IMSTA FESTA London is a FREE event open to everyone in the music making community; professional and semi-professional musicians, songwriters, music producers, and audio engineers, as well as music students and educators.
Event Highlights:
IMSTA is thrilled to present another exceptional Master Class Series at IMSTA FESTA London 2025. Our esteemed lineup of industry leaders will be sharing their invaluable insights on music production and engineering, along with crucial aspects of music business and legal affairs. Get ready for an inspiring and enriching experience that celebrates the art of music!
You must register for each master class separately to reserve your spot.
Overview: LDN Noise is a British songwriting and record production duo based in London, England. Comprised of songwriter Greg Bonnick and DJ Hayden Chapman, the pair has been active since 2012, collaborating with artists such as Nathan Sykes, Nick Jonas, and Chris Brown. They are best known for co-writing the UK number-one hit “Turn Up the Music” for Chris Brown in 2012.
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Overview: In this talk, I’ll be sharing my journey as a music producer over the last six years, focusing on creating bespoke and sync music for global brands and building a brand and career using social media. I’ll dive into one of my biggest projects — composing the soundtrack for Disney’s Christmas Advert — and break down how I built the entire score from my laptop using Logic Pro X. I’ll show how I blended real orchestra recordings with my own productions, and how I collaborated with choirs and vocalists from around the world to bring the vision to life. Expect real insights, creative process breakdowns, and behind-the-scenes gems.
Presenter: Jeff Nang is a music producer and content creator who’s made bespoke tracks for Disney, JP Morgan, Beautiful Destinations, Vauxhall, and more. After sharing tips and tricks online for aspiring music producers, Jeff built a loyal audience of over 135k across platforms. That momentum led him to partner with some of the biggest names in music tech — including Korg, Arturia, Output, Bandlab, EastWest Sounds, Vienna Symphonic Library, and many more. He’s also the co-founder of Controlla Voice — an AI voice-swapping app creating the coolest (and most ethical) AI tools for music producers and students. Whether it’s turning your voice into a saxophone, building choirs out of thin air, or just dropping free gems every week, Jeff’s all about showing how fun and limitless music production can be with the right tools and mindset.
Controlla Voice: Controlla Voice is your all-in-one AI toolkit for music creators. Swap your voice, turn it into instruments, separate stems with one of the cleanest splitters out there, and even clone your voice to sing licensed pop songs — yes, you can hear yourself sing Bohemian Rhapsody. Create choirs from a single vocal using royalty-free voices, or use our Music Style Sampler to turn your lyrics into melodies and full song ideas. And we’re just getting started — more AI tools coming soon.
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Overview: You've got the chorus. Now what? Verses & Bridges: Making a Song from the Chorus is a songwriting masterclass focused on expanding a strong hook into a complete and emotionally satisfying song. Many writers start with the big idea — the chorus — but get stuck building the story, structure, and pacing around it. This session offers strategies to reverse-engineer your song, giving depth and development to the verses and bridges that lead to — and away from — your most powerful section.
Presenter: Jonny Amos is a UK based Songwriter with chart success in Europe and Asia and a Producer with credits on a variety of independent and major labels. As Creative Director of The SongLab, Jonny works with a wide range of emerging and established talent and helps artists and creators to build strategies for their creative output. A Senior Lecturer in both music business and music creation at BIMM University, Jonny is also author of The Music Business for Music Creators.
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Overview: This master class offers an in-depth exploration of transforming your creative talents into a flourishing music business. It covers essential topics in business management, building a sustainable music career, and navigating the financial landscape of the industry—detailing various revenue streams and illustrating how to plant the seeds, nurture growth, and ultimately reap the rewards.
Presenter: John Woolf is a renowned music manager and industry powerhouse, known for his ability to shape the careers of some of the biggest names in music. With a career spanning over two decades, he has built a reputation for his strategic vision, sharp business acumen, and deep understanding of the entertainment landscape. His ability to cultivate talent, secure impactful partnerships, and maximize opportunities for his clients has solidified his position as one of the most sought-after managers in the business.
As the CEO of A-List Management, Woolf has guided the careers of globally successful artists. He gained his initial success while managing grime pioneer Wiley, helping cement his legacy as one of the UK’s most influential artists. Today, Woolf manages an impressive and diverse roster that includes Kojey Radical, Elderbrook, Jake Gosling, TropKillaz, Arthur Bean, Show N Prove, KIDDO, Jessica Doolan and Harry Wills.
His clients have been nominated for or won Grammy, BRIT, Ivor Novello, and Mercury Awards, and across the A-List Management roster, artists have contributed to five songs that have surpassed 1 billion streams on Spotify. Woolf’s continued success reflects his ability to stay ahead of industry trends while maintaining a strong focus on artistic growth and commercial success.
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Overview: GRAMMY-Award Winning Engineer James Auwarter hosts this unique master class featuring two professional mixing engineers who will take the stage to mix tracks live—on the fly—in front of an audience. With no pre-set sessions, this real-time demonstration will showcase each engineer’s raw workflow, creative choices, and decision-making under pressure. As host, James will guide the session, highlighting key techniques, asking insightful questions, and drawing out the unique approaches of each mixer. Attendees will walk away with practical tips, inspiration, and a rare look into how top engineers craft a mix in the moment.
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IMSTA FESTA is proud to host FREE workshops featuring the most coveted products from your favorite companies.
Please click on the session(s) you wish to register for and follow the registration process to gain access.
2-5PM | Westendproduction: Master Classes
Overview: Joining these FL Studio master classes are your gateway to unlocking the full potential of this powerful DAW. Running from 2pm to 5pm, these sessions cater to both beginners and advanced users, offering valuable insights and tips to optimize your music production workflow.
Presenter: West End Productions is a Birmingham-based music production collective founded by six visionary producers dedicated to shaping the future sound of the UK. Rooted in the heart of the West Midlands, the team fuses the raw energy of the underground with polished, contemporary production, drawing from UK rap, drill, grime, R&B, trap, Detroit, Afrobeat, and cinematic influences. The collective—made up of Trizz LND (Josiah Deson), Tezza Beats (Theo Scriven), LJ Beatz (Liam McKenzie), Marz on the Beat (Mustafa Abdulkadir), Frosty on the Beat (Kymani Webster), and Fin9K (Finlay Smith)—blends technical mastery with deep cultural insight. Each producer leads two artist development deals, providing tailored support through recording, mixing, and music releases under the West End Productions label. Functioning as both a creative studio and a development platform, West End Productions offers a full suite of services, including professional recording sessions, mixing and mastering, artist management, sync licensing, and marketing strategy. Their focus is on nurturing authentic talent while delivering music that is artistically credible and commercially viable. As a collective, West End Productions represents the creative spirit and innovation of the West Midlands, building a legacy through collaboration, quality, and culture.
Westendproduction | 2PM |
Creator FL Westendproduction Register |
3PM |
Beatmaker FL Westendproduction Register |
4PM |
Vocal FL Westendproduction Register |
5PM |
Mixer FL Westendproduction Register |
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DJ Sappo: All Producers Welcome! [Steinberg]
Overview: This year marks the incredible 40th anniversary of Drum & Bass—a genre experiencing a powerful resurgence and renowned for its intricate production demands. Join us at IMSTA Festa London for an exclusive masterclass with DJ Sappo, hosted at SAE Institute. Discover how to elevate your tracks using the full power of Cubase Pro 14, Absolute VST collection, and more. Whether you're into Drum & Bass, Jungle, or simply passionate about pushing your sound further, this session is packed with essential production tips and tricks for producers of all styles. Find us in the Steinberg & Yamaha room at IMSTA Festa London and bring your questions for a dedicated Q&A after the session.
DJ Sappo: Break the Mold with Yamaha SEQTRAK [YAMAHA]
Overview: Looking to push your sound further or get unstuck creatively? Join us in the afternoon at IMSTA Festa London for a bold, hands-on masterclass with DJ Sappo—powered by Yamaha’s SEQTRAK, the all-in-one sequencer, sampler, and sound design machine.Watch as Sappo builds ideas from scratch, flips, and resamples them using the SEQTRAK app, and integrates them into Cubase for that next-level finish. From heavy basslines to wild FX and custom loops, this session is all about inspiring new ways to produce outside the box. and here's the bonus: one lucky attendee will walk away with a SEQTRAK of their own. No entry forms or social tags—just show up, soak it in, and you could be taking one home!! We’ll also have a creative playground of pro gear on hand—Yamaha HS monitors, AG streaming interfaces, and an exciting lineup of synths for you to test-drive. Whether you're after fat textures, cinematic pads, or fresh performance tools, there’s something here to spark your next track.
Presenter: DJ Sappo is a highly respected producer and mastering engineer with over 25 years of experience and thousands of credits to his name. His extensive portfolio includes mastering Beatport No.1 LPs and projects for Grammy Award-winning artists like Miki Howard. He's also worked on countless Hip-Hop and Drum & Bass tracks and LPs (across vinyl, CD, and digital formats) for notable acts such as The Mouse Outfit (featuring IAMDDB), Dope Ammo, and Technique Recordings, alongside contributing to official Apple DJ mixes, and spent five years working with BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra.
DJ Sappo | 11:30AM |
All Producers Welcome! Steinberg Register |
3PM |
Break the Mold with Yamaha SEQTRAK YAMAHA Register |
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Overview: Join this exciting master class and learn how to use AI to sing your songs and even rap on your beats, taking songwriting to a whole new level. If you're a songwriter or music producer who can't sing but wants to hear your music with vocals, this class is for you. Music producer and audio engineer Santiago Abad will show you how to create amazing-sounding vocals for your demos or final productions. Santiago will cover the key features of the Synthesizer V Studio 2 AI Vocal Synth and demonstrate how to use and tweak them to create professional-quality vocals.
Presenter: Santiago Abad is a London-based music producer and sound engineer with a Master’s degree in Creative Music Production from ICMP and a BA from SAE Institute Mexico. He works alongside Grammy-winning engineer James Auwarter and is active across both studio and live environments in the UK. Santiago’s work spans recording, mixing, and production for a variety of genres including pop, hip hop, jazz, and electronic music.
Santiago Abad | 1PM |
Synthesizer V Studio 2 Dreamtonics Register |
3PM |
Synthesizer V Studio 2 Dreamtonics Register |
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Overview: Join us for a hands-on master class focused on making music with Universal Audio. We’ll dive into creative workflows using UA’s world-class plug-ins, LUNA Digital Audio Workstation, and essential gear like Apollo and Volt interfaces, as well as our microphones. Whether you’re tracking, mixing, or producing from scratch, this session will give you real-world tips and inspiration to get the most out of your setup. Perfect for producers, musicians, and engineers of all levels — come see how Universal Audio can take you from idea to finished track.
Presenter: Pedro De Sousa is a Product Specialist at Universal Audio, where he brings over five years of experience helping musicians and producers get the best out of UA’s hardware and software. A music producer and lifelong synth enthusiast, Pedro’s main instruments are synthesizers and bass. He’s passionate about connecting creative workflows with cutting-edge technology, and regularly hosts live demos and training sessions across Europe. At this event, he’ll be showcasing a range of UA products, offering hands-on insights into how they can elevate your sound.
Pedro De Sousa | 1PM |
LUNA Digital Audio Workstation, Apollo and Volt interfaces, and microphones Universal Audio Register |
4PM |
LUNA Digital Audio Workstation, Apollo and Volt interfaces, and microphones Universal Audio Register |
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Teo Marangon is a London-based music professional with over a decade of experience. He has worked in renowned studios like Denmark Street Studios alongside multi-platinum producers, and has produced and engineered for major labels such as Capitol and Ministry of Sound, as well as global brands including Microsoft and Salesforce. As a producer, mixer, and mastering engineer, he’s helped independent artists reach over 7 million streams and secure editorial support from Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music. A recent career milestone includes his first GRAMMY® nomination as a recording engineer on Foreverland, nominated for Best Alternative Jazz Album.
Sebastian Li Causi is a London-based DJ, producer, and promoter currently pursuing a Master’s in Music Business at the Institute of Contemporary Music Performance (ICMP). Originally from Mexico City, he earned his bachelor’s degree in audio engineering from Tecnológico de Monterrey, where he also served as the national Ableton Live ambassador. Sebastian has built a strong foundation in the electronic music scene through hands-on experience in production, operations, and live sound engineering. His résumé includes work on more than 250 small and mid-sized events, 30 concerts, and 8 major festivals. Passionate about creating high-quality music experiences both on and off stage, he blends technical expertise with a deep love for community and culture. With an international perspective and a drive to support and shape the future of electronic music, Sebastian continues to evolve as a well-rounded force in the industry.
Santiago Abad is a London-based music producer and sound engineer with a Master’s degree in Creative Music Production from ICMP and a BA from SAE Institute Mexico. He works alongside Grammy-winning engineer James Auwarter and is active across both studio and live environments in the UK. Santiago’s work spans recording, mixing, and production for a variety of genres including pop, hip hop, jazz, and electronic music.
Joe is a composer, producer and session musician who has worked across a number of different genres for a huge number of different clients. As an instrumentalist he has recorded and arranged music for the likes of Shy FX, Craig David, Tom Grennan, Sigala and JP Cooper to name a few.
Freddy Mercer is Head of QA at Excite Audio, where he ensures all plugins look, sound, and perform at the highest standard for a flawless user experience. With a background in composition for film and mixing & mastering, Freddy has collaborated with many filmmakers, artists and producers, with work featured at the BFI London Film Festival and on BBC iPlayer.
Solo Major is the product manager for Excite Audio - he is involved in conceptualising, developing, and marketing innovative plugins that empower producers. Outside of his work at Excite Audio he is also a music producer and sound designer - collaborating with the likes of Converse, Focusrite, SK-II and UK-based indie band Nature TV.
Dax Liniere's experience working with diverse musical genres, providing production, recording, mixing and mastering to a world-class standard earned him a Winston Churchill Fellowship in 2012. With a reputation for crafting distinctive and powerful mixes, Dax approaches every project with musicality, attention to detail and a desire to create something unique with each artist.
Trizz LND brings a polished and melodic edge to the collective. Known for his emotionally rich arrangements and vocal-driven beats, he has a talent for storytelling through sound. Trizz’s music blends elements of R&B, soul, and trap, offering a soundscape that bridges heartfelt introspection with commercial appeal.
A rhythm specialist with a classic-meets-modern approach, Tezza Beats channels the raw energy of golden-era hip-hop and UK x Detroit into tight, punchy productions. He is known for his soulful sampling, groove-heavy arrangements, and meticulous drum programming, which give his tracks a timeless yet contemporary quality.
LJ Beatz is a sound architect, pushing the boundaries of production with atmospheric layers and cinematic textures. His beats range from moody and introspective to bold and anthemic. A master of sound design and arrangement, LJ brings a refined, immersive experience to every project.
Marz on the Beat is the experimental force of the group, known for seamlessly merging genres like Afrobeat, drill, and electronic. His forward-thinking approach results in vibrant, percussive, and high-energy productions. Marz's beats are unpredictable yet captivating, appealing to both street and global audiences.
Frosty is the heartbeat of the collective, delivering infectious bounce and rhythm-heavy beats. With roots in live instrumentation and a natural flair for hooks, he crafts beats that are equally suited for clubs and charts. Frosty’s style is confident, bold, and undeniably fun.
Fin9K is a minimalist maestro with a deep ear for tone and space. His productions lean toward atmospheric trap and UK rap, with an emphasis on vocal clarity and emotional weight. 9K brings a calculated, almost surgical precision to every mix, creating tracks that feel intimate yet impactful.
Join Mr. IK UK, Paul Kaufman, our local walking encyclopedia of IK products and resident gearhead for an up close and intimate look at our new products.
Thomas Pew is a producer, engineer, artist and multi instrumentalist born and based in South East London. Pew studied Audio Production at SAE, and since graduating, has gone on to record various genres of music, as both musician and technician. In addition, he has worked extensively in live sound, in venues such as Vortex, Colours Hoxton and Stag's Head, and is making strides towards a sustainable and diverse career in the music industry.
Django is a skilled audio engineer, mixer and producer. Having garnered extensive experience working in prestigious recording studios throughout the UK. His impressive portfolio includes recent credits on projects such as Dreamcatcher, Alice Merton, Gilbert O'Sullivan, and Circa Waves. Django is an accredited Dolby Atmos Mixer as well as being one of the top engineers working in Sony 360RA. He boasts a huge array of immersive audio projects to his name.
Adriano Desiré, originally from Colchester, is a producer out of his self run studio in East London. Graduating from ICMP in 2019, he opened his first space in Canning Town where he developed a knack for RnB, Hip Hop and Dance music; not only as a producer but in addition a songwriter. Being a consistent figure in the emerging artist scene in London, Adriano has also produced for Beverly Knight, has had his productions on ‘Love Island’ and the movie ‘Unicorns’ and moving forward his goal is to consistently create authentic and intentional music with Artists all over the world.
With over 20 years of experience and 3,500 live shows as part of the indie band Cherry Suede, Randy Young learned early how to stand out in crowded markets. While many musicians were chasing major record deals, Randy was pioneering live streaming, crowdfunding, and fan communities—well ahead of social media’s rise. Later, he brought his forward thinking approach and innovative strategies to the pro audio software industry, helping developers bridge the gap between technical excellence and market success. His recent work with Denmark’s Relab Development has driven 40-50% year-over-year growth, double that in 2024, by tackling the critical challenges of a crowded market others often overlook.
Source Elements CEO Rebekah Wilson advocates for the benefits of remote collaboration in sound engineering, voice acting, music performance & production, and education, by pioneering and developing dedicated tools for working remotely as a musician, focusing on exceptional quality and reliability. Originally trained as a composer, she is a self-taught software developer and technology expert in the fields of music and networking.
Andrius Raupelis, with over five years of experience as an audio engineer, developed a passion for creating high-quality sound for various media platforms and musicians. He obtained a Dante LVL1 certification and expertise in Dante networking, Sennheiser, Wisycom, Lectrosonic, Shure, etc. products. Raupelis is currently working as an audio engineer at Studio AT MUZA, a leading studio that provides audio engineering services for TV, Film, live events, music recording, and Audio post-production. He is motivated by the challenge of delivering sound that meets the client's expectations and enhances the audience's experience. Andrius values collaboration, creativity, and continuous learning, and enjoys working with a diverse and talented team at Studio AT MUZA.
DJ Sappo is a highly respected producer and mastering engineer with over 25 years of experience and thousands of credits to his name. His extensive portfolio includes mastering Beatport No.1 LPs and projects for Grammy Award-winning artists like Miki Howard. He's also worked on countless Hip-Hop and Drum & Bass tracks and LPs (across vinyl, CD, and digital formats) for notable acts such as The Mouse Outfit (featuring IAMDDB), Dope Ammo, and Technique Recordings, alongside contributing to official Apple DJ mixes, and spent five years working with BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra.
Joan Torruella is a Spanish music producer and audio engineer based in London. He began making music when he was 15 years old and quickly became in love with the process. He shortly began learning how to dj as well. He started a podcast under his project AKROR that has seen artist from all over the world. With several releases labels across Europe and South America as well as years of experience in both studio recordings, mixing and mastering as well as live sound, he has touched every corner of the audio production industry.
Lorenzo Producer is a signed UK music producer, songwriter, and guitarist based in London, celebrated for blending modern Pop, R&B, Rock, and EDM with his Cypriot heritage and the iconic Greek Bouzouki. He began his career in 2011 as a guitarist and songwriter for Ryan & The Rumours, performing on the same circuit as Ed Sheeran and managed by Crown Talent (Rita Ora, Becky Hill). The band received recognition from artists including Danny O’Donoghue (The Script) and Train. Known for his versatile production style and collaborative approach, Lorenzo has worked with talents such as James Smith (UK Top 40, over 200 million streams), Luke Burr (Rudimental frontman), and John Adams (Take That support). He operates from his London studio (in-person and online) and partners with artist developers like SAFO (Sam Smith, Pixie Lott). With BBC Radio credits and a 2023 publishing deal, Lorenzo delivers professional production and vocal recording services that help artists produce standout, radio-ready tracks.
Pedro De Sousa is a Product Specialist at Universal Audio, where he brings over five years of experience helping musicians and producers get the best out of UA’s hardware and software. A music producer and lifelong synth enthusiast, Pedro’s main instruments are synthesizers and bass. He’s passionate about connecting creative workflows with cutting-edge technology, and regularly hosts live demos and training sessions across Europe. At this event, he’ll be showcasing a range of UA products, offering hands-on insights into how they can elevate your sound.
DJ Sappo is a highly respected producer and mastering engineer with over 25 years of experience and thousands of credits to his name. His extensive portfolio includes mastering Beatport No.1 LPs and projects for Grammy Award-winning artists like Miki Howard. He's also worked on countless Hip-Hop and Drum & Bass tracks and LPs (across vinyl, CD, and digital formats) for notable acts such as The Mouse Outfit (featuring IAMDDB), Dope Ammo, and Technique Recordings, alongside contributing to official Apple DJ mixes, and spent five years working with BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra.
Don’t miss out the chance to have your song reviewed by professionals. We invite you to bring your song on your phone or other headphone-compatible device and have it evaluated by our panel of music industry professionals. After listening to your song, the panel will provide you with their professional feedback on a one-on-one and private basis. This info is invaluable for your learning and development journey, and the top 3 songs will win prizes too.
The number one song will be entered for free in the IMSTA 2025 Song Competition for a chance to win over $5,000 in software prizes.
Jonny Amos is a UK based Songwriter with chart success in Europe and Asia and a Producer with credits on a variety of independent and major labels. As Creative Director of The SongLab, Jonny works with a wide range of emerging and established talent and helps artists and creators to build strategies for their creative output. A Senior Lecturer in both music business and music creation at BIMM University, Jonny is also author of The Music Business for Music Creators.
Karl Drummond better known by his stage name Fresharda is a British Dancehall artist, songwriter and record producer of Jamaican and Barbadian descent. He grew up listening to the vocal styling of Gregory Isaacs, Yellow Man, Buju Banton, Beenie Man, Bounty Killer, and Baby Cham. These icons were influential in his decision to pursue a career in music. Fresharda’s music is a blend of dancehall, reggae, and electronic music with extremely eclectic samples and more exotic styles.