SOCAN Foundation launches TD Creative Entrepreneur Incubator

Story by Howard Druckman | Wednesday July 4th, 2018

The SOCAN Foundation, part of the SOCAN Group of companies, in partnership with TD Bank Group, has launched the TD Creative Entrepreneur Incubator program.

“The TD Creative Entrepreneur Incubator is an exciting new program that provides emerging creators of music with seed funding, mentorship, and the opportunity to participate in a progressive webinar series that will hone their entrepreneurial skills and spirit,” said Charlie Wall-Andrews, Executive Director of The SOCAN Foundation.  “The digital incubator aims to provide participants with knowledge and resources to support the development of their creative talent into creative business, and ultimately, a sustainable career.”

Each participant in the Creative Entrepreneur Incubator will receive:

  • $3,000 for start-up costs (marketing, business development, branding, etc.).
  • Mentorship by an industry professional.
  • Access to a webinar series led by industry professionals and experts.
  • A chance to be invited as a participant in the CSHF residency.

“Music has the power to strengthen communities by connecting people together. We’re excited to partner with The SOCAN Foundation to support music sustainability, through our new global corporate citizenship platform, The Ready Commitment. The TD Creative Entrepreneur Incubator will empower music creators from all backgrounds to develop the necessary skills to enhance music creation and sharpen their entrepreneurial abilities, so music continues to enrich our lives in a sustainable way,” said Valerie Picher, Associate Vice-President, Community Relations at TD.

Applications to the TD Creative Entrepreneur Incubator are currently being accepted until August 8, 2018, at 11:59 p.m. EDT. Visit www.musicincubator.ca for more information about the program, including eligibility information.

In conjunction with the TD Creative Entrepreneurship Program, The Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame (CSHF) is launching an in-person residency for select participants in the Entrepreneur Incubator. Five of the incubator participants will be invited to Toronto to take advantage of studio time at the SLAIGHT Studio, a showcase opportunity, and an additional creative mentorship opportunity with an established songwriter, all during a residency in Toronto.

Photo by Dane Collison

Apply now for Good Vibes song camp in Toronto with Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds

Story by Howard Druckman | Tuesday July 10th, 2018

Undiscovered and unpublished songwriters and producers are invited to apply for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be mentored by prolific hit-maker and multi-platinum recording artist Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds, and other elite guest mentors, at the Good Vibes Discovery Song Camp in Toronto from Sept. 24-28, 2018.

The deadline for applications is Sept. 2, 2018, at 11:59 PDT. Good Vibes has already hosted Discovery Song Camp (DSC) events in LA and Nashville, and will do so in Atlanta and London later in the fall. Unlike many song camps, which tend to focus on the finished product, DSC is about Babyface giving back to the songwriter and producer community, and inspiring the next generation with insight on what it takes to create quality music.

Babyface is an 11-time Grammy Award winner who’s nurtured the careers of such artists as TLC, OutKast, Usher, and Toni Braxton. He’s produced, and written or co-written hits for, Whitney Houston, Eric Clapton, Michael Jackson, Mariah Carey, Beyoncé, Bruno Mars, Ty Dolla $ign, and Ariana Grande, among others.

Jason Murray, who co-founded Good Vibes with Babyface, is also the co-founder and President of Black Box Music, an independent record label, management company, and publishing operation whose roster includes multi-platinum sellers, JUNO Award winners and Polaris Music Prize Short List nominees, such as The Glorious Sons, SonReal, and Classified.

Interested songwriters and producers can apply here. When answering the application question, “How did you hear about the Discovery Song Camp?” please select “SOCAN.” To see a few video clips of Babyface discussing the DSC, visit the Good Vibes Instagram.

Fourteen SOCAN members nominated for 2018 Gémeaux Awards

Story by Eric Parazelli | Tuesday July 3rd, 2018

The 2018 edition of the Gémeaux Awards has nominated 14 SOCAN members in several music categories. The technical and documentary gala of this 33rd annual celebration of the Québec television industry will be held on Sept. 13, 2018, in Montréal.

The finalists are:

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE: FICTION

Patrick Lavoie
Blue Moon, Episode 25
Publisher: Aetios Distribution

Serge Nakauchi Pelletier
Lâcher prise, Episode 24 – “Papillons”
Publishers: Éditions Encore Inc. / My T Fine Music

Michel Corriveau
Les pays d’en haut – Season 3, Episode 27
Publishers: Éditions Encore Inc. / Éditions Les Jérémiades / Les Éditions Sovi Son Inc.

Joseph Marchand, Ariane Moffatt
Les Simone, Episode 17
Publisher: Éditions des 3 gars

Martin Roy, Luc Sicard
Marche à l’ombre – Season 3, Episode 21 – “Héroïne”

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE: DOCUMENTARY

Daniel Scott
Centre-ville : l’âge des lumières

Brad Barr (ASCAP)
Claude n’est pas mort

Luc St-Pierre
Espions parmi nous, Episode 4 – “Konon Molody”
Publisher: Éditions Amalga Music

Alexis Martin, François Richard
L’écran roi

Fabienne Lucet
Le dernier souffle

BEST MUSICAL THEME: ALL CATEGORIES

Patrick Lavoie
Blue Moon, Episode 25
Publisher: Aetios Distribution

Daniel Bélanger
Info, Sexe et Mensonges, Episode 34
Publisher: Éditions Achille Cassel

Mathieu Vanasse
Les pêcheurs, Episode 56 – Pink 2
Publishers: My T Fine Music / 1125948 Rozon Canada

Martin Roy, Luc Sicard
Marche à l’ombre – Season 3, Episode 21 – “Héroïne”

Mathieu Vanasse
Plan b, Episode 1
Publishers: Éditions des 3 gars / My T Fine Music

SOCAN congratulates its members on their nominations, and wishes them the best of luck.

Following the technical and documentary gala, to be hosted by Dominic Arpin and Chantal Lamarre, the live broadcast gala will air on Radio-Canada Sunday, Sept. 16, 2018, hosted by Jean-Philippe Wauthier. For more information on the various categories and nominations, visit the Gémeaux website.