BRIGHTON MUSIC CONFERENCE ANNOUNCES ACADEMY PROGRAMME, NEW SPEAKERS & MORE

25 March 2015 - Press release

Brighton Music Conference (BMC) has announced its 2015 Academy programme, alongside the latest additions to its Professional schedule, and further tech and artist showcases across the event’s two days of master classes, panels and talks. 

The importance of the next generation is at the heart of the BMC ethos, and for BMC2015 the event has extensively grown its Academy programme, aimed at aspiring artists, DJs, entrepreneurs, promoters, managers and engineers, and providing everything they need to know to break into the industry.

In conjunction with BMC’s Education Partners - including YouTube, Facebook, Ableton, Native Instruments, Audio Technica, Novation, Sennheiser, BIMM, Point Blank, PRS, PPL and more – BMC held a nationwide series of student focus groups, and conducted in-depth interviews with students at some of the UK’s premier music colleges.

The results have enabled BMC to construct a truly worthwhile programme of over 30 master classes and talks at BMC2015. Delivered by some of the industry’s leading figures, the Academy programme will welcome hosts and panellists from YouTube, Beatport, JFB, Ableton, The Hydra, Hypercolour, Anjunabeats, PRS, Hospital, Rebekah, Loopmasters, and many more. 

Terry Weerasinghe, Vice President of Music Services at Beatport, has confirmed they’ll be running a Beatport UK Label seminar at BMC Professional (a closed invite only event). For the Academy programme, Weerasinghe will be running a Q&A session giving delegates the opportunity to ask questions from the floor.

YouTube’s Academy workshop will be hosted by the company’s Audience Development Strategist, Olga Golab. The workshop will cover topics including how to optimise videos, drive longer viewing sessions and how to retain subscribers.

Meanwhile, new Professional hosts and panellists include Kobalt, Defected Records, Coda, Resident Advisor, Back To Basics, Native Instruments, and Involved management. These will join speakers and brands including YouTube, Beatport, Dave Clarke, Rhys Hughes (BBC Radio 1/BBC 1Xtra), Ableton, AFEM, Native Instruments, Hospital Records, JFB, Icicle, X-Press 2, Mobilee, DJ Magazine, and many more. 

Newly announced tech and artist showcases include those hosted by Ableton, Native Instruments, Pioneer, Audio Technica, Allen & Heath, and Novation & Focusrite in BMC’s Founders room. 

Ableton will be presenting two tech showcases, including Ditch Presets – Essential Sound Design and Synthesis: Simon Stokes AKA Petrichor (Soma Records), while the Ableton Panel will cover creative strategies for electronic music producers and overcoming creative blocks featuring Evil 9 (Marine Parade/For Lovers/Punks), Alex Banks (Monkeytown Records) and Max Wheeler (Anushka/Brownswood Recordings).

World-renowned loudspeaker manufacturer, Funktion-One, will once again join the BMC line-up for 2015. Visitors to the Funktion-One stand will have the opportunity to experience the PSM318 professional DJ monitors, which have been setting a new precedent in club and event monitoring since their launch in 2014. Commenting on the monitors, Carl Cox said: “Just as you thought Funktion-One couldn’t get any better, they design the best monitors I have ever worked on.” Funktion-One, which is supporting BMC2015 as official technical partner, will also showcase its new self-powered bass system - designed for smaller applications, including studios and home environments.

Panel topics for this year span the music industry, including the latest developments in streaming, publishing (and monetisation), live, digital broadcasting, legal, synching, social media, the DIY route (for artists and labels), Ibiza, and beyond. Further details and speakers will be announced soon. An outline of the programme content follows at the end of this release. 

This year’s equipment and technology exhibition features 60 exhibitors, including Ableton who are returning for BMC 2015. Visitors to BMC Academy will be able to check out Live 9 and Push in the company of Ableton Certified Trainers and get creative insights and inspiration from artists via a series of workshops and panels.