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Songwriters Workshop Teaches the Art and Business of Music

By Linda Galeazzi
  |  
  3 Min Read
Songwriters' Workshops

Budding songwriters attending this year’s Songwriters’ Workshops can bring a demo CD to have their songs evaluated by industry experts.

Bell Media’s 2013 Songwriters’ Workshop is back, bringing together seasoned songwriters, music publishing experts and SOCAN professionals to give musicians some unique insight into the craft—and the business—of songwriting.

The Workshop has already hit Regina, Winnipeg and Edmonton, with upcoming conferences reaching from Calgary to Halifax, including a November 16th workshop at Metalworks Institute in Mississauga.

Metalworks has hosted the workshops in the past—not surprising when you consider that owner Gil Moore is no stranger to the music industry. As drummer for the Canadian hard rock power trio, Triumph, Moore has sold millions of albums, played to packed arena crowds and was inducted, along with band mates Rik Emmett and Mike Levine, into the Canadian Music and Broadcast Industry Hall of Fame.

“The business of music is complex and today’s creators need to protect themselves with comprehensive understanding wherever possible,” says Moore. “For example, publishing is one fundamental that shouldn’t be overlooked, as is contract law.”

The workshops will feature talks from award-winning Canadian songwriters who will discuss how to improve songwriting, organize rhythms, and write hooky, strong melodies. Budding songwriters attending the workshops can bring a demo CD to the event and have their songs evaluated by the panel of industry experts.

Professionals from the Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers of Canada (SOCAN) will also be on hand to lead workshops in performance rights and royalties, copyright, self-publishing and much more. A Q&A segment at the end of the day’s events will give attendees a chance to ask panel members the questions they’ve always wanted to have answered.

The workshop is presented by BellMedia, in association with SOCAN and Canadian Music Week, an organization that Moore describes as “invaluable to the industry at large.”

“It boosts our music sector to the world,” he says.

Visit radiostar.ca to register and purchase tickets. Discounts are available for SOCAN members. Moore urges musicians to attend the workshops.

“Don’t miss it,” he advises. “You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.”

The songwriters and insiders participating in this year’s workshops are:

  • Ryan Guldemond, record producer and lead singer of Vancouver-based Mother Mother. Guldemond will guest speak at the Calgary workshop at the National Arts Centre on Saturday, November 9th and the Vancouver workshop at the Tom Lee Music Hall on Sunday, November 10th. Also sitting in is Terry O’Brien, former vice-president and general manager of BMG Music Publishing Canada Inc, and current education and outreach manager for the West Coast division of SOCAN.
  • Songwriter and musician Tom Wilson will speak at the workshops at the Ottawa Convention Centre on Sunday, November 16th and at Metalworks Institute in Mississauga on Sunday, November 17th. Wilson’s songs have been recorded by such artists as Sarah McLachlan, Colin James and Lucinda Williams, as well as his own band, Junkhouse (with eleven Top Ten hits) and the Juno-winning Blackie and the Rodeo Kings. Wilson will be joined on both dates by SOCAN education and outreach manager Rodney Murphy and music publisher Tony Tobias.
  • Juno Award-winning and gold and platinum-selling recording artist Rick Jackett of Finger Eleven will be the guest speaker at the workshops at the Lionceau in Montreal on Saturday, November 23rd and The Music Room in Halifax on Sunday, November 24th.  Also speaking are SOCAN’s Stephanie Falco, and Casablanca Media’s Amy Eligh.

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