Photo by courtesy of / courtoisie d'Aliocha

Video: Aliocha presents the “Aliocha Schneider” album

Story by Eric Parazelli | Saturday October 14th, 2023

Although Aliocha Schneider is actually the third project of his musical career, it’s the first time the musician and actor is releasing an album in French, his first language. Written in Greece, where he was located temporarily for a shoot, the songs mirror the irony of living in a paradise-like place, while everything we actually long for is out of reach. In this video, Aliocha tells us about the genesis of his album, the special circumstances under which it was created, how he collaborated with his creative team, the adaptation he needed to go through to write songs in French, and Jean Leloup’s influence on his musical signature.

Aliocha

Select the image to play the YouTube video, “Aliocha presents the album Aliocha Schneider”

 

Photo by Marie-Michèle Bouchard

APEM-CSDEM Song Camp in Paris

Une collaboration franco-québécoise fructueuse

Story by Marie-Michèle Bouchard | Saturday October 14th, 2023

The music worlds of France and Québec gathered in Paris Oct. 8 –10, 2023, for the APEM-CSDEM (Association des professionnels de l’édition musicale and Chambre Syndicale de l’Édition Musicale) Song Camp, an exciting initiative that gathered musical talent from both sides of the Atlantic. Thanks to the support of Musicaction, SODEC, and the SOCAN Foundation, the event enabled songwriters and producers to collaborate in a unique creative environment. 
 
Each day, four teams of three different participants were assembled. These teams worked closely together to create new songs, blending their respective influences to create unique musical pieces. The highlight of the event was the final listening session on Oct. 10, where the 12 songs created during the camp were presented to the public. 

 
Artists participating in this high-profile event included such renowned talents from Québec as Benny Adam, Benjamin Nadeau, Rymz, Täbï Yösha, Marion Brunelle and Parazar, while those from France included L’Adjoint, The French Guy, Maëlle, BRÖ, Mauvaise Bouche, and Sainte-Nicole. Their skills and diverse influences enriched the camp, creating a most rewarding musical experience. 
 
In addition to the song camp, the MaMA conference (running concurrently) presented a panel, “Co-writing as a tool for international development: what motivates the organization of a France-Québec song camp?” During the discussion, CSDEM and APEM representatives shared the motivations and objectives behind the event, underlining the import ance of international collaboration in the music industry. Participants Rymz (artist), Carlos Munoz (Joy Ride Records), Almä Mango (artist), and Fanny Landais (Baco Music) shared their experiences and perspectives about the impact of these initiatives on career development.



Participants in this third edition of the APEM and CSDEM song camp acquired new skills, expanded their professional networks, and created remarkable musical works. This kind of initiative represents a step in the right direction towards fruitful international collaboration in music. Organizers and participants alike hope that this inspiring experience will continue to bear fruit in the future, paving the way for new creative collaborations and a thriving France-Québec music scene. 

Photo by SOCAN. Left to right/De gauche à droite : Gagan Singh, Marc Ouellette, Charlie Wall-Andrews, Tony Scudellari (Sony Pictures), Felipe Téllez, Medhat Hanbali, Julien Boumard Coallier

SOCAN #ComposersWhoScore at 2023 VIFF Amp Music in Film Summit

Story by Howard Druckman, with files from / avec la participation de Gagan Singh | Wednesday October 11th, 2023

SOCAN #ComposersWhoScore Felipe Téllez and Medhat Hanbali took advantage of the opportunity to record and perform their original scores with world-class orchestral musicians, as they participated in the inaugural edition of the Composer Filmmaker Accelerator (CFA) program at the Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF) Amp Music in Film Summit, held Oct. 5-8, 2023. Other SOCAN members who participated in sessions at the Summit included Todor Kobakov, Amritha Vaz, and Adrian Ellis.

The CFA paired 12 emerging composers with four established filmmakers through virtual learning sessions, followed by an in-person recording and mixing session at Vancouver’s The Warehouse Studios, with the musical pieces performed by musicians from the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra.

Téllez is a Colombian-Canadian, BIPOC screen composer, who recently scored the Canadian-Nigerian production Orah, selected for the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in September. His unique style merges modern electronics, traditional Colombian folk, and a classical symphonic approach. Recently, he orchestrated for Hubert Davis’s award-winning documentary Black Ice, and did music copying and conducting on Brother (which earned 14 Canadian Screen Award nominations in 2023). Téllez was also the copyist and additional orchestrator for Mike Post (Law and Order) on his double-album.

Hanbali has scored numerous productions for film, television, videogames, and multi-media shows, and his musical palette covers a wide range of genres. In 2021, he earned First Prize for Best Animated Score in the SOCAN Foundation Emerging Screen Composers Awards. Additionally, Hanbali has worked as an arranger for several established Canadian artists, including Bobby Bazini and Geneviève Leclerc. He’s currently completing a Master’s degree in Film Scoring.

SOCAN representatives attending the Summit were President of the Board of Directors Marc Ouellette; Creative Executive, Film/TV & Visual Media, Gagan Singh; SOCAN Foundation Executive Director Charlie Wall-Andrews; and SOCAN Foundation Grants Manager Julien Boumard Coallier.

The VIFF Amp Music in Film Summit nurtures, educates, and champions emerging and newly established music professionals (composers, songwriters, music entrepreneurs). It provides creative insights, mentorship, and unique career development opportunities from international screen composing experts. The summit features expertly curated masterclasses, case studies, panel discussions, networking, breakout sessions, and musical showcases, all designed to develop skills and create relationships.