KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- Loyola University launches Gasa U for hands-on music venue training.
- Students manage all aspects of concert production, from booking to front-of-house operations.
- Program is part of Wolf Moon Entertainment‘s student-run businesses offering course credit or pay.
- Aims to bridge music education and real-world industry experience in New Orleans.
Loyola University New Orleans has partnered with local music club Gasa Gasa to launch Gasa U, an immersive program that gives students real-world experience operating a live music venue. The program has officially debuted at the club on Freret Street.
The initiative, described by university officials as a “teaching hospital” model for the music industry, allows students to manage every aspect of concert production—from booking artists and marketing shows to handling technical production, front-of-house operations, and hospitality.
Kate Duncan, director of Loyola’s School of Music and Theatre Professions, said the program provides students with a rare opportunity to learn by doing. “Students now can aim for these industry-specific goalposts as they advance through the curriculum, and toward the opportunity to work and learn at Gasa U, which puts them in the real-world drivers’ seat of live music productions from start to finish,” Duncan said.
Gasa U is part of a broader initiative under the university’s College of Music and Media. Through the nonprofit Wolf Moon Entertainment Inc., students operate seven student-run businesses, including a record label, talent booking agency, and graphic design firm. Many of these initiatives offer course credit or pay students for their participation, blending classroom learning with professional experience.
Gasa Gasa’s owners, Mike Twillmann and Micah Burns, both Loyola alumni, welcomed the partnership. Burns, who repurchased the club in 2024, said the program supports the future of New Orleans’ music industry. Twillmann returned as an instructor, teaching venue management and talent booking courses.
“It’s very exclusive and special to have this kind of partnership and relationship where that’s available to you,” Twillmann said. “We are bridging that gap in a way that just hasn’t been done before.”
The program aims to integrate students across disciplines—music, business, design, and media—while enhancing the city’s live music ecosystem.
Loyola’s College of Music and Media includes the School of Music and Theatre Professions and the School of Communication and Design, preparing students for careers in music, theatre, media, design, and related fields.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source neworleanscitybusiness.com ’
