what is next degree Music Agency?
what is next degree Music Agency?
Next Degree Music Agency is a direct-market live music booking agency managing an elite roster of 70+ student musicians throughout Los Angeles and the Bay Area. We carefully curate a wide variety of ensembles, from elegant string quartets to 10-piece pop bands to DJs, selecting talent from our roster to best fit our clients’ needs.
Next Degree delivers tailored live music designed to elevate corporate events, private functions, weddings, and every venue in between. Additionally, our network of media and production talent includes student photographers, videographers, and audio engineers who help capture performances and bring our music to life.
We began as a small network connecting high school musicians with real performance opportunities in the Bay Area. After three years in San Francisco, we've restructured our approach as an agency in Los Angeles with a new roster, new design, and ambitious goals. We're now carefully selecting the top musical talent from UCLA, USC, UC Berkeley, SFCM, Stanford, and beyond.
Next Degree musicians bring years of professional gigging, touring, and studio experience, combining technical excellence with a fresh, contemporary approach to live performance. Acting as the bridge between real-world clients and exceptional student talent, Next Degree manages every step of the booking process. We meticulously build ensembles one musician at a time, collaborate in developing set-lists, coordinate logistics, and oversee each booking from the first inquiry to the final set.
At its core, Next Degree exists to strengthen the connection between emerging musical talent and the growing demand for authentic live experiences. Our mission is to create meaningful opportunities for dedicated student musicians and production professionals, while providing clients with undeniably reliable, professional, and thoughtfully curated live entertainment.
Every audience deserves live music that feels intentional. We look forward to going beyond and creating an experience that exceeds your expectations!
Founder and Director, Leo Wornick
Photo by Jonah Kunis PhotographyLeo Wornick established Next Degree Music Agency to solve a systemic issue he experienced firsthand, with ten years as a drummer and six years of professional experience: the widespread underpayment and undervaluation of exceptional young musicians.
Recognizing that world-class student talent was consistently expected to perform for next to nothing, Next Degree was founded with a clear, uncompromising mission to ensure that talented student musicians receive the professional management, compensation, and respect their craft commands. Leo focuses on the agency’s overarching creative direction, strategic growth, first inquiry, and setting the rigorous standards for the student musicians and production team.
Leo is committed to developing a collaborative network of top-tier talent and production professionals. By establishing a framework that delivers flawless execution for all clients, Leo is passionately driven to bring exceptional live music to audiences and events.
The name Next Degree is a play on words, reflecting our belief that a musician's most important education begins when they step into the professional world.