Canadian Musician - January / February 2020 | Page 16
CHANGES
MARK YOUR
CALENDAR...
Registration Open for CD Baby’s
2020 DIY Musician Conference
FAI to Bring Global Folk
Community to New Orleans
The Folk Alliance International Confer-
ence is returning to New Orleans, LA,
from Jan. 22-26, 2020. FAI is the largest
annual gathering of the folk and roots
music industry and community, as well
as its many variants, including jazz, blues,
Appalachian, Celtic, spoken word, and
more.
At the Sheraton New Orleans hotel,
FAI’s official showcases of 180 jury-selected
concerts will feature emerging artists and
touring legends from around the world,
including many Canadians. As well, many
record labels and regional organizations
will stage their own showcases each
night.
At the conference, organizers say
their “conscious programming will ex-
plore the themes of diversity, inclusion,
immigration, intersection, and influence.”
This includes the return of the Interna-
tional Indigenous Music Summit, which
debuted last year in Montreal, and the
new Cultural Equity Summit. There will
also be sessions on: Greening Folk Events,
Music and Migration, Effective Leadership
in Non-Profit Music Organizations, and
Cultural Awareness. Additionally, there
will be many sessions offering practical
advice to musicians, covering topics like
album release strategies, self-promotion,
songwriting, Cajun fiddle techniques,
and more.
For more information, including
showcase and conference schedules, go
to www.folkconference.org.
16 CANADIAN MUSICIAN
CD Baby has announced that its sixth
annual DIY Musician Conference will be
held from Aug. 28-30, 2020, in Austin, TX.
Currently, CD Baby is offering an early
registration price of USD$129.
The conference welcomes more than
1,500 musicians of all ages, career stages,
and backgrounds for three days of presen-
tations, workshops, mentoring sessions,
jam rooms, and networking. Organizers say
it’s designed with a strict focus on provid-
ing practical advice for indie musicians and
not a platform for industry talking heads.
“CD Baby pays close attention to what
our artists need,” says Kevin Breuner of CD
Baby. “We know they are often hungry for
a real plan of action, for helpful advice and
encouragement, not for another panel on
abstract business issues facing major labels.”
For more information, go to
www.diymusiciancon.com.
ICONIC BASSIST BILLY SHEEHAN WORKING WITH
GUITAR WORKSHOP PLUS PARTICIPANTS
Guitar Workshop Plus Announces
2020 Dates & Locations
Now in its 18 th year, the Guitar Workshop
Plus summer music education program
has announced its 2020 schedule and early
registration discounts. Confirmed session
dates are: San Diego, CA, from June 21-26
at the Lafayette Hotel; Seattle, WA from July
19-24 at Northwest University; Nashville, TN
from July 19-24 at Middle Tennessee State
University; and Toronto from July 26-31 at
the Kingbridge Conference Centre.
Designed for aspiring musicians of all
ages, including teenagers, adult hobby-
ists, students pursuing music careers, and
semi-professional and professional musi-
cians, the program offers students a setting
for intense musical and personal growth.
As well, this program allows for group
development and courses are offered for
all levels (beginner to advanced), ages (12
through adult), and styles including blues,
jazz, rock, acoustic, and classical. There are
also intensive bass, drum, keyboard, vocal,
and songwriting courses.
For more information, contact
Guitar Workshop Plus: 905-567-8000,
[email protected],
www.guitarworkshopplus.com.
ACCENT
SING! Toronto to Host 9 th Annual
School Workshop Day
SING! The Toronto Vocal Arts Festival is set
to host its ninth annual School Workshop
Day for high-school and middle-school
students on Friday, May 22, 2020 at Young
People’s Theatre. The event will be part of
SING!’s 2020 edition, running from May
22-31.
The host headlining group for the
School Workshop Day is accomplished
close-harmony a cappella jazz assemble
Accent. The group will present the follow-
ing workshops for participating students:
A History of Vocal Groups: Early Influences
from Jazz to Pop & Beyond; A Cappella Suc-
cess: Intonation, Listening, Blending; and
Learn to Create Multitrack Music Videos.
The day will also feature a special lunch-
time presentation by the Speech Appeal
Clinic on vocal health.
Participating students will experience
all of the workshops and the cost to partic-
ipate is $30/student, with a limited number
of subsidized seats available for classes,
choirs, and singing ensembles from schools
located in designated priority areas.
For more information, go to
www.singtoronto.com/education.