NEW YORK – New York University hosted ‘Entrepreneurial Pathways in the Music & Entertainment Industry,’ a panel discussion presented on March 27 as part of the Professional Development Seminar in the Steinhardt Music and Performing Arts Professions program, bringing together established artists and music professionals to explore how sustainable careers are built in today’s music landscape.
Participants included May Yu, a New York-based violinist working across classical, jazz, and contemporary performance; Olga Prepis, a vocalist, songwriter, and music industry professional; Erini Tornesaki, Greek vocalist and Berklee College of Music professor; Seunghee Lee, Grammy-nominated clarinetist and founder of Musica Solis; and Svetlana Shmulyian, jazz vocalist with a No. 1 U.S. Traditional Jazz Billboard album.
Reflecting on the realities of the modern industry, Erini Tornesaki noted: “The most important thing in an artist’s career is to remain deeply authentic to who you are. You are not only the artist, but also the product and the business behind it. Embracing that reality can be incredibly empowering.”
In Conversation: May Yu
May Yu. Photo: Anna Yatskevich
May Yu is a New York-based Chinese-Canadian violinist and recipient of the President’s Award from the Manhattan School of Music, where she studied with Lucie Robert and Regina Carter. She has performed as a featured soloist at Dizzy’s Club at Jazz at Lincoln Center alongside Ingrid Jensen with Darcy James Argue’s ensemble, and at the Apollo Theater, NYU Skirball Center, and La MaMa. She opened for Nessa Barrett on her 2026 tour and is currently a violinist in Misha Piatigorsky’s jazz projects, contributing to the revival of Sketchy Black Dog.
When asked how did your transition from classical violin to jazz shape your artistic identity, May Yu said: “The shift was always there, even before I had a name for it. Classical training gave me discipline, but over time I felt pulled away from my instincts. Jazz brought me back — it gave language to something I had always felt but couldn’t articulate.”
Yu has collaborated with Darcy James Argue, Ingrid Jensen, Misha Piatigorsky, and Regina Carter. Of what those collaborations have taught her, she said: “Every collaboration has taught me something different about listening. Performing alongside Ingrid Jensen pushed me to show up at a completely different level — that was my first jazz performance in New York, and it set the bar for everything that followed. Studying with Regina Carter showed me that the violin doesn’t have to apologize for being in the room. The most interesting music happens when you stop trying to prove something and start truly responding.”
When asked what distinguishes her artistic voice, Yu noted that “I think of playing as speaking. My classical background gives me structure, but what I’m always reaching for is something more open — technically grounded but emotionally unguarded.”
Of the role she sees the violin playing in jazz today, she said: “The question is no longer whether the violin belongs in jazz — it’s what it can bring that nothing else can. There’s a return to something human, something acoustic, something rooted in tradition. I want the instrument to feel central, not decorative.”
When asked how living across different cities has shaped her artistic voice, Yu said: “Every place I’ve lived is in my playing. Harbin gave me curiosity. Calgary gave me solitude. Toronto introduced me to jazz. And New York gave me confidence — for the first time, I didn’t feel like I had to choose between different parts of myself. When you feel accepted like that, you play differently.”
In Conversation: Olga Prepis
Olga Prepis. Photo: Costas Prepis
Olga Prepis is a New York-based Greek-Cypriot-American vocalist, songwriter, and producer working across alternative pop, electronic, and indie scenes. A Berklee College of Music graduate, she is completing a Master of Arts in Music Business at NYU and currently works at Downtown Music Publishing.
When asked how she sees the role of the artist evolving today, Prepis said: “Artists are now expected to be storytellers, marketers, and entrepreneurs all at once. There’s more direct access between artists and audiences now, which allows people to build genuine communities around their work. At the end of the day, the artists who stand out are the ones who know who they are — a strong sense of identity is what makes people connect with you long-term.”
Of how she balances creativity with the business side of her career, Prepis noted that “both are necessary for a long-term career. Creativity is always at the center, but great music needs strategy and consistency behind it to reach people. For me, balance means making sure the business side serves the creative vision — not the other way around.”
When asked what upcoming projects she is working on, Prepis said: “I’m working on my debut EP — five songs inspired by the theme of waves, blending alternative pop, electronic textures, and subtle Mediterranean elements. It’s the most honest version of my artistic direction so far.”
As the industry evolves, conversations like this highlight a fundamental shift: success is no longer defined solely by performance, but by an artist’s ability to navigate and sustain their own ecosystem.
