PRESS RELEASE

FMC Reveals Programming for Fall Events

Musician education seminars and sampling panel shed light on topical issues

Washington, DC – Future of Music Coalition — a national nonprofit that seeks a bright future for musicians and listeners — is pleased to announce panelist and programming details for its upcoming musician education events in Chicago and New York City as well as a panel about sampling and fair use, also in NYC.

On Monday, September 22 – in conjunction with One Web Day – FMC will host the “What’s the Future for Musicians?” seminar at the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago, IL. The "workshop will provide musicians, songwriters, indie label owners and music fans with practical advice about a range of internet-based promotion and distribution options, how to navigate the health insurance landscape, the importance of open internet structures and how copyright law and business models affect musician compensation. All genres — rock, folk, hip-hop, classical, world and jazz — are welcome.

In addition to FMC staff, panelists include Nan Warshaw, co-owner of Bloodshot Records — the label home of Justin Townes Earle, The Waco Brothers and Firewater; Frank Mauceri of eco-friendly label Smog Veil Records; Shawn Campbell from the Chicago Independent Radio Project, and many more. A special conversation with music preservationists and record label The Numero Group will focus on building bridges between the analog past and the digital present.

What’s the Future for Musicians? Chicago
12:00 PM – 7:00 PM, Monday, September 22, 2008
Old Town School of Folk Music, Chicago, IL
Registration: $25, but a limited number of musician scholarships are still available
Info
Register
Scholarships
Spread the word

On Monday, October 6, FMC brings the “What’s the Future for Musicians?” workshop to New York City. This day-long event includes three panels and a set of simultaneous breakouts featuring Tunecore founder Jeff Price; digital PR expert Ariel Hyatt; Jennifer Wright Cook, Executive Director of The Field; new music podcaster Molly Sheridan; producer/musician Joel Hamilton and many more.

What’s the Future for Musicians? NYC
12:00 PM – 6:00 PM, Monday, October 6, 2008
The Public Theater, New York NY
Registration: $25, but a limited number of musician scholarships are still available
Info
Register
Scholarships
Spread the Word

Visit the event websites for the full list of panelists.

Following the musicians’ workshop at 7PM is “Creative License: A Conversation About Music, Sampling and Fair Use.” The discussion also takes place at the Public Theater on Oct. 6.

Sampling is a music-making technique that incorporates a portion of a previously existing sound recording – sometimes in an altered form – into a new work. Sampling has become part of the musical lexicon, thanks in large part to the development of digital technologies that allow artists to splice, mix and mashup with relative ease. Yet the practice remains contentious as it represents a creative use not historically considered by copyright law.

Trailblazing DJ/producer Girl Talk, who uses more than 300 uncleared samples of classic pop, rock, hip-hop and R&B on his latest album, Feed the Animals, has said in the press that he thinks his use of samples is a “fair use,” and therefore do not need to be licensed. What would constitute “fair use” uses in this environment?

Future of Music Coalition and media professor Kembrew McLeod (University of Iowa) will examine this issue alongside experts from all sides of the debate, including producer EL-P of Def Jux Records, June Besek, Executive Director of the Kernochan Center for Law, Media and the Arts at Columbia Law School and Peter Jaszi, Professor of Law and Intellectual Property at American University. More panelists will be announced shortly; check the event webpage for details.

Creative License Event Page

About Future of Music Coalition
Future of Music Coalition is a national non-profit education, research and advocacy organization that seeks a bright future for creators and listeners. FMC works towards this goal through continuous interaction with its primary constituency — musicians — and in collaboration with other creator/public interest groups.

About Old Town School of Folk Music
The Old Town School of Folk Music, the largest independent community arts school in the United States, teaches and celebrates music and cultural expressions rooted in the traditions of diverse American and global communities.

About Public Theater
Founded by Joseph Papp as the Shakespeare Workshop and now one of the nation's preeminent cultural institutions, The Public is an American theater where the country’s voices, rhythms, and cultures converge. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Oskar Eustis, The Public is dedicated to embracing the complexities of contemporary society and nurturing both artists and audiences, as it continues Joseph Papp's legacy of creating a place of inclusion and a forum for ideas. It is also the home of Joe’s Pub, which debuted in October 1998 and has quickly become one of New York City’s most celebrated and in-demand showcase venues for live music and performance. With its genre-blind booking and vast diversity of interests, the stage at Joe’s Pub gives voice to a world of varied and stellar artists.

home | manifesto | resources | press & news | events | FAQs | subscribe | contact us