Canadian Songwriting Challenge: Call for Songwriters

When

  • July 25, 2015

Where

Cosmic Pad Studios

Saskatoon, SK, Canada

    SaskMusic, in partnership with Canadian Council of Music Industry Associations (CCMIA) and Bell Media, is pleased to announce a two-day songwriting event.

    In this songwriting retreat, to be held July 25-26 in Saskatoon, a mix of nine experienced and emerging songwriters will be selected and organized into groups of three to collaborate and record demonstration songs. Award-winning singer/songwriter Jay Semko will mentor these sessions.

    Selected songwriter participants will receive some class instruction on co-writing etiquette, agreements, and songwriting technique, and have an opportunity to network and establish permanent collaborative partnerships.

    The Canadian Songwriter Challenge is a multi-year partnership between the Canadian Council of Music Industry Associations (CCMIA) and Bell Media.

    Songwriters considered for this opportunity must:

    • Be available full days July 25 and 26
    • Be a current SaskMusic member and resident of Saskatchewan
    • Be at an intermediate to advanced level of songwriting (you have a catalogue of material, had material recorded, etc). Previous co-writing experience is not required.
    • Be willing to enter into co-writing agreements specific to each song created during this event
    • Agree to be photographed/videotaped for our reporting purposes

    SaskMusic members of all genres are encouraged to apply. A jury of industry professionals will adjudicate submissions and make final selections based on level of songwriting experience and, if possible, to reflect a range of genres.

    Accommodations and travel expenses will not be covered. Lunches and refreshments will be provided.

    Apply Today! Deadline: Monday July 6

    For more information please contact Program Manager, Kaelen Klypak, kaelen@saskmusic.org or 306-975-0866.

     

    Jay Semko is an award-winning songwriter, composer, performer, and voiceover artist, and was inducted into the Western Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 2012 as a member of Canadian pop/rock icons The Northern Pikes. In 2011 he was nominated for a Western Canadian Music Award (WCMA) - Songwriter of the Year for "Before You Leave Canada,” and in 2012 won a Saskatchewan Country Music Award - Best Roots Album for his "Force Of Horses" album. In 2012 Jay was also nominated for a Roots Solo Recording of the Year WCMA for "Sending Love", and was a finalist in the Gospel category for song "Drop You In the Water" in the 2012 international Independent Music Awards (the lone Canadian nominated in the category). He is known worldwide as the music composer on the internationally syndicated TV series, "Due South" (for which he received two Gemini Award nominations - Best Music Score in a Dramatic Series. He also won the 1997 MMPIA Blizzard and 1996 SMPIA awards for Best Music Score for the movie, "Paris Or Somewhere." Jay was also nominated in Best Original Music for a Non-Fiction Program or Series in the 2013 Canadian Screen Awards (formerly the Gemini Awards) for his work on the TV series "Dust Up".

    As a member of The Northern Pikes, Jay received 4 Gold records and 1 Platinum, indicating sales of over 700,000 units worldwide. The Northern Pikes had a number of Canadian hit singles, including Teenland, Things I Do for Money, Wait For Me, Hopes Go Astray, She Ain't Pretty, Girl With A Problem, and Kiss Me You Fool. Two of these (Things I Do For Money and She Ain't Pretty) charted in the USA Billboard charts, and many of the band's videos were top 5 on Muchmusic, including Girl With A Problem, which reached #1. The band has received numerous awards and nominations, including 8 JUNO award nominations; they won Outstanding Pop Recording at the 2001 Prairie Music Awards for "Truest Inspiration." Jay has also received 2 Canadian Music Publishers Association Awards (for Teenland and Girl with a Problem). The Pikes continue to perform today, and during the course of their career have toured across Canada, the USA, and Japan - opening for/sharing bills with David Bowie, Robert Palmer, Peter Frampton, Bruce Hornsby, Tom Cochrane & Red Rider, The Band, Bryan Adams, The Fixx, Duran Duran, Alice Cooper, Foreigner, Eurythmics, kd lang, and many others. The Northern Pikes are the 2012 inductees into the Western Canadian Music Awards Hall of Fame, joining Chilliwack, Loverboy, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Loreena McKennitt and many other exceptionally talented artists from western Canada.

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