervised learning algorithm (EVA) that learns expert classification criteria through binary comparisons.
An unsupervised learning algorithm (ADAN) that is able to perform hierarchical conceptual clustering detecting non linear structures using a model derived from classical field theory
The conceptual development and implementation of Intelligent Observation Systems (SIO), a successful paradigm for the observation and intelligent interpretation of data.
A Game theoretical model for the Spanish electric daily market with high prediction capability

Mr. Gauthier is President of Seed Capital Inc., a venture capital private company.

Mr. Gauthier has over 35 years of experience in the financial field. From 1970 to 1986, he worked in the investment banking business where he was involved in corporate finance, institution sales (as manager) and research (as director). He has worked for several broking firms, namely Dominion Securities, Burns Fry and Geoffrion Leclerc. He was Vice-President and Director at A.E. Ames from 1976 to 1981 and Vice-President and Director at Bell Gouinlock from 1981 to 1986.