Rider University now an affiliate of the Grammy Museum

The Westminster College of the Arts at Rider University has become an affiliate school of the Grammy Museum.

The partnership will give students and faculty at Rider access to a deep collection of resources related to the music industry, including interviews with artists and producers, as well as a national network of executives and music professionals.

“People in this industry really do love to share and give back, and love to speak to students,” said Linda Lorence Critelli, an assistant professor at Rider who facilitated the partnership. “I’m always looking for interesting new people to bring to my students to inspire them.”

The Grammy Museum is part of the U.S. Recording Academy, showcasing the history of the Grammy Awards. Started in 2008 at its main location in Los Angeles, there are now three satellite locations in Cleveland, Nashville, and Newark, New Jersey.

The museum’s University Affiliates program is a networking partnership to pool resources and wisdom for the benefit of students aspiring to enter the music industry. There are 23 approved affiliates, including Yale University, the University of Southern California, the University of West London, and Temple University in Philadelphia.

Rider will be able to use resources and talent from both the Grammy Museum and the universities in the affiliate network.

“I don’t come from academia, I come from the industry. I bring all of that real-life stuff to my coursework,” said Lorence Critelli, a former vice president at the music publishing company SESAC. “Having other people that have a similar background to me is very nice, very supportive.”

Lorence Critelli said the Grammy Museum looks for accredited universities with strong training programs for the music industry. She is hoping to celebrate the new affiliation by bringing students to the Grammy Museum at the Prudential Center in Newark, but that trip — along with the postponed 2022 Grammy Awards — will have to wait until the COVID-19 pandemic subsides.