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Harris Goldberg, Founder Of Concert Ideas And Middle Agent Innovator, Dies
Courtesy of Concert Ideas – Harris Goldberg
Concert Ideas President Harris Goldberg, who helped establish the company that became the leading event producer for colleges and universities around the country, and built the role for middle agents in the college concerts world, died Jan. 25.
“Harris was an industry legend and trailblazer who built the model for middle agents in the college industry. Every artist, student, and school who has planned or played an event on a college campus in the last 40 years owes him a debt of gratitude,” Concert Ideas said in a statement. “Anyone who ever spoke to Harris was always entertained by his one-of-a-kind wit and humor. He’ll be missed greatly but never forgotten.”
Harris launched Concert Ideas in 1977 after getting a taste of concert booking while in college and over the years innovated the role of what would come to be known as the “middle agent” – and serve as a mentor for thousands of students, many of whom went on to become established leaders in the concert industry, including CAA Managing Partner and Head of Music Rob Light, who attended Syracuse University.
“I met Harris when I was 19 at a college conference in the Catskills. He was truly one of the founders of the middle agent business,” Light said in a statement provided by Concert Ideas. “His patience, understanding and mentoring helped hundreds, maybe thousands of college concert chair people bring great music to college campuses across the country… and even helped a few of us find our way into the business. A good man, with a big heart, who loved mentoring young people.”
Donations can be made to the National Scleroderma Foundation and a scholarship will also be set up in Goldeberg’s memory. https://scleroderma.org