CHANGES
Registration Open for the 2022 Folk Alliance International Conference
After a one-year hiatus because of the pandemic , Folk Alliance International has announced that general registration is now open for its 2022 conference in Kansas City , MO . The conference , which marks FAI ’ s return to in-person events , is scheduled for Feb . 23-26 .
The 2022 conference will be a hybrid event , with portions being offered online . Home base for the in-person event will be the Westin , where the 34 th annual conference celebrates the theme of “ Living Traditions .” The annual FAI Conference is known for its very unique free-flowing atmosphere , offering a conference and showcase festival all within one hotel , with shows often going on inside hotel rooms at all hours of the day and night .
The Folk Alliance International Conference is the world ’ s largest gathering of the folk music industry and community . It crosses a diverse array of genres including Appalachian , Americana , blues , bluegrass , Celtic , Cajun , global roots , hip-hop , old-time , singer-songwriter , spoken word , traditional , zydeco , and various fusions .
For more information as it becomes available , go to www . folkconference . org .
Canadian superstar Drake is collaborating with Live Nation on the opening of a new signature performance hall in Toronto ’ s east end . The 2,500-person venue , which is called History , aims to fill a need for small- to mid-sized concert venues in the city . It will be located on the south side of Queen Street East near Kingston Road and Eastern Avenue . According to Live Nation , there will be a convertible general admission area and reserved seating configurations for concerts , entertainment acts , community events , and galas . No opening date has been given , but the company said construction is nearing completion and concerts are booked for October 2021 .
10 th Annual ‘ Sing !’ Vocal Arts Festival Welcomes Virtual Audiences from Across the Globe
In mid-June , SING ! The Toronto Vocal Arts Festival wrapped up its 10 th milestone year , welcoming more than 1,000 ticket buyers for over 20 hours of virtual concerts and workshops . Viewers tuned in from across Canada , the U . S ., Latin America , Europe , and Asia .
Festival highlights included performances by international artists M-Pact ( U . S .), O-Kai Singers ( Taiwan ), Rajaton ( Finland ), and Vocal Sampling ( Cuba ). The diversity of Canada ’ s a cappella scene was highlighted in Aca Night in Canada and Aca Night in Canada II , featuring dozens of artists from coast to coast . The festival also paid tribute to its own decade-long success story with the free SING ! 10-Year Anniversary Special .
Among the workshop highlights was the Music Business Summit , available free of charge with the support of sponsors Canadian Musician and Long & McQuade . Facilitated by industry professionals , summit sessions included Self-Promotion 101 with Jim Norris ( publisher of Canadian Musician ), Survival in the Music Business with Suba Sankaran and Dylan Bell ( Freeplay ), Show Me the Money ! with J-M Erlendson ( Countermeasure ), and Daniel Broome ( Harris Institute and SING !).
For more information , go to www . singtoronto . com .
Submissions Open for Allan Slaight Juno Master Class
Submissions are now open for the 2021 /’ 22 Allan Slaight Juno Master Class program . Now in its seventh year , the program offers emerging artists opportunities to hone their craft and further develop their music careers , including an intensive week of mentorship from notable Canadian music industry professionals , a trip to Toronto to be a part of the 2022 Juno Awards , and more .
The Allan Slaight Juno Master Class was developed in partnership with Canada ’ s Music Incubator ( CMI ). Each year three artists are selected , and the experience aims to cultivate new talent through networking , collaboration opportunities , and curated mentorship .
All submissions will be assessed by a panel of music industry professionals and three artists will be chosen by a “ super jury ” made up of key music industry leaders . The selected artists will be announced in the fall and will receive an all-inclusive trip to Toronto for a week of customized mentorship in collaboration with Canada ’ s Music Incubator , culminating in a music industry showcase night in Toronto , supported by SiriusXM Canada . They will also receive a cash prize courtesy of Slaight Music .
Additionally , the artists will also attend the 2022 JUNO Awards in Toronto , where they may have an opportunity to participate in Juno Week events . One of the artists will be chosen to perform at the Juno Gala Dinner & Awards for the Canadian music industry .
There are no fees associated with submissions . Interested artists can apply now at www . junomasterclass . ca .
18 CANADIAN MUSICIAN