Emotion Beyond Notes
Hunter Davis on the Mission and Vision
Velvet Audio exists to challenge and elevate the status quo of the performing and marching-arts design world. In a crowded field of reliable, technically proficient providers, our raison d’être is to stand apart by making every production a work of interpretive art—one that invites both performers and spectators to explore layered meanings long after the final chord fades. We see our compositions, soundscapes, and visual integrations not simply as competitive vehicles but as conversation starters that linger in the imagination, prompting personal reflection and renewed curiosity about what music, movement, and narrative can achieve together.
We serve four equally important pillars of the activity—directors, designers, educators, and students—because each bears a unique responsibility for bringing a show to life. Directors anchor the creative vision, designers translate that vision into sight and sound, educators transform abstract concepts into teachable moments, and students embody the art on the field and floor. By giving all parties equal weight, we ensure that artistic ambition, instructional practicality, and performer growth stay in sync, preventing the surprises or misalignments that can derail even the best-conceived production.
"...the communication and support they provide is nothing less than world class."
— Dylan M. / Seminole HS (2022)
The Mission & Vision
Our creative edge emerges most clearly in the music and narrative architecture of each show. Themes and motifs are crafted to ignite personal interpretation: a recurring melodic fragment might hint at resilience, a harmonic shift could symbolize uncertainty, and carefully timed silences invite the audience to fill the emotional gaps themselves. We weave in textured electronics, spatialized percussion, or subtle spoken-word samples only when they heighten the story’s impact—and always with staging and visual cues that amplify the score’s subtext. The result is an immersive experience that feels both fresh and deeply human, even within familiar competitive formats.
"The result is an immersive experience that feels both fresh and deeply human, even within familiar competitive formats."
Collaboration is woven into our workflow from day one. Every project begins with a discovery workshop—often a short, paid strategy call—where directors and educators unpack their core concept, reference media, and competitive goals. From there, we progress through a series of tightly scoped “draft sprints,” each ending with a feedback session that invites real-time discussion rather than passive approval. Assets live in a self-serve portal—scores, stems, visual projections, rehearsal notes—so clients can review, download, and comment at their own pace, ensuring Velvet Audio’s interpretive artistry always elevates, never overrides, the ensemble’s original intent.
Success for us is best measured by the emotional resonance that lingers after a performance. We monitor adjudicator comments, audience surveys, and social-media buzz, but our favorite metric is anecdotal: a spectator humming the show’s main motif in the parking lot, or a student describing how a lyrical passage helped them process a personal experience. These qualitative echoes, paired with quantitative data like contest scores and director satisfaction surveys, give us a 360-degree view of whether the production truly connected with both heart and mind.
"Collaboration is woven into our workflow from day one."
Guiding every interaction is a valued framework that keeps Velvet Audio anchored. Empathy-driven design ensures we begin by listening before composing. Collaborative partnership turns clients into co-creators through transparent drafts and open feedback loops. Clarity and transparency keep timelines, costs, and licensing jargon-free, while craftsmanship and precision uphold engraving, audio, and visual standards worthy of the phrase “stage-ready.” Purposeful innovation, educational empowerment, integrity in licensing, and unwavering inclusivity round out the principles that inform every creative and business decision we make.
2016 - 2021
2022 - present
The 10-year plan
Looking a decade ahead, we envision Velvet Audio setting the benchmark for concept-driven production within the marching arts—and sparking a ripple effect far beyond it. We aim to be the studio other industries cite when they seek to blend narrative depth with technical excellence, whether in interactive museum exhibits, esports halftime shows, or immersive brand experiences. Milestones include an expanded catalog that becomes a go-to reference for directors worldwide, cross-industry collaborations that showcase our interpretive methodology, and a scholarship program nurturing the next generation of designers and composers.
To reach that future while staying true to our mission, we’re building a sustainable growth engine around five strategic initiatives. A client-experience flywheel combines discovery workshops, iterative sprints, and an always-on asset hub to keep feedback swift and revisions minimal. Scalable craftsmanship systems—template libraries, automated rendering pipelines, and detailed production playbooks—ensure freelancers can plug in without diluting quality. A thought-leadership platform delivers behind-the-score breakdowns, live-stream build days, and educator white papers, positioning us as both creators and teachers. Education & community programs—masterclasses, mentorship networks, open-source resources—extend our impact while fostering goodwill. Finally, data-driven outcome metrics and a green-production pledge keep us accountable to both artistic impact and social responsibility, completing the virtuous cycle of innovation, engagement, and continuous improvement.
Hunter Davis
LLC Member & Co-Founder
