Songwriters Notes

San Diego Songwriter's Guild - Providing Networking Opportunities and Resources for Songwriters, Bands, and Musicians.

Jan 28, 2005

International Narrative Song Competition 2005

Narrative Music Canada in partnership with Sonicbids announces the launch
of International Narrative Song Competition (INSC)2005.

http://www.narrativemusic.ca/insc.html

Have you composed a song or written a lyric that tells a great story? Do
you wish to be recognized for your songwriting craft? Do you
intend to further pursue the songwriting business? Does your narrative
explore one of the following topics?

Romantic Love
Historical Circumstances
Journey of Self-Discovery
Cultural / Spiritual Identity
Other Human Relationships

If your answer is a resounding YES, then International Narrative Song Competition (INSC) 2005 is for YOU! There are over $5,000.00 worth of prizes to date. Additional prizes shall be added throughout 2005.

Competition sponsors to date include: Narrative Music Canada, Sonicbids, MasterWriter, Music Gorilla, Black Dog Promotions, All Music Project, Clarke Entertainment Law, Galaris Publishing, Big Meteor Publishing (publisher of the "Indie Bible") and the Music Resource Group (publisher
of the "Musician's Atlas").

All genres accepted.

Narrative Music
PO 446
Sioux Lookout, ON
Canada
P8T 1A5

posted by San Diego Songwriter's Guild # 7:38 AM

West Coast Songwriters looking for the Song of 2004!

West Coast Songwriters (WCS) presents the WCS International Song Contest. The contest is sponsored by Xytar Digital Systems (http://www.xytar.com).

LAST CHANCE to mail your song in for the WCS International Song Contest - the "postmarked by" date is January 31st 2005. Don't miss this opportunity. Watch for our compilation CD of Contest Winners for the past four years, plus winners of our Open Mic Playoffs – coming soon to CDBaby.com our sponsor.

With the official Mission Statement of creating more opportunities for songwriters, the song contest is a vehicle for songwriters to create and to have their material heard by industry pros as well as the opportunity to win some exceptional prizes. Songwriters from all over the world vie for these prizes and acknowledgement in each genre. WCS membership is NOT required.

Winners will be announced April 1, 2005. Winners will be selected by an Executive Committee comprised of noted songwriters and industry professionals. The Judging Team includes Steve Seskin, Andre Pessis, Marcus Barone, Cindy Wilt, Bonnie Hayes and other Industry Pros. The songs will be judged based on melody, composition, and lyrics (except in the case of instrumentals). Three songwriters will each win one of the following prizes: GRAND PRIZE: Xytar recording/mixing/mastering system worth $19,000 at retail. The grand prize is everything a songwriter needs to record, mix and master a next record or film score and produce the next duplicatable master; Second Prize: Xytar personal/portable Traveller retailing for $3,400; and Third Prize: Shure Beta 87c (value $400).

Previous winner Jeffry Prince says, "We were ecstatic about winning the Contest and were also given the opportunity of a lifetime - performing at the Sunset Concert at C:C:C along with the guest Hit Songwriters in front of an amazing list of industry professionals." CREATION:CRAFT:CONNECTION (C:C:C) is the Annual Songwriters Conference that attracts an ever-increasing network of talented industry professionals and songwriting members.

Entrants are encouraged to enter as many times and in as many categories as they wish. The 16 categories are: Rock, Pop, Jazz, Country, World, Americana, Gospel/Inspirational, Blues, R & B, Folk, Hip Hop, Latin, Humorous, Children's, Instrumental, Miscellaneous/Other. Entrants can print out the entry form from the WCS website (http://www.westcoastsongwriters.org) and mail the form, lyric sheet(s) and a CD (or cassette tape) and the fee of $20 per entry, payable by credit card, check, or money order). ALL winners (including individual category winners) will receive WCS t-shirts, and official Winner certificates. The prize winners will be announced on the West Coast Songwriters website (www.westcoastsongwriters.org) and in WCS's monthly "NewSong" newsletter, which reaches many industry professionals. Winners will be notified by mail.

For additional information about the WCS International Contest, please contact WCS. Visit the WCS website http://www.westcoastsongwriters.org or anyone interested in more details can contact WCS by email at [email protected], by phone at 650/654-3966 (or 800-FOR-SONG in California and Tennessee), by FAX at 650/654-2156, or by mail at 1724 Laurel Street, Suite 120, San Carlos, CA 94070 USA.

posted by San Diego Songwriter's Guild # 7:30 AM

Upcoming Artists Helping Artists (Aha!) Round Table on Sat Feb 12 at Noon at Cafe Europa

Aha! San Diego Ambassadors, Members and selected artists

Bridget Brigitte
Lynn Merriot
Evelyn Axford
Sky Dennon
and other artists

The meeting is FREE to first time artists, otherwise $4. Aha! Members are $2. At our last round table we had about 18... hopefully we can crack 20 to 25 at this one! It should be fun... we expect to have various performances too. Visual can artists bring their works to display.

Helping connect and energize artists…

Get connected... get energized. Artists often create by themselves in solitude. Nothing wrong with that. However too often artists remain too secluded and do not build adequate relationships to get their vision and their works exposed. The Artists Helping Artists (Aha!) Round Table events, salons and potlucks celebrations are ongoing in more than 20 arts communities throughout California. And through the help of local Aha! Ambassadors more are now being organized across America and the world.

Open to all artists and visionaries. These Aha! Round Table events are open to ALL artists, arts leaders and innovators regardless of their art form or philosophic discipline. These events call artists out from their studios, garages and lofts… to connect, collaborate and share their vision and works. Artists make new friends, build new relationships across the arts and gain new contacts, resources and opportunities for their works. Moreover they participate in greater arts community which also helps them forward their works and greater vision.

Artist Helping Artist

posted by San Diego Songwriter's Guild # 7:20 AM

NSAI Songwriting Workshop w/Gary Puckett & Union Gap founding member Kerry Chater and Lynn Gillespie-Chater

A return visit from our Adopt-a-Shop Pro Mentors Kerry Chater and Lynn Gillespie-Chater

Register Now - Space is Limited!

Saturday, January 29, 2005
1pm-5pm
at Producer John Lane's Studio in Tierra Santa
Location: 10485 Viacha Drive, San Diego, CA 92124

Followed by a cookout and evening house concert by our members!

Scheduled performers include:

Michael Tiernan - 2004 Independent Male Singer/Songwriter of the Year by the LA Music Awards
Bob Duffy
Joan Kurland
more performers TBA

Kerry Chater was a founding member of Gary Puckett and the Union Gap ("Lady Willpower" - "Young Girl"). He played bass and did vocal arrangements for the band which started in San Diego back in the 1960s. The Union Gap sold more records than The Beatles in 1968! Kerry co-wrote George Strait's "You Look So Good in Love" now on the multi-platinum "50 Number One's" and Lee Greenwood's "I.O.U." He has had numerous other cuts, including those with his wife Lynn.

They recently had a Rebecca Lynn Howard cut. They both also write for the
Contemporary Christian market, and Kerry directs their church choir in Nashville. Both
are very active in supporting NSAI's legislative efforts in Washington D.C. to protect songwriters' intellectual property rights.

To register, send a check or money order for $20 for NSAI Members or $25 for Non-Members
(meal and snacks included in price) made out to:

Liz Axford
PO Box 85
Del Mar, CA 92014-0085

Contact Liz directly to RSVP and/or to sign up to perform at the house concert 1/29/05 at (619)884-1401 or [email protected].

Register Now - Space is Limited!

posted by San Diego Songwriter's Guild # 6:59 AM

The ASCAP Film & Television Scoring Workshop 2005; April 1

ASCAP offers a "one-of-a-kind" experience for aspiring film and television composers. Through a series of lectures, the participants will receive real-world knowledge and advice from industry executives, agents, attorneys, composers and studio musicians. They will then have the opportunity to record an original composition on a major studio scoring stage, with a group of "A list" Hollywood professionals, including a 40-piece orchestra, a legendary scoring mixer, and professional composers and music editors acting as coaches and mentors.

Dates: Mid-July, 2005.

How to apply:
The composer should submit a CD only, containing a maximum of 15 minutes of music, which demonstrates his/her ability to write for an orchestra with a dramatic sensitivity to picture. Submissions must also include a bio/resume/credits and information regarding past education and/or experience.

The workshop will be held during a four-week period from the 2nd week of July through the 1st week of August. Submissions will not be returned, and chosen participants will be notified in early May. There is NO fee or charge to participate in the workshop; however, chosen participants will be responsible for their own transportation, housing and all other living expenses. The workshop is open to all composers regardless of their current performing rights affiliation.

Send your submission to: Send your submission to:
ASCAP Los Angeles Office
Attention: The ASCAP Film & Television Scoring Workshop 2005
7920 West Sunset Boulevard, 3rd Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90046

For more information, please contact our Los Angeles Film & TV Music Department at (323) 883-1000.

* Partial funding provided by The ASCAP Foundation.

posted by San Diego Songwriter's Guild # 6:55 AM

The Lester Sill Workshop; March 30

Deadline for submissions: March 30

This eight-session workshop (twice a week for four weeks) happens annually in Los Angeles each June. Honoring the pioneering music publisher and record producer Lester Sill, this workshop for advanced songwriters focuses on the discovery, development and education of a select group of songwriters and features prominent guest speakers giving advice on a variety of music industry topics.

How to apply:
Submit a CD containing at least two original songs, typed lyric sheets, along with a brief bio and a written explanation as to why you would like to participate in the workshop.

Materials should be sent to the following address:
ASCAP Los Angeles Office
Attention: The ASCAP Foundation/Lester Sill Songwriters Workshop
7920 West Sunset Boulevard, 3rd Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90046

posted by San Diego Songwriter's Guild # 6:54 AM

2005 DIY Music Festival - Saturday, February 12, 2005

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS: Jan. 25, 2005

LOS ANGELES (Nov. 18, 2004) _ The 2005 DIY Music Festival is now accepting entries for its annual awards ceremony and showcase, which teams top independent talent with nationally-recognized acts as part of the 2005 DIY Convention in Los Angeles from Feb. 7-12.

Entries to the DIY Music Festival are eligible for showcase consideration for dates in Los Angeles and other cities hosting DIY events, culminating in our grand finale in February, 2005 that will team winning entries with national acts in a major concert showcase in Hollywood.

All entries to the festival will receive free admission to the 2005 DIY Convention, being held from Feb. 7-12 at various venues across Los Angeles.

Submissions to the 2005 DIY Music Festival must have been released after Jan. 1, 2002 and have been released on an independent or self-funded label without multinational corporate backing.

Entries will be judged by a panel of music industry professionals using the following criteria:

1) The sophistication and potential of the music to reach a larger audience; and

2) The unique use of DIY guerilla marketing tactics and other resources to bring attention to the project.

Entry forms are available online at www.DIYConvention.com or can be submitted through SonicBids, the online EPK provider, at http://www.sonicbids.com/diyfestival. Entrants can also call our office at 323-665-8080 to register with a credit card.

The 2005 DIY Music Festival is sponsored by Sonicbids; BMI; Imagic; C DBaby; ASCAP; Spaceland Productions; SESAC; The Hollywood Music Directory; Alcasid.com; and the DIYReporter.com.

posted by San Diego Songwriter's Guild # 6:50 AM