In memory of Sandy Pearlman
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Sandy Pearlman (August 8, 1943 鈥� July 26, 2016). Producer, Lyricist, Manager, and in his words, a聽Relentless brainstormer of the ever-tightening embrace of Music by Technology and Technology by Music.
Distinguished Visiting Scholar and Dean鈥檚 Chair in Music from 2007 鈥� 2010, Sandy Pearlman spearheaded ground-breaking interdisciplinary and interfaculty initiatives at McGill, centred primarily around issues of music distribution, digitization and archiving, copyright, and entrepreneurship. One of his most famous courses,聽The Treble Cliff; Or Fast, Cheap, and Out of Control, drew students from six Programs: Music, Management, Law, Computer Science/Electrical Engineering, Communications and Information Studies,聽and challenged teams to develop new business models for the music industry in what Sandy described as a 鈥榬apidly and radically changing environment鈥�. He also developed programming for several major conferences hosted by the Schulich School of Music, including the Future of MusicPolicy Summit 2006 and Pop and Policy 2007, that featured leading figures such as Patti Smith, David Byrnes, Karlheinz Brandenberg, Edward Felten, Bob Ezrin, and many others. Sandy brought an eclectic perspective to evolving issues in the music industry. He shed light on disruptive musical trends and shaped countless public discussions on these topics - forums that brought together leading artists, researchers, technologists and policy makers and that pushed the boundaries of creative thinking towards solutions for many of the complex challenges facing music today. Sandy continued as an Adjunct Professor and guest lecturer at McGill until 2013 and taught in five faculties, including Music, Arts, Religious Studies, Law, and Management. He was also one of our most popular McGill Mini-Music speakers, remembered for his off the wall, but transformative explorations of music.
Don McLean, former Dean of the Schulich School of Music (2003-2010)聽described Sandy as 鈥�a聽brilliant and relentless commentator on the 鈥渙verweight and under-nourished music industry鈥�, developing such concepts as the 鈥�5 cent solution鈥� and 鈥榯he paradise of infinite storage鈥�.
Sandy will be missed by many friends and fans, colleagues, and students.
For more on his remarkable music career, click .
