MerchMusicBlog » Music

Percussive Arts Society Percussion Composition Contest

Merch Music — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 15:58:24 +0000

Now in its 37th year, the Percussive Arts Society Percussion Composition Contest is designed to encourage and reward those who create music for percussion instruments and to increase the number of quality compositions written for percussion. Many of the contest winners are considered staples in modern percussion literature. Cash awards totaling $4,500 are distributed each year. Instrumentation and category restrictions are determined by the PAS Composition Committee each year and the deadline for entries is April 15th.

Composition Categories and Prize Awards for 2010

Category I:
Timpani Solo (4 standard sizes i.e. 23″, 26″, 29″, 32″)
First Place: $1,500.00
Second Place: $500.00
Third Place: $250.00

Category II:
Marimba and Cello Duet
First Place: $1,500.00
Second Place: $500.00
Third Place: $250.00

Application Fee:
$35 per composition (non-refundable) should be enclosed with each entry. Make checks payable to the Percussive Arts Society.

Eligibility:
• Previously commissioned or published (printed, audio or video) works may not be entered.
• Time limit for each category is 6–12 minutes. Total duration of piece should be stated on manuscript.
• Compositions must be original (no transcriptions or arrangements).
• The difficulty of the composition is left to the discretion of the composer; however, high artistic goals should be coupled with realistic demands to allow for performance at the university level.
• Instrument demands should also be limited to those commonly found at the university level.

Procedures:
1. Submit six complete copies of the score. If scores are not computer generated, neat manuscript is required. Composer’s name should not appear on any of the score pages.
2. Six unmarked and individually protected CD recordings may be submitted, but are not required.
3. Submitted scores and recordings will be numbered at the PAS offices to ensure anonymity.
4. All complete applications will be evaluated by a panel of judges.
5. Contest results will be announced in June, 2010.
6. All entry materials become property of PAS.

Deadline:
All materials (application fee, application form and manuscripts) must be postmarked by April 15, 2010.

For more information, please contact us at:

Percussive Arts Society
110 W. Washington Street, Suite A
Indianapolis, IN 46204
Phone: (317) 974-4488
Fax: (317) 974-4499
Email: percarts@pas.org

Link to the 2010 application web page: http://www.pas.org/experience/contests/compositioncontest.aspx
Link to previous winners: http://www.pas.org/experience/contests/compositioncontest.aspx

Rock the Roxy unsigned band contest

Merch Music — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 16:22:56 +0000

Enter your band’s 3 minute video and you can win a trip to play the AustinRox showcase in Austin, March 2010.

The top 50 bands with the most video views by February 9, 2010 will not only win a jam-packed prize package from all the sponsors, but they’ll also move on to the semi-finals! In the semi-final round, bands will be judged for the chance to perform at the 3rd Annual, world-famous AustinRox showcase in March 2010. Judges will include representatives from D’Addario, Evans, Planet Waves, The Roxy, Swing House Studios, partner companies, and even select celebrity musicians. The winning band will receive the following incredible prize package worth more than $20,000 including a trip to perform at the showcase!

Enter now at www.rocktheroxy.com.

Submission deadline is February 9, 2010 at 3pm.

Boston Music Awards

Merch Music — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 16:33:45 +0000

The Boston Music Awards is the most prestigious annual music event in Boston, paying tribute to the region’s finest musicians. Now in it’s 22nd year, this years’ show will include live performances, video retrospective, and award presentations featuring some of the most prominent artists on the music scene.

December 2, 2009 • The Liberty Hotel, 215 Charles Street

www.thebostonmusicawards.com

Be the voice behind the FOXWOODS CASINO RESORT theme song!

Merch Music — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:12:32 +0000

Here is your chance to be the voice behind the wonder of Foxwoods Casino Resort!

Submit your version of the Foxwoods theme song “The Wonder of it All” and you could win a grand prize worth $25,000 including a shopping spree for new equipment, studio time, an advertising package, and of course be featured in Foxwoods commercials for the next year. Entering is easy, simply record your version of “The Wonder of it All,” and submit the mp3 at www.bethewonder.com. All instructions and sheet music is right on the website.

Whether you’re a rock band or a rapper, we want to hear your version!

For all rules and information visit www.bethewonder.com

Submission deadline is February 1, 2010 at midnight.

Merch Music Supports the Boston Music Conference

Merch Music — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 14:22:01 +0000

Boston Music Conference • September 24-25, 2009

“Where Preparation Meets Opportunity”

www.bostonmusicconference.com

The BMC is a two-day conference that offers various educational forums, networking opportunities, and exclusive music industry events to educate and empower aspiring talent and entrepreneurs by providing them with the information and tools necessary to pursue a career in music and entertainment.

It brings together 1500+ participants from around the country, including artists, entrepreneurs, entertainment personalities, students, major music industry labels and corporate representatives, as well as publicists and marketers. The schedule includes workshops, panel discussions and Q&A with top industry executives, social and networking events, showcase performances, and an all-star concert bash. Featured representatives include Sony, EMI, Universal, Motown, iZotope, Harmonix, Sonicbids, Open Labs, BMI, and The Recording Academy.

The overarching theme of the conference this year is the impact of digital technology on the music industry. Subcategories include: how new digital distribution platforms are creating opportunities, new channels of digital revenue, and some of the innovations that are fueling growth. Topics to be covered include: “Brands, Bands and Fans”, “Deals and Distribution”, “Breaking into Crossover Markets and International Deals”, “The Digital Age of Music”, “Getting Your Music in Games”, “Audio Engineering”, “Songwriting” and more.

Workshops will be held on Thursday, September 24 from 12-5pm and showcases will be held in the evening from 7-10pm. Artists who would like to participate in the showcase performances are encouraged to submit their music. There will be major label A&R’s present as well as top music industry executives. This is an opportunity to showcase your work in front of people who can change your career, as well as a receiving positive and constructive feedback. Performances will be judged and the winner will receive recognition as well as prizes. Submit your music at: http://www.sonicbids.com/BostonMusicConference or pay for spot by visiting the BMC website for details.

Panels will be held all day on Friday, September 25 from 11:30am-7pm with a Finale Party to follow. Please check the BMC website for detailed information and as well as all updates.

Register now! Tickets are $99 in advance and $150 at the door. Students can receive a 50% discount by emailing (info@bostonmusicconference.com) from their school email address and receiving a discount code.

_______________________________

Erin Lyder and Amberlynn Johnson represented Merch Music at the event:

Musician Contests

Merch Music — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 03:47:28 +0000

Many of these contests happen annually or on a regular basis, so keep checking back!

American Songwriter Contests

Billboard World Song Contest

Cooch Music’s Amateur Songwriting Contest

Durango Songwriters Expo – “Write With A Hit-Maker” Contest

Grassy Hill Kerrville New Folk Competition

Great American Song Contest

Hit Street Records – Talent Search

Independent Music Awards

Independent Music World Series (IMWS)

International Acoustic Music Awards (IAMA)

International Songwriting Competition (ISC)

John Lennon Songwriting Contest

King Cat Christian Music (KCCM) – Song of the Year Conest

MerleFest Contests

The Next Holiday Classic – Song Contest

Nashville Songwriters Association International & Country Music Television (NSAI/CMT) – Song Contest

Ontario Council of Folk Festivals (OCFF) – Awards/Competitions

OriginalSessions – National Band Search

Peacedriven – Songwriting Award

Portland Songwriters Association (PSA) – Annual Song Contest

Relix – Contests/Giveaways – Jam Off! (JamOff Sonicbids page)

Savannah Music Festival - American Traditions Competition

Songwriters’ Association of Washington (SAW) – Mid-Atlantic Song Contest

SingerUniverse - “Best Vocalist of the Month” Contest

Song & Lyric Contest

SongwriterUniverse – “Best Song of the Month” Contest

South Florida Folk Festival – Songwriter Competition

Universong - Canary Islands International Song Contest

USA Songwriting Competition

We Are Listening – Songwriting Contests

West Coast Songwriters – International Song Contest

Follow Merch Music on Twitter at SXSW

Merch Music — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 04:51:59 +0000

Online music retailers slash prices – Boston Globe

Merch Music — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 01:00:24 +0000

Low-price MP3’s target new customers

By Sarah Rodman

As the music industry watches in horror while physical CD sales tumble and digital sales fail to bridge the gap, online MP3 retailers are trying to stem the bleeding with an age-old technique: slashing prices.

Some new releases are being priced at a mere $3.99 for a limited time on MP3, including last week’s top-selling album in both platforms, U2’s “No Line on the Horizon”; the company offers some full album downloads for 99 cents. Apple’s iTunes store runs spotlight specials for as little as $4.99. And subscription-based service Rhapsody routinely has deals for $6.99.On average, a regularly priced full album digital download costs about $10.

Online retailers are keeping tight-lipped about these bargain-basement prices, usually available for anywhere from a day to several weeks, but industry analysts say the reason behind them is simple: to attract new customers, particularly the vast majority of people who aren’t in the habit of downloading music.

Amazon MP3, a digital download offshoot of Amazon.com that launched in 2007, is in a particularly good position to convert the physical-CD-buying masses. “Amazon has customer relationships with virtually all of those people because everybody, at one time or another, has registered for an Amazon account and bought a CD from them,” says Eric Garland, the chief executive of online media metrics service Big Champagne, which tracks downloading activity.

And it’s not necessarily about trying to muscle in on the well-established turf owned by iTunes, which in 2008 became the number one music retailer in the United States. “The way one Amazon guy put it to me once: we’re not trying to steal their share of the pie, we’re trying to bake a new pie,” Garland says.

One consumer happily dishing up that pie is Dan Jungmann, 41, of Niceville, Fla., who discovered Amazon MP3 while shopping for other items on the site. Although willing to pay full price for his downloads, he’s more than happy to pay less and was stunned when he stumbled across the service’s 24-hour “Daily Deal,” which features albums for as low as $1.99. He’s recently purchased albums by artists such as Dean Martin and Chris Cornell for less than $3 apiece.

Other artists who have test-driven the fire sale price in recent months include classic Brit rocker Morrissey, indie darling Lily Allen, glam pop-rockers Killers, and country heartthrob Dierks Bentley.

Several of the labels involved in these promotions declined to comment, referring queries to Amazon, which in turn wouldn’t divulge how prices are set, how artists are chosen, and which have been the most successful. In fact, a spokesman for Amazon MP3 wouldn’t talk about most aspects of the sales promotion and the competition posed by other services beyond saying, via e-mail: “We are not focused on other companies, we are focused on customers.”

It used to be that companies could offer DRM-free tracks – tracks free of copy-protection software that made it easy to transfer among formats – as a way to attract customers, but that incentive is no longer enough, says Antony Bruno, digital editor at music industry trade magazine Billboard. “Everyone has basically gone in that direction,” he says, “so now it’s really about price.” And the price is shockingly low for a reason. “It is the schoolyard crack dealer approach,” Big Champagne’s Garland says. “We will essentially give it away in order to get you to try it because we think you’re going to get hooked, and we think you’re going to come back.”

Consider Jungmann happily strung out. “Every week I’d buy one to two downloads,” says the handyman. “And I still do that typically for full price [albums], but now that I’ve found the Daily Deal I look every day.”

So what does this kind of pricing mean for traditional record stores still selling actual CDs? “It means you have to get more aggressive about what you’re doing with your stores,” says Carl Mello, director of purchasing for New England chain Newbury Comics. Last week the chain sold the new U2 album at the discounted price of $9.99 and offered every other single-disc U2 record for $5.99.

These sales aren’t just good for digital retailers, they’re good for record companies, too. The proof is in the numbers, which spike at these price points, Garland says. “Whereas iTunes is getting iPod users to load it up with songs and pay to do that instead of doing it illegally, what Amazon is doing is getting the CD buyers to buy albums without the CD,” he says. “And the record companies love that.”

“I think any way of getting people to pay for the music they’re acquiring is a good strategy,” says Billboard’s Bruno. Mello agrees: “We’re always competing with free these days.”

Cheap just may be the answer. Former illegal file-sharer Jungmann was often dissatisfied with what he found in the peer-to-peer world of Napster and Kazaa. “It didn’t have the sound quality,” he says. Besides, he says, laughing, “It’s too much work to steal stuff.” And that should really be music to the industry’s ears.

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