Irwin Z. Robinson Receives First Visionary Award from NYU Music Business Program

On April 2, 2008, NYU Steinhardt’s Music Business Program presented Irwin Z. Robinson with its first Visionary Award.  The award honors a business figure for his or her “lasting impact on the music industry through innovative, effective, and creative business leadership.”

NYU’s Music Business faculty and students gathered with songwriters and industry leaders to praise Robinson’s work and to congratulate him.

Robinson is Chairman of Paramount Pictures Music Publishing Group and Chairman of the Board of National Music Publishers Association and the Harry Fox Agency.  Robinson is a member of the ASCAP Board of Directors and serves on the Executive Committee of both ASCAP and NMPA.  He is also on the Board of the Songwriters Hall of Fame and a trustee of the U.S. Copyright Society.  He was admitted to the New York State Bar in 1962 and was honored with the Abe Olman Publisher Award for lifetime achievement in music publishing at the 29th Annual Songwriters’ Hall of Fame Awards in 1998.

Throughout his career, Robinson has been and continues to be a tireless advocate for all creators of music.  He has been involved with the careers and/or the catalogues of hundreds of well-known songwriters and composers including George and Ira Gershwin, The Bee Gees, Hall & Oates, Leonard Bernstein, Stevie Wonder, Bono, Pink Floyd, Bjork, Boyz II Men, Eminem, and Smokey Robinson.  He testified before the Copyright Royalty Board in support of the rights of songwriters, composers, and music publishers this January.

The Visionary Award event featured Irwin Z. Robinson in conversation with Phil Galdston, a songwriter and record producer whose work has appeared worldwide, and who has advocated on behalf of intellectual property rights.  It also included tributes to Mr. Robinson by Hal David, Linda Perry, Jody Gerson and Set Swirsky, Steve Bogard, Arthur Indursky, Britt Morgan-Saks, and John Titta.

Robinson’s exceptional respect for, attention to, and efforts on behalf of the artist were extremely evident at the event.  In her tribute, songwriter and recording artist Linda Perry told Robinson, “You made me a believer that this business can be a wonderful experience.”  Steve Bogard, President of the Nashville Songwriters Association International, said that when he worked with Robinson, he knew he’d be “dealing with someone honest and fair, who knew what he was doing.”

Susan Butler of Billboard was also present at the event, and wrote a piece in the April 19, 2008 issue describing a conversation with Mr. Robinson and Arthur Indursky, founding partner of entertainment law firm Grubman, Indursky & Shire, about music industry contracts today.  The piece featured advice for young lawyers for drafting contracts.

Indeed, there were many opportunities for the Music Business students to learn from Robinson’s experience and achievement at the event, as it celebrated the work of an innovative businessman, passionate advocate, dedicated lawyer, and honest industry leader.  As the music industry continues to evolve, it will be the example of leaders like Robinson that will inspire these young leaders to engage in the kind of innovative, effective, and creative business leadership that the Visionary Award honors.

If you have a story idea about our current Music Business students, faculty members, or alumni, please e-mail it to catherine.moore@nyu.edu.