Daily Skiff

Editor's note: This story was revised for accuracy at 2:20 p.m. Tuesday.

A new student organization that gives student musicians the opportunity to demonstrate their musical talent is testing the idea that nothing good ever happens after midnight.

Living Out a United Dream helps market students involved with different musical arts to the community, said LOUD creator Mike Vosters, a sophomore marketing major. The organization finds performance venues, promotes shows and searches for ways to gain more advertising, he said.

Vosters came up with the idea to start the group while walking from the Mary Couts Burnett Library at 2 a.m. one day last semester.

"I thought that if everyone came together we could do something to help all of the musicians on campus," Vosters said. "I think this campus really needs this to show the talent that we have."The Office of Student Organizations granted LOUD permission to become an official organization in December, Vosters said. The group currently has about 20 members, and anyone who has an interest in music and entertainment is allowed to join, he said. The members' interests range from rock to jazz, he said.

"We are trying to keep a very close-knit group but are very open to more members joining," Vosters said.

Vosters said he asked Martin Blessinger, assistant professor of theory and composition, to be the organization's faculty sponsor.

Blessinger said his role is to advise the group and make sure that the rules and procedures outlined for students organizations are correctly followed.

"As a composer myself, I'm hoping to be able to consult with the artists as they go through the song-writing process," Blessinger said. "It all seemed a very natural fit, so I was happy to sign on."

Blessinger said the groups is still discussing possible avenues for funding. He said the group hopes to be funded by the Student Government Association, especially in the fall. Vosters might also try to hold a fundraiser, but the details have not been defined yet, Blessinger said.

Vosters said LOUD is in the process of setting up a venue network. LOUD plans on teaming up with Red Cactus in the coming weeks to have dinnertime concerts, he said. LOUD's current student artists are Timmy Dixon, Tim Halperin and the Wesley Gentle Band.

Patrick Wynne, a junior music education major in his first semester in LOUD, said the organization also targets students that want to be involved on the business side. Members use LOUD to meet people and make connections, he said.

"I hoped joining LOUD would influence my music production as well as my interest in music business," Wynne said.

LOUD meetings consist mostly of promotion and setting events, Wynne said. The group is still in the process of creating a Web site, he said.

Wynne said LOUD is currently working on promotional videos and T-shirts to help get the organization and its members known in the Fort Worth area.

"We set a goal of having 250 people attend the first music performance event," Wynne said.

LOUD meets at 10 p.m. on Sundays in the Brown-Lupton University Union organizations office.

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