Success Stories
Scale the Summit

Scale the Summit to Open Dream Theater Tour
Jun 24, 2009

Scale The Summit, the Houston-based, instrumental, progressive "adventure metal" band formed by four MI grads, has officially been added to Dream Theater's "Progressive Nation" summer tour which kicks off July 24 in Miami. "This is by far the best thing to ever happen to us," says guitarist Chris Letchford. "We're all extremely excited to have been chosen to take part in a tour with such high-caliber musicians. We've been fans of Dream Theater since we were all kids just starting out on our instruments, so this is most certainly a 'dream' come true!

“The best and shortest way to really describe how we all feel and felt when we first got the call was, 'Holy shit!' I'm sure thousands of you out there would definitely be able to relate! We're all looking forward to getting out on the road with those guys. Mark Progressive Nation '09 in your schedules, as it's definitely not one to miss out on!"

The band’s recently released album Carving Desert Canyons (Prosthetic) was hailed by Revolver magazine as "a cinematic blast of intricately melodic fretwork and pummeling percussion," The group, whose members' average age is just 22, was formed in 2004 while they attended MI. Upon graduating, the band relocated to Letchford's home state of Texas to record their self-released debut, Monument, which led to a deal with Prosthetic Records in 2008. The band recently performed a free afternoon show at MI to celebrate their return to Hollywood.

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“More and more of the auditions I’m having for recording artists are turning out to be MI class reunions. The graduates of MI have been dominating the new, young music scene in LA”.

- Barry Squire
  Music Industry Talent Coordinator
  MI Hiring Hall Manager




MI alumni are working on stage, in the studio and behind the scenes around the world, with new stories arriving nearly every day. A sample of former MI students who have achieved industry recognition also includes:




Alessandro Cortini
Nine Inch Nails

Kalen Chase
Korn

Dave Kushner
Velvet Revolver

Rafael Moreira
Pink, Christina Aguilera,
Rock Star: Supernova

Mike Ward
Wallflowers, School of Fish

Kevin Hastings
Liz Phair

Pete Griffin
Hanson

Rivers Cuomo, Brian Bell,
Scott Shriner

Weezer

Curt Bisquera
Elton John, Mick Jagger,
Bonnie Raitt

Pete Anderson
guitarist, producer

Paul Gilbert
Mr.Big, Racer X

Norman Brown
recording artist

Scott Henderson
recording artist

Oscar Cartaya
Jennifer Lopez, Spyro Gyra

Alex Al
Tupac Shakur, Stevie Wonder

Keb’ Mo’
recording artist

Fred Clark
Chaka Khan, Ray Charles,
Stevie Wonder

Dave Weiner
Steve Vai

Jennifer Batten
recording artist, Jeff Beck,
Michael Jackson

Toss Panos
Steve Vai, Mike Landau,
Robben Ford

Frank Gambale
recording artist, Chick Corea

Kevin Dukes
Don Henley, Boz Scaggs,
Jackson Browne

Chad Smith,
John Frusciante

Red Hot Chili Peppers

Clayton Gibb, Les Falconer
Keb’ Mo’

John Shanks
Melissa Etheridge, Bonnie Raitt

Allen Hinds
Randy Crawford, Natalie Cole,
Crusaders

Jeff Buckley
recording artist

Scott Travis
Judas Priest

Ray Luzier
Korn, STP, Army of Anyone,
David Lee Roth

Matt Laug
Alanis Morissette, Slash

Ash Sood
Sarah McLachlan

Joacim Cans
Hammerfall

Leah Andreone
recording artist

Irene Gutierrez (DJ Irene)
DJ/producer/remixer/recording artist

T.J. Guger
Göla

Valerie Vega
Zomba/JIVE recording artist (France)

Ernest Tibbs
Alan Holdsworth, Natalie Cole

Toshi Hiketa
David Lee Roth

Travis Johnson
Dickies, TSOL

Jimmy Herring
Allman Brothers, The Other Ones,
ARU, Widespread Panic

Josh Sklair
Etta James, Jeffrey Osborne

Dan Caron
Clifton Chenier, Charles Brown

Jimmy Scott
Little Milton, Solomon Burke

Steve Kerscznic
Tom Jones

Brian Allen
Virgil Donati, Greg Adams

Meja
recording artist

Jesse Gress
music editor, Guitar Player Magazine

Sarah Hudson
recording artist
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