ATXM Master Class: Performance Royalties, Mechanical Royalties & Publishing 101
Learn how musicians actually get paid.
Austin Texas Musicians (ATXM) is launching its 2026 Music Industry Education Series on March 30, with the first ATXM Master Class of the year, bringing together leading experts from across the music industry to help Austin artists better understand how musicians actually get paid.
The inaugural session — Performance Royalties, Mechanical Royalties & Publishing 101 — will take place Monday, March 30, from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM at St. Edward’s University on South Congress Avenue in downtown Austin.
This free master class is designed specifically for working musicians, songwriters, producers, and independent artists who want to better understand the complex world of royalties and music publishing.
Event Details
📅 Monday, March 30, 2026
⏰ 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM
🚪 Doors Open: 2:45 PM
📍 St. Edward’s University - Maloney Room — Main Building
3001 South Congress Avenue, Austin, Texas
🎟 Free Event — RSVP Required!
👥 Capacity: Limited to 75 attendees
Entry will be on a first-come, first-served basis, so arrive on time.
Full Agenda
02:45 PM
Doors Open. Check-in, networking, and resource tables
03:00 PM
Welcome & Program Overview: Introduction to the ATXM Education Series
03:10 PM
Performance Royalties Explained, Presented by Mitch Ballard (BMI)
03:50 PM
Mechanical Royalties Demystified Presented by Jamie Dominguez (The MLC)
04:30 PM
Panel Discussion - “Where Musicians Leave Money on the Table” moderated by Pat Buchta (ATXM).
04:50 PM - 05:00 PM
Audience Q&A
Learn How the Royalty System
Actually Works
Many artists unknowingly leave money on the table simply because the music royalty system can be difficult to navigate.
This master class will break down the essentials every songwriter and performing artist should understand, including:
How performance royalties work
The difference between PRO royalties and mechanical royalties
How streaming generates income for songwriters
Why registering with The MLC is essential
Common mistakes that cause musicians to miss income
Whether you perform live, release music online, or write songs for other artists, this session will help ensure you’re collecting the royalties you’ve earned.
Featuring Industry Experts
The session will feature two respected music industry professionals who work directly with artists and songwriters across the country.
Mitch Ballard, BMI
Executive Director, Creative, Austin
Mitch Ballard will guide attendees through the fundamentals of performance royalties, including how artists collect income from live performances, radio play, and digital platforms.
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Mitch Ballard is BMI’s Executive Director, Creative in Austin. He is responsible for signing and developing new talent, and for supporting BMI’s extensive family of Texas songwriters and publishers across the country and rock genres, among others. In addition, Ballard assists BMI songwriters with creative and administrative tasks and helps coordinate showcases, educational seminars, and other events that support BMI’s creative community, including BMI’s Songwriter Series at the famed Saxon Pub.
Ballard joined BMI in 2019 as Director, Creative, Austin, and was instrumental in opening the BMI Austin office that year, working closely with the Texas Governor’s Office to create awareness throughout the state. Ballard was promoted to his current role in 2022 and continues to liaise with the Texas Music Office, supporting the shared mission of creating opportunities for artists and songwriters in Texas and helping connect them with music business executives in the state.
Before BMI, Ballard held various positions in the tech and music industries. Ballard was also the co-founder of DevDigital software development company and handled global sales and operations for Glow Motion Technologies, whose projects/clients included halftime shows for Superbowl XLIX (Katy Perry), Superbowl LI (Lady Gaga), Superbowl LII (Justin Timberlake), Superbowl LIII (Maroon 5) and nationwide arena tours for high-profile artists including Tom Petty, Ariana Grande, Twenty One Pilots, Drake and Keith Urban, to name a few. In addition, he was a songwriter and tour manager for many years, working with artists such as Lonestar, Nelson, Billy Joe Royal, SHeDAISY and B.J. Thomas, among others.
Ballard, a native Texan, is a lifetime member of the Country Music Association, a member of the Academy of Country Music and was formerly a board advisor for the Texas GRAMMY Chapter. He serves on the boards of The Cindy Walker Foundation, Sing Me A Story Foundation and the Austin Community College Music Business Curriculum Advisory board. He is also a Black Fret Society Advisor.
Jamie Dominguez , The MLC
National Director, Industry Relations
Traveling from Nashville, Jamie Dominguez will explain mechanical royalties and streaming income, helping musicians understand how to properly register songs and ensure they receive the mechanical royalties they are owed.
Jamie works directly with songwriters and publishers across the country to ensure creators receive their U.S. mechanical streaming royalties, making her one of the leading experts on the topic. The session will conclude with a panel discussion moderated by ATXM Executive Director Pat Buchta, followed by an audience Q&A.
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Description text goes hereJamie Dominguez serves as National Director of Industry Relations at the Mechanical Licensing Collective (The MLC), where she builds and strengthens relationships with songwriters, publishers, and music industry stakeholders. In this role, she helps advance The MLC’s mission to ensure songwriters and music publishers receive the U.S. mechanical streaming royalties they are owed.
Jamie represents The MLC at major industry events and conferences across the music ecosystem, working to educate and engage the songwriter and publishing communities about rights, royalties, and the evolving music landscape.
Prior to joining The MLC, Jamie spent 19 years at SESAC, where she most recently served as Senior Director of Creative Services. She later helped establish and launch Sound Royalties’ presence in New York, further supporting songwriters and rights holders in navigating the business side of music.
A Small Room for Big Knowledge
To create a meaningful learning environment, attendance is intentionally limited to just 75 people.
Rather than a large-lecture format, the ATXM Master Class series is designed as a focused, interactive learning experience where musicians can ask questions, engage directly with experts, and gain practical knowledge they can apply immediately to their careers.
⚠️ Only 75 seats are available, and RSVP is required. Musicians are encouraged to register early to secure a spot.
The beautiful Maloney Room at St. Edward’s University, Main Building, third floor.
An Intimate Learning Experience
To create a meaningful learning environment and allow time for questions and discussion, this ATXM Master Class is intentionally limited to just 75 attendees.
This smaller format gives musicians a rare opportunity to learn directly from industry experts, ask questions, and engage in real conversation about royalties and publishing. We encourage early registration to ensure your seat early!
A New Education Partnership with St. Edward’s University
This event marks the beginning of a new collaboration between Austin Texas Musicians and St. Edward’s University, designed to expand access to real-world music industry education for Austin’s creative community.
Located on South Congress in the heart of Austin, St. Edward’s University provides a collaborative campus environment where artists, students, and industry professionals can come together to share knowledge and build careers.
Through this partnership, the university will host ATXM Master Classes and educational programming that connect Austin’s working musicians with industry experts and practical career resources.
The collaboration reflects a shared commitment to supporting Austin’s creative economy while strengthening pathways for musicians to build sustainable careers.
Practical Education for Working Musicians
The ATXM Master Class series is part of the organization’s broader Music Industry Education Initiative, designed to give musicians practical tools to build sustainable careers.
Through master classes, workshops, webinars, and community programming, ATXM is helping Austin artists better understand the business side of music—from royalties and contracts to branding, marketing, and income streams.
