Industry news & advice blog

The lead music development agency for the Northeast, Generator, has a couple of seminars lined up to offer musicians and music businesses the opportunity to generate income from songwriting and music production. The first event, The Business of Songwriting, will take place on Tuesday 12 July from 6-8pm at Northern Stage, Newcastle. We'll keep you posted with news of Generator's next event in a few days time, but for now take a look at what the songwriting seminar has to offer...

The PRS for Music estimated that music publishing revenues in 2009 reached £103m, highlighting how lucrative the art of songwriting is to the music industry.

Following the huge success of ‘Music Futures’ and ‘The Know How’, Generator present ‘The Business of Songwriting’ – a panel event examining how songwriters create value from their craft, taking them from the bedroom to the boardroom and featuring a cross section of speakers whose life blood is the song.

Guest Speakers:
•    Martin Brammer – Songwriter

Ivor Novello nominated English songwriter Martin Brammer has sold over 20 million records in a career lasting 20 years as an artist (in The Kane Gang), producer and songwriter. He's contributed songs to numerous multi platinum selling albums from artists as diverse as James Morrison, Tina Turner, Olly Murs and The Lighthouse Family.

•    Tara MacDonald – Songwriter and Vocalist

‘House Music Diva’ Tara MacDonald has collaborated as vocalist and co-writer on numerous hits for the world’s greatest DJs, including David Guetta, Armand Van Helden and Joey Negro.

“She can give real authenticity to house music” David Guetta
•    Jamie Gilmour – Co-ordinator, BASCA

The British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors (BASCA)’s activity includes the lobbying of politicians, civil servants and industry bodies; celebrating achievement through such events as The Ivors, the Gold Badge Awards and the British Composer Awards, and fostering a community in what is frequently a solitary freelance world.

•    Polly Comber- Creative Director, B-Unique Management / B-Unique Music

As Creative Director of B-Unique’s management arm, Polly Comber manages songwriter, producer, remixer and DJ Starsmith (perhaps best known for his co-writing credits with Ellie Goulding), and much-hyped artist/songwriter Bastille.

•    Mark Hobrough – Songwriter Manager

Experienced music industry consultant Mark Hobrough manages artists including Sharks Took The Rest, as well as James Flannigan – songwriter for Jaden Smith and Benjamin Francis Leftwich

Topics on the agenda for discussion will include:
•    Getting established as a songwriter
•    Setting up as freelance/self-employed business
•    Generating new work/business - pitching songs
•    Working to briefs/writing for other artists
•    Partnerships with managers
•    Working with a music publishers
•    Legal – contracts and agreements

We will also be taking questions from the floor to answer your queries.

Following the panel, between 8pm – 9pm, Gemma Kenyon from PRS for Music will be hosting a networking session with drinks upstairs in the Sponsors Room of the Northern Stage.

All attendees of the panel are invited and this is an ideal opportunity to talk to those in the know and to discuss reaping the rewards of your songwriting.

Damian Baetens, Business Support Director at Generator says:
“It’s a good time for songwriters at the moment. Most of the breakthrough artists out there like Adele and Tinie Tempah co-write with professional songwriters and a lot of the big dance acts are working with people for their top lines. There can be a negative perception of X Factor type shows, but all these artists need songs and if you placed something with an artist like Leona Lewis or JLS then this could be very lucrative.  We want to talk people through the business of songwriting and see where we can help develop the region’s songwriters and well as the bands, labels and managers we also work with.”

Spaces for this event are FREE but extremely limited.  To register for the event, see the link below.
 

Related Links

http://www.generator.org.uk/event/business-songwriting

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Tags

the business of songwriting, songwriters, generator, music development agency, music industry event, music business seminar