Photo by Marie-Michèle Bouchard

APEM music publishing training sessions are back

Story by Eric Parazelli | Tuesday July 11th, 2023

As it does every year, APEM (Association des professionnels de l’édition musicale) is offering a variety of training sessions – starting with its music publishing training program, which deals with the main areas of expertise required in that field. To help develop the competent workforce required to promote best practices, since 2005 APEM has been providing a training program about the legal and business practices of music publishing. It’s a 43-hour series of sessions, spread over 10 weeks, and addressing such topics such as legal foundations, contracts and licenses, the organization and artistic direction of a publishing house, as well as a number of other professional music publishing matters. These will be explored by experts in the field, such as Daniel Lafrance, senior lawyer Claude Brunet, David Murphy, Valérie Gauthier, Marie-Laurence Asselin, and Carmel Scurti-Belley.

Please note that this will be an in-person, French-language APEM program, offered on Sept. 12-14, 2023, at the Grande Bibliothèque de Montréal. Registration is open, and space is limited. To find out how to register, please visit apem.ca/formations.

APEM is also presenting the third edition of its programme de perfectionnement en édition musicale pour personnes issues de la diversité, which aims to help participants to broaden their music publishing knowledge, and obtain the tools they need to develop their activities and join the APEM network.

More specifically, this opportunity offers the following:

  • Registration in an APEM music publishing program (43 hours of training spread over 10 sessions);
  • Mentoring by music publishing professionals;
  • One-year APEM membership for those who are not yet APEM members;
  • Participation in such events as the APEM Music Tech Summit, the Quand la musique rencontre l’imagefilm music session, the presentation ceremony of the Christopher-J.-Reed Award, and more.

Applicants must:

  • Be interested in, or already work in, music publishing;
  • Identify as being a person from a diverse background;
  • Send a résumé;
  • Write a one-page letter describing their career plan, and explaining why they’re interested in this program.

Please send all applications to mferland@apem.ca before August 9, 2023.

The music publishing training and development programs for people from a diversity of backgrounds are made possible by the financial participation of Musicaction, the Government of Québec, SOCAN Foundation, and SODEC (Société de développement des entreprises culturelles).

Photo by Kaylee Smoke. In 2023, Snotty Nose Rez Kids are Polaris Prize short list nominees for their fourth time. / En 2023, Snotty Nose Rez Kids est nominé pour la quatrième fois sur la liste courte du Prix Polaris.

SOCAN members dominate 2023 Polaris Music Prize Short List

Story by Howard Druckman | Thursday July 13th, 2023

SOCAN congratulates all of its members who’ve been short-listed for the 2023 Polaris Music Prize! All of the solo artists on the short list, announced July 13, 2023, are SOCAN members, and all of the listed bands include at least one singer-songwriter who’s a SOCAN member.

The short list, by artist, is (in alphabetical order, by band name or surname):

  • Alvvays – Blue Rev
  • Aysanabee – Watin
  • Begonia – Powder Blue
  • Daniel Caesar – Never Enough
  • Feist – Multitudes
  • Debby Friday – Good Luck
  • Gayance – Masquerade
  • Dan Mangan – Being Somewhere
  • The Sadies – Colder Streams
  • Snotty Nose Rez Kids – I’m Good, HBU?

For more information, visit the Polaris Music Prize website.

Photo by SOCAN Foundation / Fondation SOCAN

Applications open July 10, 2023, for second annual Indigenous Song Camp

Story by SOCAN Foundation / Fondation SOCAN | Thursday July 6th, 2023

SOCAN Foundation and the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame (CSHF) have announced the opening of the application process on July 10, 2023, for the second annual Indigenous Song Camp, presented by Amazon Music. The program aims to foster musical creativity, collaboration, and cultural exchange between Indigenous and non-Indigenous music creators.  The camp will take place at Kilometre House in Toronto, from October 23-26, 2023. It’s Canada’s only music program solely dedicated to songwriting and fostering the storytelling of emerging Indigenous artists

Over the course of a four-day creative journey, 15 Indigenous and non-Indigenous songwriters, artists, and producers will come together to explore new writing styles, develop new collaborative relationships, and create a community experience. Organized with the guidance of Alan Greyeyes and the sākihiwē festival, with support from Amazon Music and Kilometre Music Group, the camp aims to allow participants to expand their networks, while creating new songs in an inspiring setting, and presenting their work at an industry listening session.

“We recognize that there are many conferences, panel discussions, and programs dedicated to teaching recording artists about the business side of the music industry in Canada, which are all valuable; but, I’m often reminded that songs are actually the most important part of everything we do,” said Alan Greyeyes, Festival Director for the sākihiwē festival and advisor for Indigenous programming at SOCAN Foundation.  “I’m super-happy that the sākihiwē festival is able to support this incredible opportunity for Indigenous songwriters in Canada.”

“We’re proud to work with the SOCAN Foundation and the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame to support the amazing work that songwriters, artists, and producers create at this years’ Indigenous Song Camp” said John Murphy, Head of Amazon Music and Podcasts in Canada. “The Camp is the perfect setting for collaboration and conversation, and we can’t wait to see this come to life in October.”

Indigenous and non-Indigenous music creators are encouraged to apply, beginning Monday, July 10, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. ET, until Saturday, Aug. 5, 2023, at 11:59 p.m. ET, by visiting the SOCAN Foundation website. Interested applicants can receive a reminder when applications open, by subscribing to the SOCAN Foundation Newsletter.

SOCAN’s songwriting camps have fostered the careers of artists including Ria Mae, Savannah Ré, and Charlotte Cardin, to name a few.  Last year, in partnership with the CSHF, the inaugural Indigenous Song Camp was established as a pilot project, to overwhelmingly positive response.  Participants in the 2022 Indigenous Song Camp included hip-hop producer (Drake’s “In The Bible”) Eli Brown, JUNO-nominated artist Ruby Waters, 2023 JUNO nominee Aysanabee, and emerging songwriter Ila Barker.

“Attending the Indigenous Song Camp was such an uplifting experience,” says Barker. “I genuinely felt like I left that camp a different person, a different artist. It pushed me outside of my comfort zone as a writer, taught me a lot about my abilities, and helped me set new goals. I’m leaving the experience feeling super-crystal-clear on the direction I’ll be taking my art in the future, with a few more songs in my catalogue, and with many lifelong friendships.”

For more information on eligibility, the application process, and further details, interested music creators can visit the SOCAN Foundation website.