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College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management

Faculty and Staff

Armen Shaomian, D.M.A.

Title: Professor
Department: David and Nicole Tepper Department of Sport and Entertainment Management
College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management
Email: armen@sc.edu
Phone: 803-777-8215
Fax: 803-777-8788
Office: Close-Hipp 771
Armen Shaomian headshot

Education

D.M.A., University of Miami
M.M., University of Miami
B.M., Wayne State University

Background

Armen Shaomian is a professor of entertainment management whose career bridges academia with the worlds of live entertainment and the performing arts. Drawing on a professional background that spans arts administration, creative activity, and the entertainment industry, he brings real-world experience to his teaching, scholarship, and academic leadership.

Shaomian is a past president of the Music and Entertainment Industry Educators Association (MEIEA), the largest international academic organization dedicated to entertainment management education. He is a frequent keynote speaker at national and international conferences and provides expert commentary for CNN, The New York Times, Financial Times, Forbes, Inc., and other national and international news outlets. In addition to his academic work, he maintains an active career as a collaborative pianist and concert artist specializing in contemporary classical music, premiering works by leading contemporary composers. His artistic scholarship includes a book on Swedish National-Romantic music, and his recordings of composer Hugo Alfvén appear on Vax Records' Vaxholm: Ett Dubbelnöje.

Recognized for excellence in teaching and student success, Shaomian has received the University of South Carolina's Michael J. Mungo Undergraduate Teaching Award and the John N. Gardner Inspirational Faculty Award. His work has also been supported through competitive funding from the South Carolina Arts Commission and the University of South Carolina's Office of the Vice President for Research.

Shaomian also serves as Faculty Director in Residence of Preston Residential College for Leadership. Appointed by the Provost, he provides academic and strategic direction for a 220-student residential community, advancing leadership education through innovative programming, student engagement, and interdisciplinary collaboration.

Shaomian's professional experience informs his work as an educator and scholar. As Programs Manager and Associate Producer for the National Foundation for the Advancement of the Arts (NFAA) and its signature YoungArts program, he associate-produced national programming and strategic partnerships with the Baryshnikov Arts Center, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program. He also served as musical director for the Detroit touring company of The Second City and contributed as a voice actor for Walt Disney Pictures and Warner Bros.

In the Media

Research

  • Live entertainment management
  • Performing arts branding
  • Artificial intelligence (AI) in the entertainment industries
  • Performance scholarship in cross-cultural repertoire and audience engagement

Live Performance Recordings

Bogdan, V. (2022). Three Songs on the Poetry of Mihai Eminescu (Somnoroase Păsărele, Și Dacă, and Trecut-au Anii). Janet Hopkins, mezzo-soprano; Armen Shaomian, piano. World-premiere performance recordings. College Music Symposium, 62(2).

Harris, O. (2018). Hoff Nunc. Janet Hopkins, soprano; Armen Shaomian, piano. Refereed performance recording (Audio Archive). College Music Symposium.

Selected Publications

Smith, G., & Shaomian, A. (2025). Death, taxes, and the right of publicity: The price of fame in the music industry. College Music Symposium, 65(2), 115-125. https://doi.org/10.18177/sym.2025.65.sr.11694

Hwang, Y., & Shaomian, A. (2022). Life goes on: How BTS turned virtual live concerts during the COVID-19 pandemic into show-biz dynamite. Journal of the Music & Entertainment Industry Educators Association, 22(1), 77-109. https://doi.org/10.25101/22.3

Gillentine, A., & Shaomian, A. (2019). Second verse, same as the first? An examination of the evolution of entertainment management academics. Journal of the Music & Entertainment Industry Educators Association. https://doi.org/10.25101/19.28

Shaomian, A., & Christensen, C. (2016). Music industry internship administration: Overcoming common administrative obstacles that hinder student learning. Journal of the Music & Entertainment Industry Educators Association, 16(1), 43-71. https://doi.org/10.25101/16.2

Shaomian, A., & Heere, B. (2016). Laptop usage in the classroom. College Music Symposium, 56. https://doi.org/10.18177/sym.2016.56.itm.11157

Shaomian, A., & Heere, B. (2015). The path to loyalty among theater patrons: The importance of interaction and a sense of brand community. Journal of the Music & Entertainment Industry Educators Association, 15(1), 13-35. https://doi.org/10.25101/15.1

Book Chapters

Shaomian, A. (2023). Concert promotion. Concert venues. Arts administration. In D. Baskerville, T. Baskerville, & S. Elton (Eds.), Music Business Handbook and Career Guide (13th ed.). SAGE Publications.

Performance Venues (Selections)

  • House of Sweden, Washington, D.C.
  • Royal College of Music, Stockholm, Sweden
  • University of Miami
  • University of Florida
  • University of South Carolina
  • Auburn University
  • University of Alabama at Birmingham
  • Mississippi University for Women
  • University of New Orleans
  • Albany State University

Presentations (Selections)

  • Keynote (2022): Innovation in Music Conference, Royal College of Music, Stockholm
  • Keynote (2021): Music-Focused Interdisciplinary Research & Analysis Center (MIRAC) Conference, Royal College of Music, Stockholm
  • Universidad Anáhuac, Mexico City
  • Social Theory, Politics, and the Arts Conference, University of New Orleans
  • College Music Society International Conference, Stockholm and Helsinki
  • University of Georgia, Terry College of Business
  • University of Kentucky, Department of Arts Administration
  • University of Alabama at Birmingham
  • Mississippi University for Women

Grants

  • External: South Carolina Arts Commission; SEC Faculty Grants; MEIEA Research Grants
  • University of South Carolina: Office of the Vice President for Research; Office of the Provost; Center for Teaching Excellence; University Libraries

Honors / Awards

International and National Recognition

  • 2024 John N. Gardner Inspirational Faculty Award, The National Resource Center
  • 2023 MEIEA President's Award

University Recognition

  • 2024 Michael J. Mungo Undergraduate Teaching Award
  • 2024 Emerging Leaders Program, Fellow, Office of the Provost
  • 2023 Distinguished Research Service Award, Office of the Vice President for Research
  • 2023 Outstanding Faculty Partner Award, Office of Student Affairs and Academic Support
  • 2020 Harry E. and Carmen S. Varney Distinguished Teacher of the Year
  • 2017 Brian J. and Linda L. Mihalik Global Scholar Award
  • 2014 Teaching Leadership Award, Center for Teaching Excellence

Professional Leadership

  • Faculty Director in Residence, Preston Residential College for Leadership, USC (2022-)
  • Emerging Leaders Program Fellow, USC (2024-25)
  • Past President, MEIEA (2019-2023)
  • President, Miami Civic Music Association (2014-2016)

Invited Keynotes

  • 2022 Innovation in Music Conference, hosted by the Royal College of Music, Stockholm
  • 2021 MIRAC Conference, hosted by the Royal College of Music, Stockholm

Teaching

  • SPTE 202 – Introduction to Live Entertainment Management
  • SPTE 203 – Introduction to Event and Venue Management
  • SPTE 402 – Entertainment and the Law
  • SPTE 404 – Promoting Live Entertainment Events
  • SPTE 410 – Sport and Entertainment in Popular Culture
  • SPTE 560 – Performing Arts Management and Leadership
  • SPTE 565 – Business of Broadway
  • SPTE 570 – Education Abroad: Sport and Entertainment in Europe
  • SPTE 570 – Education Abroad: Sport and Entertainment in Mexico City
  • SPTE 590 – Advanced Topics: Copyright in Entertainment Management
  • SPTE 701 – Management in the Sport and Entertainment Industry
  • SPTE 720 – Advanced Live Entertainment Management
  • SPTE 736 – Sport and Entertainment Event Entrepreneurship

Languages

  • English
  • Swedish
  • Armenian

Challenge the conventional. Create the exceptional. No Limits.

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