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The Kauai Music Festival
Blessed by breezes from the Pacific Ocean at a Hawaiian beachfront luxury resort, The Kauai Music Festival (KMF) songwriter conference is a four-day celebration of the art and craft of songwriting. Industry guests convene with attendees for one-on-one meetings, configure small group sessions, conduct workshops and participate in panel discussions. Each night features performances and open mic activities. Industry guests include Grammy, Emmy and Na Hoku-winning songwriters, a contingent of producers, TV & film music supervisors from Hollywood and top A&R executives from Nashville, New York and Los Angeles including Music Supervisor Liza Richardson (Hawaii Five-0, Parenthood, Friday Night Lights).
The attendees range from Music City hit writers to musical creators from the other islands––hobbyists and beginners will not be out of place.
For fans of Hawaiian music, the Saturday night Pua Hana concert is a singular opportunity to absorb the breadth of modern island music: from ukulele sensation Jake Shimabukoro to HAPA and Charles Michael Brotman. The preceding night, Friday, Mainland hit writers and performers share the stage at the Poalima Concert. (Concert tickets are an additional $25 fee per show or $40 for both concerts.)
In addition to the Festival’s Gold Sponsor County of Kauai and the Hawaii Tourism Authority, this confab is generously supported by BMI, and past participants have included hit songwriters from that Performing Right Organization’s ranks including Kris Kristofferson, Kara DioGuardi (Christina Aguilera, Carrie Underwood, Cobra Starship), Bonnie McKee (Katy Perry, Taio Cruz, Leona Lewis); and Evan Bogart (Beyonce, Jason Derulo, Jennifer Lopez). Hit songwriter, author and songwriting sage Jason Blume is also a regular guest.
Flip-flops, cut-off shorts and sunscreen––you won’t feel underdressed on casual Kauii. The schedule of the event allows for plentiful networking and sightseeing opportunities on the Garden Island. Evenings are filled with well-orchestrated open mics that flow deep into the night.
At past events, the Kaui Music Festival has been opened with a blessing chant from a Hawaiian holy woman. KMF is paradise for songwriters and a breathtaking destination of unparalleled beauty. The event is scheduled for July 10 -13, 2013. For BMI’s recap of 2011’s festival, see http://bmi.com/events/entry/556566.
http://kauaimusicfestival.weebly.com
NSAI Tin Pan South/Spring Training
NSAI’s annual Tin Pan South Songwriters Festival, taking place in the incomparable song town that is Nashville, TN, presents the greatest songwriters in modern music in intimate performances at a variety of venues. Last year’s event kicked off with John Oates of Hall & Oates performing an acoustic version of “She’s Gone.” The educational element to the week is the two-day “Spring Training.”
Spring Training has an appealingly casual vibe: “Lunch with the Pros” features a roster of Nashville hit makers sans panels or formal lectures: just folks sitting down and eating together. ole Music Publishing presented hit writer Chris Wallin and Marty Dodson in a session titled “Hitsville” where an attendee left the session with a single song contract offered by the company.
Indie artists are a focus of the information, and Publisher Break-out Sessions afford a one-on-one meeting with a publisher of choice and a guaranteed opportunity to play one song with the possibility of multiples should time afford.
The event is held at the Maxwell Millennium House hotel, situated on the banks of the picturesque Cumberland River. It’s a short drive to Music Row, downtown, and other areas (including the hipster hotbed of East Nashville,) so you might need to rent a car, although the hotel does have a shuttle service.
NSAI is Nashville Songwriters Association International, and its not just for country writers exclusively, but the nightly shows are primarily Americana, roots and country of any and all varieties with artists like Josh Turner, Radney Foster, Dierks Bentley and Jim Lauderdale performing with the intimate song circles featuring luminaries like Greg Barnhill, Jimmy Webb and Jack Tempchin.
Tin Pan South is scheduled April 2 - 6, 2013, with Spring Training on April 5 and 6th.
NSAI also presents Song Camp, in late July, with close to 100 participants gathering in Nashville for educational lectures, intense song critiques and performances.
SESAC Bootcamp
At a price point of “Free” for SESAC affiliates and a mere $40 for non-affiliates (and this includes breakfast and lunch!) the one-day SESAC Bootcamp, held at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles, CA, is certainly the least expensive of the conferences. But its value is tremendous. It happens in the summer, when participants can enjoy a full day symposium devoted to offering information on all aspects of the music industry to artists, songwriters and producers.
Digital guru and music industry tastemaker Ted Cohen was one of the forward thinking guests at this past year’s event. Managers, publicists and indie artists offered insights on what it takes to build a career in the new business model, using time-tested strategies and new technology.
SESAC’s roster of songwriters and artists includes Mumford & Sons, Bob Dylan and Neil Diamond. The Society also reps many of Hollywood’s most eminent composers and songwriters for film and television, so there is emphasis in this direction plus music for advertising and games.
With writer-producers like Bryan Michael Cox (Mariah Carey, Chris Brown, Mary J. Blige) and Angela Hunte (“Empire State of Mind” by Jay-Z and Alicia Keyes) on the roster, SESAC is the organization of choice for eminent R&B songwriters. The Bootcamp is host to creators of urban music, so writers and artists working in hip-hop and R&B will be in excellent company.
The Skirball Cutural Center is a gorgeous setting, and that free lunch (while tasty) is also a prime opportunity to connect with other writers and industry members at this friendly, low-key event.
