The first-ever Upstream Music Fest + Summit is just around the corner, on Thursday, May 11th through Saturday, May 13th, in locations all over Pioneer Square. Earlier this year, the first wave of artists were announced (see here), as well as this year's keynote speakers: Quincy Jones, Macklemore, and Portia Sabin, president of the independent record label Kill Rock Stars.
Their keynotes will spark smaller, most focused breakout sessions where attendees can explore important questions impacting artists and the music industry. Today, we're excited to share the first eight of these speakers, as well as more information about their topic!
Ross Reynolds, KUOWStreaming and BeyondHow to Win in the Streaming EconomyHow do legacy artists adjust their distribution to the new music economy and emerging artists take advantage of the multitude of streaming services available? KUOWs's Ross Reynolds will discuss how artists, veteran and new, can break through and stand out despite the wealth of distribution as a result of the emergence of streaming tools.
Tunji Balogun, Sony | Shav Garg, indify | Connor Lawrence, indify | Matthew Pavia, indify
The New A&R: How A&R Uses Data to Predict Who's NextData and AnalyticsIn the digital age, the A in A&R is better represented by the word "algorithm" than "artist". The prescient A&R scout turning the world of listeners on to the next wave of music appears to be a thing of the past now that consumers can define their own music discovery using streaming services and artists are "suggested" by data rather than DJs. Sony's Tunji Balogun and the founders of Indify, the discovery platform that uses social monitoring and data mining to predict emerging musicians, will discuss how A&R has embraced music discovery in the digital age.
Lara Davis, City of Seattle Office of Arts and Culture | Randy Engstrom, City of Seattle Office of Arts and Culture
The Community of Music: Cultivating Creative Spaces to Foster the Next GenerationGlobalizationArtists don't appear out of thin air, they need to be supported and nurtured, especially in a world where arts education is frequently on the chopping block. Teaching artists, professional artists who take the time to work with young artists pursuing careers in music, play a critical role in the lives of young people and communities. Representatives from the City of Seattle's Office of Arts and Culture will discuss how professional artists can become teaching artists, can participate in the creation of creative community spaces, and can help foster the next generation of arts and culture in their communities.
Chanel Summers, Syndicate 17 | Marty O'Donnell, Marty O'Donnell Music, LLC/Highwire Games, LLC
Composing For Video Games: You're Doing It Already!Industry CollisionHave you ever wondered who created the music in the background of that video game? It turns out that the music wasn't created by developers, it was composed by actual musicians. Writing music for video games can represent both a creative opportunity and a career path for skilled composers. Getting started in writing music for video games is less mysterious than artists might expect. Two video game industry experts, Chanel Summers of the original Xbox team and Marty O'Donnell the composer for Halo discuss the aesthetic, creative and technical challenges of composing for video games and share why these are concepts you already probably work on every day!
Joleen Hughes, Huges Media Law Group | Ayron Jones, Ayron Jones and the Way | Barrett Martin, Sunyata Records & Books/Screaming Trees
From Lawyers to Labels to Likes: Local Legends on How to Survive as a MusicianIndustry CollisionHow the hell do you do it? How do you make music your career? Local entertainment lawyer Joleen Hughes sits down with emerging Seattle artist Ayron Jones and legendary Seattle drummer Barrett Martin of the Screaming Trees to get real about getting your ducks in a row, leveraging social media and streaming services, and going from local to global by developing relationships with labels, distributing your work, and going on tour. Protect your rights as a creator, share what you create with the world, and be able to eat more than Top Ramen (eventually).
Ron Jones, Ron Jones Productions Inc/SkyMuse Studios
Become the Music: Figure Out What's Most Important To You (And Your Audience)Globalization Legendary composer Ron Jones is known for iconic theme songs and scores for the likes of Star Trek: The Next Generation, Family Guy, and Duck Tales. He has mastered the craft of recording, and has since opened the incredible SkyMuse Studios where he teaches the art of creating music, media and production. Ron will tap into his decades of experience composing music and discuss what every artist needs to understand about making the most of their time in the studio to create their best recordings. Hear from an expert on how you can tap into the music that's in you in order to create the music your audience wants to hear.
Adam Farish, 8Stem | RAC, Remix Artist Collective
Leveraging Creativity in the Age of Collaboration - From Original to Remix to GrammyGlobalizationThe remix culture that emerged in the digital era, while reminiscent of the sampling culture of the past, has allowed for remix artists and producers to build careers in music. New tools have emerged, such as 8Stem - a revolutionary, interactive audio format that allows any listener to remix music like a professional DJ or sound engineer. Adam Farish, who co-founded 8Stem with Sub Pop's founder Bruce Pavitt and currently serves as 8Stem's CEO, sits down with touring remix artist RAC to discuss the remix culture landscape and how new remixing tools uplift both remix artists and original artists, who grow their audiences through properly credited source material.
Arif Gursel, VIBEHEAVY | LaSean Smith, Microsoft | Ali Shaheed Muhammad, VIBEHEAVY/A Tribe Called Quest
People Over Playlist: The Lost Art of A&R in the Digital WorldIndustry CollisionIn order to curate music for their music discovery service, the A&R the team at VIBEHEAVY borrowed from classic recording industry models and powered them with human centered discovery algorithms, keeping the human side of A&R without ignoring the new data-driven tools available. VIBEHEAVY's Arif Gursel and Microsoft's LaSean Smith will be joined on stage by VIBEHEAVY's Chief Curator Ali Shaheed Muhammad of hip-hop game-changers A Tribe Called Quest to explore the music discovery service landscape and the growing need for entertainment brands and artists to adjust to the new digital landscape or face extinction.
