Amplifying Growth: Talks for High Schools & Higher Education
At Base Impact 360, I draw from my 25-year journey in the music industry to bring powerful lessons on resilience, synergy, and purposeful growth directly to students. My talks and workshops help young people at high schools, colleges, and universities uncover their unique strengths, build courage to face challenges, and harness their energy to create meaningful impact in their lives and communities. Through relatable stories, practical insights, and the universal language of music, students discover not only how to find their voice—but how to confidently use it.
Choose Your Keynote Topic
College/University Talks
Resilience and Reinvention:Lessons From a Life in music
College is full of pressure to have life perfectly mapped out. But what if that’s not how life really works? Drawing from his own extraordinary journey through the highs and lows of the music industry, David Filice shows students why resilience, adaptability, and reinvention matter far more than having a rigid plan. From touring the world to facing setbacks and ultimately rebuilding his purpose as a speaker, David’s story is proof that it’s never too late—or too early—to pivot. This talk offers students reassurance, inspiration, and practical tools to embrace change, navigate uncertainty, and trust in their ability to shape their futures authentically.
Learning Objectives
• Embrace the Unknown: Learn to thrive even when you don’t have everything mapped out.
•Adapt & Reinvent: Develop strategies to pivot confidently through life’s unexpected challenges.
• Build Your Resilience: Discover how to harness setbacks as powerful opportunities for growth.
Harmonic Leadership: Orchestrating Collaboration and Innovation
Discover the secrets of leadership and synergy through the lens of music. In this course, David Filice explores how the principles that guide a symphony can transform the way we approach leadership and collaboration. Learn to lead with purpose and intent, just like an orchestra conductor brings together diverse talents to create harmony. This course will empower students to harness the best of what music teaches us about collaboration and leadership, fostering a sense of unity and purpose in any endeavor.
Learning Objectives
• Orchestrate Collaboration: Learn how to harmonize diverse talents and create synergy within a team.
• Lead with Purpose: Develop the skills to guide others with intention and clarity, like an orchestra leader.
• Embrace Unity: Discover how to inspire unity and purpose, leading to impactful and lasting results.
Student Programs: Grades 9-12
Play On: Be Real. Play Your Part. Keep Going.
Today’s teens are under more pressure than ever—to succeed, to fit in, to be perfect, especially in a world dominated by social media. But life doesn’t work that way. There will be mistakes, missed notes, and moments you feel invisible. The secret isn’t in getting it all right—it’s in how you respond when things go wrong.
David Filice shares his journey from a lost and rebellious teen to touring the world with platinum-selling artists. Along the way, he battled anxiety, addiction, and even survived one of the deadliest concert tragedies in U.S. history. Through it all, one lesson guided him: keep playing, no matter what.
In this honest and empowering talk, David reminds students that they don’t need to be perfect—they just need to be real. Drawing from the pain of being misunderstood and the healing power of music, he inspires students to own their voice, embrace setbacks as part of the process, and understand the truth: every person plays a part that no one else can.
Learning Objectives
Key Takeaways for Students:
• Relief from the pressure to be perfect—and the freedom to be themselves
• A sense of purpose, connection, and the value they bring to their “band”
• Practical ways to face setbacks and keep going with strength and resilience
The Harmony Framework: Building Connection, Confidence, and Culture
What if life worked like a great band? Everyone brings their own sound, listens closely to others, stays in rhythm, and works together to create something bigger than themselves. That’s the power behind The Harmony Framework—a music-inspired approach to self-awareness, empathy, and collaboration.
In this high-energy, story-driven talk, world-touring bassist and producer David Filice helps students see how they’re already part of something bigger: a culture, a community, a sound. With real-life lessons from the stage and personal stories of challenge, growth, and connection, David shows students how to own their voice, support their peers, and build something meaningful—together.
Whether it’s learning how to deal with pressure, tuning into your energy, or finding your place in a group, music has the answers—and David delivers them with rhythm, heart, and authenticity.
Learning Objectives
Key Takeaways for Students:
• Know Your Sound – Self-awareness and confidence in their individuality
• Listen to the Band – Tools for empathy, respect, and emotional intelligence
• Play in Rhythm – A better understanding of unity, leadership, and how to support peers