American Songwriter » Education

Oklahoma Gets its Own Academy of Contemporary Music

Evan Schlansky — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 00:43:19 +0000

From the press release: Trailblazing music school, The Academy of Contemporary Music, will celebrate the opening of its first U.S. campus at the University of Central Oklahoma with a public reception on August 12, 2009 which will feature live music and a first look at the new facilities. The school, known as the ACM@UCO, will provide unique educational opportunities and targeted, innovative classes for U.S. students who aspire to a career in the music industry. In anticipation of the opening, ACM@UCO has also announced the hiring of Dr. Peter Pollack as the Director of Academic Operations. A veteran rock musician, Pollack has provided drums for the Las Vegas productionof Blue Man Group since 2000 and has previously recorded with numerous artists and producers including Steve Albini and Cheetah Chrome of the Dead Boys. He holds a Doctorate of Musical Arts from the University of Illinois. Connecting students directly to today's music industry, ACM@UCO's staff of teachers will include acclaimed performing artists and award-winning music professionals and will provide a new pool oftalent for the U.S. music industry. Confirmed to offer master classes during the Academy's first year are Lilly Allen producer and member of The Bird and the Bee, Greg Kurstin, and Warner Bros. Records General Manager and EVP of Warner Bros. Promotions Tom Biery, as well as Oklahomans The Flaming Lips, with additional classes and teachers tobe announced later. Classes will be held at the Oklahoma Warehouse Building off Flaming Lips Alley in Oklahoma City's historic Bricktown district. As the state's oldest university, UCO leads the way for innovative higher learning, offering undergraduate and graduate degrees from it's main campus in Edmond, OK.

Learn “Songwriting for Film and TV” from Berkleemusic

americansongwriter — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 03:11:31 +0000

BERKLEEMUSIC DEBUTS "SONGWRITING FOR FILM AND TV" Emmy Award-winner Brad Hatfield Teaches New Course Beginning June 29 Berkleemusic, the online continuing education division of Boston's renowned Berklee College of Music, is debuting the new course "Songwriting for Film and TV" for their upcoming summer term, beginning June 29. Students will explore the techniques of writing music that appeal specifically to music supervisors, editors, directors, and producers across a wide variety of different genres. "The field of songwriting for film and television has grown exponentially over the past few years, providing a promotional launching pad, as well as a lucrative income stream for artist and songwriter careers," says course instructor Brad Hatfield, an Emmy Award-winning composer and one of Boston's most prolific musicians. "Songwriting for Film and TV" begins with an overview of the historical and current uses of songs and how to succeed as a songwriter for film and television. Online students explore the elements of a visual-media-friendly song, including appropriate harmonic colors, rhythmic elements, and intros, vamps, and endings. Whether the material is intended as background source music or a featured song, the course teaches how to successfully write on demand and how to write for music libraries. Also covered are effective techniques for collaborating, both during the writing and production process. The course also deals with important business considerations, including negotiation, payment, and rights. During the course, students write several short songs-each of which provides an opportunity to master specific techniques needed to succeed as a songwriter for visual media. Students also write and produce a full-length song for a featured use in a movie scene. There are opportunities to improve songs through collaboration with classmates and guided feedback from course instructor Brad Hatfield. By the end of the course, students will have learned to: * Write or modify their songs to make them "media-friendly" * Collaborate effectively with other writers and musicians * Find opportunities for their music to be placed into visual media * Exchange audio files for flawless collaborations * Negotiate effectively when entering into agreements with publishers and producers * Write a song to work in sync with on-screen action * Write and orchestrate songs communicating time, location, and dramatic tone Brad Hatfield's musical compositions have been heard on movies such as Borat, Analyze This, The Break Up, and Cop Land, as well as the TV series The Sopranos, Six feet Under, ER, CSI, Saturday Night Live, Friends, The Young and The Restless, and dozens more. Brad is currently the co-composer for the FX Television series Rescue Me, starring Denis Leary. He has served on the faculty of Berklee College of Music and Boston College and currently teaches Music Supervision, Songwriting, and Music Industry courses at Northeastern University. "Songwriting for Film and TV" is available as a stand-alone twelve week course, as well as one of eight required courses in the recently-launched multi-course certificate program: "Orchestration For Film and TV." To learn more visit: http://www.berkleemusic.com Summer Term begins June 29, 2009. ABOUT BERKLEEMUSIC.COM Berkleemusic.com is the continuing education division of Berklee College of Music, delivering online access to Berklee's acclaimed curriculum from anywhere in the world. Berkleemusic's award-winning online courses and certificate programs are accredited and taught by the college's world-renowned faculty, providing lifelong learning opportunities to people interested in music and working in the music industry. As the business of music continues to move online, Berkleemusic is taking a leadership role in educating the next generation of producers, performers, and entrepreneurs on this evolving industry landscape. Berkleemusic's students come from over 80 countries around the world, and include Grammy award winners, managers, artists, publishers, music business entrepreneurs and major international touring acts. By the end of the course, students will have learned to: * Write or modify their songs to make them "media-friendly" * Collaborate effectively with other writers and musicians * Find opportunities for their music to be placed into visual media * Exchange audio files for flawless collaborations * Negotiate effectively when entering into agreements with publishers and producers * Write a song to work in sync with on-screen action * Write and orchestrate songs communicating time, location, and dramatic tone Brad Hatfield's musical compositions have been heard on movies such as Borat, Analyze This, The Break Up, and Cop Land, as well as the TV series The Sopranos, Six feet Under, ER, CSI, Saturday Night Live, Friends, The Young and The Restless, and dozens more. Brad is currently the co-composer for the FX Television series Rescue Me, starring Denis Leary. He has served on the faculty of Berklee College of Music and Boston College and currently teaches Music Supervision, Songwriting, and Music Industry courses at Northeastern University. "Songwriting for Film and TV" is available as a stand-alone twelve week course, as well as one of eight required courses in the recently-launched multi-course certificate program: "Orchestration For Film and TV." To learn more visit: http://www.berkleemusic.com Summer Term begins June 29, 2009. ABOUT BERKLEEMUSIC.COM Berkleemusic.com is the continuing education division of Berklee College of Music, delivering online access to Berklee's acclaimed curriculum from anywhere in the world. Berkleemusic's award-winning online courses and certificate programs are accredited and taught by the college's world-renowned faculty, providing lifelong learning opportunities to people interested in music and working in the music industry. As the business of music continues to move online, Berkleemusic is taking a leadership role in educating the next generation of producers, performers, and entrepreneurs on this evolving industry landscape. Berkleemusic's students come from over 80 countries around the world, and include Grammy award winners, managers, artists, publishers, music business entrepreneurs and major international touring acts.

NY Songwriter’s Circle Heads to Berklee College of Music

Evan Schlansky — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 18:02:35 +0000

Inspiration spreads from state to state. New York - June 9, 2009 - The New York Songwriters' Circle is proud to announce that on Wednesday, July 15th it will host its first "Loft Series" for aspiring musicians in the Boston area at the Berklee College of Music (1 pm) and an 8 pm concert at Café 939 with performances by Boston-native and New York Songwriters Circle 2008 songwriting contest winner Mieka Pauley and Berklee alumni Seth Glier, Caleb Hawley, Will Knox, Liz Longley, Jesse Ruben and NYSC Artistic Director Tina Shafer. Tickets for students and the general public are $10 and can be purchased at the BPC box office (located at 136 Mass Ave. ) up until the day of the show and at www.ticketmaster.com or at any ticketmaster outlet. The New York Songwriters Circle "Loft Series" is a grassroots community/movement whose purpose is to create a real change in how the music industry deals with artists and talent. The NYSC "Loft Series" meets the last Tuesday of every month in New York and brings together musicians of all levels and abilities to educate and share real-life experiences in a caring and supportive environment. "It is important for musicians at all levels to have an outlet were they are comfortable and can share their ideas, stories, laughs and learn from each other in a safe and nurturing environment," said Tina Shafer, NYSC Artistic Director and president for the past 19 years. "Our goal is to build a community in Boston where artists can be artists and not feel they will be exploited." For over 19 years, the New York Songwriters' Circle has been producing and directing bi-monthly shows at the legendary Bitter End club, in New York City's West Village. The Circle has launched the careers of notable artists such as Norah Jones, Jesse Harris, Lisa Loeb, Vanessa Carlton, Gavin DeGraw, NYSC songwriting contest winner and regular on "One Tree Hill," Kate Voegele, Company of Thieves and Chris Barron. The circle has quickly become one of the most popular music events in Manhattan , attracting not only the best up and coming songwriting talent from around the world but also top music industry executives looking to discover "the next big thing".

Songwriters Hall of Fame to Hold Master Class with Lamont Dozier, Award Abe Olman Scholarship

Evan Schlansky — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 17:50:59 +0000

If your in New York City on June 16, make sure to hit the Kaufman center.

The Songwriters Hall of Fame (SHOF) have announced that the 2009 Abe Olman Scholarships for Excellence in Songwriting will be presented on Tuesday, June 16th, at 8pm at the Kaufman Center, located at 129 West 67th Street, between Broadway and Amsterdam. The presentation will be preceded by the 2009 SHOF Master Class, given by songwriting icon Lamont Dozier, of Holland-Dozier-Holland, the songwriting powerhouse who created the Motown Sound, writing the hits for the Supremes, the Temptations and many more. Grammy winner/author Nelson George will be in conversation with Dozier during the evening. Admission is free, and for seating/ticket reservations, contact the Merkin Hall at the Kaufman Center box office at 212-501-3330

The Abe Olman Scholarships are given annually to five promising young songwriters who have risen to an exemplary standard, one each chosen by ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, SGA and SHOF.

This year's Abe Olman Scholarship recipients are:

* Madi Diaz (SHOF)
* Michael Grubbs (SESAC)
* April Lynn Smith (BMI)
* Kirsten Thien (SGA)
* Natalie Warner (ASCAP)

Abe Olman, for whom the scholarship program is named, would have celebrated his 100th birthday this year. Olman was both a major figure in the music publishing community and a songwriter himself, in addition to being one of the founders of the Songwriters Hall of Fame. The Abe Olman Scholarships given out each year are made possible by his family in the interest of encouraging and supporting the careers of young songwriters the likes of former scholarship recipient John Legend.

The Abe Olman Scholarship winners' songs are also featured on the annual compilation CD; The Best of the Songwriters Hall of Fame New Writers Showcase: Volume 7.

Songwriters Hall of Fame Chairman/CEO Hal David today announced the creation of The Holly Prize, a new scholarship made possible by Songmasters as a tribute to Buddy Holly, a SHOF inductee. The Holly Prize will recognize and support talented new singer/songwriters whose work exhibits the qualities of Holly's music: true, great and original. The Holly Prize inauguration coincides with Songmasters' launch of Listen to Me: Buddy Holly, a multi-media celebration of Buddy Holly created in collaboration with the Estate of Buddy Holly.

"Buddy Holly was one of music's true pioneers. His unique style and all-around talent as a songwriter, performer and producer is still a major influence on today's music. He was committed to controlling his own artistry and to helping other young musicians do the same. We are thrilled that Songwriters Hall of Fame wants to recognize that same spirit in the next generation of songwriters," says Jennifer Cohen, Managing Partner of Songmasters. The Holly Prize will be administered and juried by the SHOF, and Songmasters will provide the support for the cash prize and recognition award. The first Holly Prize will be awarded in June, 2010, during the Songwriters Hall of Fame presentations of the Abe Olman Scholarship Awards For Excellence In Songwriting. Founded in 1994, Songmasters uses the music its clients' consumers love and the causes they care about to launch integrated marketing and brand communications programs for its corporate, non-profit and music industry clients. For more information on Songmasters or the Listen to Me series, visit www.songmasters.org.

In other news, SHOF is being celebrated by Hal Leonard Publishing, which will publish a songbook, highlighting the songwriting gems of 38 inductees from 2003 - 2009, including Jon Bon Jovi & Richie Sambora ("You Give Love A Bad Name"); Desmond Child ("Livin' On A Prayer"); Loretta Lynn ("Coal Miner's Daughter"); David Bowie ("Fame"); Queen ("We Are The Champions"); Van Morrison ("Brown Eyed Girl") and many more. The Songwriters Hall of Fame Songbook will feature bios and photos of each artist and an introduction by Hal David.

About The Songwriters Hall of Fame:
The Songwriters Hall of Fame celebrates songwriters, educates the public with regard to their achievements, and produces a spectrum of professional programs devoted to the development of new songwriting talent through workshops, showcases and scholarships. Over the course of the past 40 years, some key Songwriters Hall of Fame inductees have included Desmond Child, Loretta Lynn, John Sebastian, John Fogerty, Isaac Hayes and David Porter, Steve Cropper, Richard and Robert Sherman, Bill Withers, Carole King, Paul Simon, Bob Dylan, Billy Joel, Sir Elton John, Bernie Taupin, Brian Wilson, James Taylor, James Brown, Curtis Mayfield, Hal David and Burt Bacharach, Jim Croce, Phil Collins, Alan and Marilyn Bergman, Jimmy Webb, Paul Williams, Van Morrison and Cy Coleman, among many, many others. The Songwriters Hall of Fame was founded in 1969 by songwriter Johnny Mercer and publishers Abe Olman and Howie Richmond.

GUITAR 101: Listening

Gary Talley — Fri, 01 May 2009 18:57:16 +0000

At least half of learning to play and sing is learning to listen. Music is a language you can learn to speak the same way you learn your native tongue, or any other language.

At least half of learning to play and sing is learning to listen. Music is a language you can learn to speak the same way you learn your native tongue, or any other language. The quickest way to learn a verbal language is immersion. You hear it and try to speak it constantly. Without knowing it, that's the way I learned to speak the language of music. Fortunately for me, both my parents played musical instruments and sang every day. My mother played piano, and my father played guitar and harmonica. They sang together frequently. We also listened to the radio and played records in the evenings. We were immersed in music, and my brother and I learned to sing harmonies at an early age. We learned this completely by ear, without any instruction whatsoever. Neither of my parents ever learned to read music, even though my mother was the pianist and organist in several churches. If you had asked us how we learned to do that, we'd say we "played by ear." What we could have said was "I listened." Listening is receptive. It used to be a natural thing to do many years ago. Remember listening to The White Album by The Beatles with headphones on and your eyes closed? Listening to your mother's voice as she sang you to sleep? What was the first song you remember hearing? Remember the sound of tires on a gravel road? How many people have actually listened to a bluebird sing? Remember those noisy Model A Fords ? Nah, me neither. Now there is so much information coming at you from everywhere. Input, input, input. Not much opportunity to really focus on just one thing. Just having your eyes open provides an enormous amount of data. What I'm saying is, in our culture we have forgotten how to listen. The earliest musical instruments that I know of are bone flutes. How did those prehistoric people learn how to play them? Method books? There are bone flutes that date from around 35,000 years ago. Of course, drums are older than that, however the flute players didn't hang around with drummers. See, nothing has changed in 35,000 years! What about the human voice? Singing is as old as mankind, I would imagine. Our Western culture didn't invent music. We didn't invent the major scale. The pentatonic scale was used in Asia tens of thousands of years ago. Music is mentioned in the Bible, the Koran, the Bhagavad Gita, and lots of other things that weren't written yesterday. Why am I going on about this? Well, here's my point: Music, like singing and dancing, is a completely natural thing to do. People have always done it. Today, we think those things are only done by professionals who have had formal training. Baloney! YOU CAN LEARN THE LANGUAGE OF MUSIC NOW WITHOUT FORMAL TRAINING. THE KEY is LISTENING. Ear training is the name the music schools have for learning to listen. I think this is the most important course you'll ever take. Unless you're in med school. You can take one of these courses, or buy a book, or pick up a DVD, or whatever. They're not hard to find. But they're not essential to hearing and "speaking" music. For instance, on weekends my parents' home was filled with regular people who had little formal education, didn't speak English "properly," and couldn't afford to eat at a nice restaurant. But they could speak music. The joy that being able to speak this language fluently provides is completely immeasurable. Somebody would say "Your Cheatin' Heart in G,"and off they'd go. Or if Buddy only knew it in C, they'd play it in C for him. They mostly played country music, and they could play any country song in G, C, D or E. None of them could read or write music, but they could sure as heck play! There are millions of people all over the world that have this ability. You don't have to be a genius. The rewards of knowing how to "speak music" can't be described. It's like knowing all of the languages in the world and being able to converse with anybody, anywhere, anytime ! It's great!! Take a CD or MP3 or a vinyl record and play it. Listen to it, and try to figure out just one note of the melody. Can't do it? Then you've got to spend more time listening. Ask a friend to sing a note, or play a note on an instrument and you try to match that pitch with your voice or an instrument. You don't have to know if it's a C. You just listen and match the sound. Think you can't do it? You can. Somebody told you that you were tone-deaf? Wrong. It's just a skill you have that's undeveloped until now. Keep doing it. A lot. Don't give up. Have them play a Major chord. Then a Minor chord. Learn to hear the difference. Let me know how it's going

LEGAL EASE: Protecting Your Band Name as a Trademark

Howell ORear — Fri, 01 May 2009 18:57:07 +0000

The selection of a band name creates a host of legal issues. Obviously, this brief article cannot touch on every legal and intellectual property issue that relates to a band name.

The selection of a band name creates a host of legal issues. Obviously, this brief article cannot touch on every legal and intellectual property issue that relates to a band name. Instead, this article is primarily focused on trademark law. The most vital and valuable trademarks in the music business are the names of bands and individual performers. Band names serve the important function of identifying the artist's goods and services. First, you should know that you cannot copyright the name of a band. Copyright law does not protect names, titles, slogans, or short phrases. Copyright protection, however, may be available for a band's logo design or artwork if it contains sufficient authorship. Also, in some circumstances, a band's logo may be protected as a trademark. A trademark is simply a word, phrase, sound, or symbol that represents the commercial reputation and identity of a product or service in the marketplace. For example, when you see the band name "The Rolling Stones," you identify that name with Mick, Keith, Ronnie, Charlie and the other musicians who have played in that band. Likewise, when you see that distinctive red tongue logo, you know that logo represents or identifies a product or service from "The Rolling Stones." Hence, "The Rolling Stones" and the infamous red tongue are both trademarks. Trademark rights will depend primarily on how the band name is being used, as trademark rights are acquired by the use of the trademark. That means the first person to use a trademark acquires rights to that name superior to anyone who later uses the same name. Most commonly, a band name functions as an identifier (known as a "service mark") for entertainment services because bands use their names to identify and distinguish themselves when playing a gig. Also, a band name functions as a trademark for a band's musical recordings. Without the band's name, a customer would not be able to identify the album it wished to purchase (Spinal Tap's all-black album Smell the Glove might be an exception.) Trademark registration is not required to have trademark protection, and not all trademarks qualify for registration. You can register your band name trademark federally or through your state. Registration with the federal government, through the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, has much sharper teeth than state registration and offers significant benefits to the owners of registered marks. Additionally, if you are using your band's name on a commercial basis (i.e. playing gigs and selling records), you obtain common-law rights in the name. The ability to obtain trademark rights to a band name, either through registration or common law, hinges on multiple issues. A band that is serious about making a name for itself will usually protect that name through federal registration. Obtaining trademark registration with the federal government is not an easy or cheap process. Bearing in mind that you are asking the government for a monopoly on your band name, it's no wonder the Trademark Office examines your application through a complicated process. When you are choosing a band name, your goal, from a legal perspective, should be to choose a name that avoids infringing on an established trademark. Initially, you should google the band name you want to use and make sure to scour iTunes, MySpace, and Amazon. If a band is already using a name you like, it is wise to choose another name. Also, changing the spelling of an existing band name won't defeat your problem because you can infringe on one's trademark by using a name that is likely to cause confusion. For example, the name "The Beetles" would infringe on "The Beatles'" trademark rights. If you name your band "Death Taxi for Booty," you're likely to hear from a lawyer representing "Death Cab for Cutie." While many legal factors come into play, one way to ensure your band name is protected by trademark law is to choose a name that is "completely arbitrary." In the legal sense, this means your band name should not relate to your band. For example, a band from Nashville named "The Nashville Ramblers" is not completely arbitrary because the name is directly connected to where the band is from. "Alice in Chains," on the other hand, is completely arbitrary and has strong trademark protection. Once you have decided on a band name, you should consult an experienced trademark lawyer to inquire about registering the name as a trademark, especially if your touring or album sales are increasing in numbers. It's also prudent to figure out who owns the trademark rights in the band name, and get that agreement in writing (most often it's through an LLC agreement). A written agreement about ownership of the band name will save a lot of headaches if the band breaks up-just ask Slash and the other former members of Guns ‘N Roses. In short, goodwill, commercial recognition, and other valuable intellectual property rights are bundled in a band name. The reputation of a band is built on its name, which is what the public uses to identify the bands they enjoy. Therefore, you should take the necessary steps to protect your band name. A final piece of advice: create a unique, distinct name and avoid generic and descriptive names. Think of it this way-when you mention the name of your band to a friend, they should respond, "What the hell does that mean?" You want a name with thick protection, and you don't want to be forced to change your name due to trademark issues as you grow your following of fans. Howell O'Rear is a lawyer at Riley Warnock & Jacobson, PLC in Nashville. You can contact him at horear@rwjplc.com. Disclaimer: This article does not constitute legal advice-it is only background discussion about trademark issues. The author strongly recommends contacting a lawyer with questions or concerns.

Georgia Tech Competition Explores New Musical Frontiers

Christine Smith — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 20:45:49 +0000

These instruments won't be showing up in your local music store in the near future, but they sure look cool. Held at Georgia Tech, the first annual Guthman Musical Instrument Competition provided music-loving inventors with an outlet for their ingenuity. Entrants were required to create a new type of instrument and perform a composition using it before a panel of judges. The guidelines provided plenty of freedom in terms of what would would be considered a viable entry: "Instruments may generate sound acoustically or electronically, they may exist in physical or virtual manifestations, and they may be played by humans, robots, or computers. They may modify, improve, or extend existing instruments -- including the human voice - or they may offer entirely new design paradigms." The contest was founded by Sharon Galloway in honor of her late husband, who led the school's Department of Architecture for over a decade. Judges were provided by Georgia Tech and sponsors Wired and Harmonix, the company responsible for Guitar Hero and Rock Band. Copies of the latter game were awarded to 4th, 5th, and 6th place winners, while the grand prize winner took home $5,000. More than 60 entries were presented during the judging days at the end of February. Some instruments looked like they belonged in a robotics lab, while others would have fit in at Toys ‘R' Us -- one consisted of a Sudoku puzzle board that changed its tune, depending on the success of the player's progress. Another contestant created handheld MIDI controllers to bring "air guitar" to life. The winning "Silent Drum" involves the manipulation of light and shadows to generate computerized sound.

Leadership Music Hosts Digital Summit In Nashville Next Week

Abby White Plachy — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 23:15:32 +0000

If you're in Nashville next week and in need of a pick-me-up after a hectic SXSW, then head to the Digital Summit, produced by Leadership Music. We're one of the sponsors of the Summit and look forward to all of the speakers and panels. There's still time to sign up.

"LMDS is an intellectual oasis, one of the only conferences where both the speakers and the attendees come with no pre-conceived notions, only the desire to achieve positive outcomes." Ted Cohen, Managing Partner, TAG Strategic LLC Abby White Plachy interviews Leadership Music's executive director Kira Florita about the upcoming Digital Summit, to be held March 23-25 at Belmont University's Curb Event Center in Nashville, Tennessee. For those who aren't aware, give us a brief history of Leadership Music and what it does within the music business. Established in 1989, our mission is to nurture a knowledgeable, issue-oriented community of music industry professionals. We do this through our annual selection-based Program: 10 days in 8 sessions, 50 people spend 144 hours together over 8 months. 736 people have graduated from our Program over the past 19 years. The goal of the Program is to create knowledge, understanding and communications, build relationships and create active connections, foster inspiration and facilitate empathy, and prompt new ideas and solutions. Each year's class is composed of all sectors of the music community, creative and business. These categories shift continually to reflect the evolving industry. Criteria for selection is established leaders, nominated and recruited by their peers. The Program begins and ends with overnight retreats, and six themed days focus on areas of the industry -- it features worldwide experts, and is structured to always be relevant, looking towards the future while gaining perspective from the past. How was the Digital Summit born? Originally conceived by the board in 2005 as an educational program for our alumni, they recognized that it would benefit the entire music community. Fletcher Foster and Lori Badgett were the first co-chairs, and Fletcher brought Ted Cohen (then at EMI and now TAG Strategic) in to help us. Now programmed for the broader music industry, it has grown to 1 1/2 days and over 700 total attendees. Like our core Program, the agenda is decided by a team of alumni and specialists, and we strive to bring in the best experts in their fields, the futurists, the most informed speakers. This year, because our high-level volunteers are all incredibly busy, we did it mostly through conference calls while viewing planning materials in Google docs. One reason we expanded was we recognize the need for networking opportunities to foster the exchange of ideas, and to create relationships and business connections. Who should attend the Summit? Anyone trying to sell or make a profit from music or catalogs, and/or the artists which they represent. The programming will appeal to CEOs, all types of music creators, and everyone in between. Topics range from high level, such as what is on the legislative horizon for music copyrights, to the emergence of "music like water" that will be coming soon via ISPs, how the metrics of measuring success have drastically changed in the industry, down to how to monetize the artist/fan relationship through fan clubs, social networks, touring, mobile, and all the companies and platforms that provide ways to do that. What are some ideas you see coming out of this year's Summit? Probably one of the most exciting topics will be covered in the two convergence segments, when it becomes clear how close we are to achieving a regular flow of income for artists, songwriters, and all rights holders through ISPs at universities and reaching all consumers. The incentives and acceptance, as well as the infrastructure that didn't exist -- hardware, software, legal, and financial -- has finally evolved to a point where this will soon become a reality. The state of the industry segments are always essential because things change so fast, including legislative progress to simplify and standardize revenue streams, and how consumer trends and perceptions are shifting. Beyond that, there are just so many speakers who each represent new ideas, technologies, platforms, analytics, social networks, etc. that everyone will hear something that can help them to be more successful. What are you most excited about on the digital music front in 2009? Besides the emerging reality of true convergence, which has been talked about for so long and is now so close to reality, probably just the many opportunities that continue to materialize, and how the business models are improving to actually generate more revenue, so that creators of music can keep doing what they do. Our keynote address by Rio Caraeff is going to be very good as well; UMG's eLabs are looking far into the future. For every "doom and gloom" statistic or reality you hear about, it seems that each year at the LMDS you hear so much more about promising trends, ideas turning potential into certainty, and awesome successes in the digital music landscape. While it's true that some successes come and go, there's a real excitement in seeing how fast things change, and knowing how many major successes are becoming apparent every day. The word "hope" has been overused this past year, but it's the right word to use when trying to explain what to expect at LMDS. Head to the Registration page while there is still's time! We'll be there.

TUNESMITHS WANTED FOR JOHNNY MERCER NO-FEE SONGWRITERS PROJECT

Evan Schlansky — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 15:42:36 +0000

Here's the press release:

The Johnny Mercer Foundation and the American Music Theatre Project at Northwestern University are presenting the fourth annual Johnny Mercer Songwriters Project on Northwestern's Evanston, Illinois campus, June 21 to 27. The no-fee, weeklong workshop led by Tony- and Grammy award-winning artists is seeking talented young songwriters or writing teams from all popular music genres to participate.

The legendary Johnny Mercer, master of the American song and award-winning composer of "Come Rain or Come Shine," "Accentuate the Positive" and "Moon River," was dedicated throughout his career to the development of young songwriters and singers. This year marks the centennial of his birth, with many events planned to celebrate his legacy.

This intensive weeklong songwriting program will be led by master teachers Craig Carnelia, Tony Award-nominated composer and lyricist of the Broadway musical "Sweet Smell of Success"; Lin-Manuel Miranda, Tony Award-winning composer, lyricist and creator and star of the Broadway musical "In The
Heights"; and Lari White, three-time Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter. It will include master classes and workshops, a master teacher cabaret and a student songwriter showcase. The week will culminate with the "Johnny Mercer Celebration Concert," featuring two special guest stars -- award-winning actress, singer and recording artist Liz Callaway and vocalist Capathia Jenkins -- along with performances by the Johnny Mercer program's master teachers and songwriters.

Last year's program featured emerging songwriters from across the country in the fields of pop, music theatre, hip-hop, folk, Latin and country. To qualify, writers must be between the ages of 18 to 30. For writing teams, at least one member must meet this criterion.

Through the generosity of The Johnny Mercer Foundation, there is no fee for this workshop for the writers and writing teams selected, and a stipend will be offered to cover a portion of travel and boarding expenses.

All 2009 applications must be postmarked by April 6. To learn more and download an application, visit:http://www.amtp.northwestern.edu/mercer.html.

About The Johnny Mercer Foundation:
The Johnny Mercer Foundation is a nonprofit organization devoted to preserving and celebrating the work of Johnny Mercer and other great American songwriters, and introducing their music to a new generation
through educational programs for students from elementary through college age. The Foundation also supports charitable organizations through royalties from Mercer's more than 1,500 songs. This year marks the centennial of Mercer's birth. To learn more about the Foundation, visit: http://johnnymercerfoundation.com/intro.html.

Scotland Does Its Part to Save Planet’s Fanzines

Christine Smith — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 00:22:57 +0000

While most libraries, whether public or private, house a periodical section, few are likely to carry the handwritten Xeroxed pamphlets known as "fanzines." While most libraries, whether public or private, house a periodical section, few are likely to carry the handwritten Xeroxed pamphlets known as "fanzines. "This vein of underground journalism has been a small but significant part of popular culture for decades, but is increasingly in danger of going extinct in the information age. With the creation of blogs and e-mail newsletters, some avid fans are turning to the Internet to access a wider audience with more ease and fewer production expenses. A movement to preserve this low-tech art is coming from an unusual source: the National Library of Scotland. While the heyday of the fanzine is usually associated with the punk movement of the late 70s/early 80s, amateur niche-market publications first appeared on the scene in the 1930s. The science fiction of writers like Asimov and Clarke was initially ignored by the general public, encouraging enthusiasts to create their own medium to chronicle the genre. Similar small-scale publications were created by early admirers of jazz, the blues, and rock before these types of music were accepted by mainstream society. With their rich lineage and firsthand accounts of the evolution of contemporary culture, fanzines are beginning to be viewed as legitimate historical artifacts. Chris Atton, a Napier University professor and long-time fanzine aficionado, explains the phenomenon: "The National Library sees fanzines as part of the cultural heritage of this country but 30 years ago if you had handed them a copy of Sniffin' Glue it would have gone straight in the bin, and that comes from the massive change in how popular culture is covered." This scholarly change of heart has spurred the Scots to collect and catalogue these relics of the 20th century before they disappear.