Our Mission
Strategic Sounds unites exceptional artistry with strategic purpose, curating music experiences tailored to each client's mission and audience.
About Julie
Julie Helmes founded Strategic Sounds on a singular conviction: that exceptional music events require more than flawless logistics — they demand an understanding of why the event matters and who it serves.
With over 13 years of experience producing live music events, Julie brings a rare combination of artistic sensibility and strategic rigor to every project. Her background in nonprofit leadership—where she learned to align mission with execution and cultivate meaningful donor relationships—informs her approach to concert production. She understands that whether the goal is inspiring philanthropy, celebrating a milestone, or creating an unforgettable private experience, the music must serve the moment.
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Julie guides each project from initial artist research through event-day execution with meticulous attention to her clients' objectives, audiences, and aspirations. She curates artist pairings that elevate the occasion, navigates complex logistics with precision, and orchestrates on-ground experiences where every detail reinforces the event's purpose. Her work spans intimate private concerts for discerning individuals to signature events for philanthropic institutions, each approached with the same commitment to excellence and customization.
Her academic foundation—a BA in Economics and Global Studies from the University of Vermont and a certificate in Nonprofit Management from Johns Hopkins University—provides the analytical framework that underpins her creative work. But it's her years spent in the intersection of music, mission, and meticulous planning that define her approach: thoughtful, sophisticated, and always in service of creating moments that resonate long after the final note.