The Beat Bulletin February 2013

It’s inspiring to hear Pops Mohamed praising house concerts as fostering “a meaningful exchange between artist and audience”. With the current shortage of live performance venues around the country, such events are becoming an important way for musicians to get their music heard, hone their art and generate income.

This month, we look at the growing trend towards hosting house concerts, and also explore why the organisers of home gigs should obtain a music usage licence from SAMRO.

Plus, see how you can assist SAMRO’s Licensing Sales team in ensuring that you get paid what is due to you. You can also find out how to apply for a R10 000 music study bursary from the SAMRO Foundation and get the lowdown on who will be sharing their valuable industry knowledge at this year’s Music Exchange conference.

Are you interested in a career in sound production? Check out exciting news about Africa’s first Bachelor of Arts degree in this field. We’ll also get up close and personal with SAMRO members Josie Field and Howza.

Would you like to be profiled in a future newsletter? Please contact us at online@samro.org.za – we look forward to your story ideas, comments and profiles for possible inclusion in The Beat Bulletin.

Enjoy!

Yours in music,

Tiyani Maluleke

GM Marketing: SAMRO

SAMRO FOUNDATION MUSIC BURSARY APPLICATIONS NOW OPEN

Did you know that as a SAMRO member, you are entitled to Performing Rights royalties from your live performances – over and above the fee a SAMRO-licensed venue would pay you for entertaining its patrons?

SAMRO FOUNDATION MUSIC BURSARY APPLICATIONS NOW OPEN

Every year, SAMRO grants a number of music study bursaries to students registered for degrees and diplomas at universities across the country. Bursaries are awarded on merit by the SAMRO Foundation.

Over the past 30 years, more than 1 500 promising music students have benefited from this scheme. This year, a number of R10 000 bursaries are available to undergraduates and postgraduates in various fields of music study.

The following SAMRO music bursaries are on offer in 2013:

– General Music Study: Western Art Music, Jazz/Popular Music or African Indigenous Music genres (R10 000 each), available to students in their 1st and 2nd years;

– Music Education OR Community Music Study (R10 000 each), available to students majoring in one of these specialised courses in their 3rd and 4th years;

– Music Technology OR Music Business (R10 000 each), available to students majoring in one of these specialised courses in their 3rd and 4th years;

– Performance Study: Western Art Music, Jazz/Popular Music or African Indigenous Music genres (R10 000 each), available to students majoring in performance study in their 3rd and 4th years;

– Composition Study (R10 000 each), available to students majoring in music composition in their 3rd, 4th and postgraduate years; and

– Indigenous African Music Research (R10 000 each) for postgraduate research students at Honours, Masters or Doctoral level.

SAMRO music bursary application forms may be downloaded from www.samrofoundation.org.za, or phon

ALL YOU NEED IS… MUSIC

Famous for his presenter role on SABC1’s reality dating show All You Need is Love, kwaito star Howza is now reaching for international acclaim with his new band The Peanutt Gallery.

The trio of talent comprises familiar face Howza (aka Tshepo Howard Mosese), music producer Sabelo “Omen” Mzizi and newly discovered songstress Kay-Leigh O’Donovan, and although this multicultural group is small, its dreams are anything but.

The Peanutt Gallery are side-stepping the conventional path of music distribution and plan on uploading their tracks to online spaces, where people are increasingly going to download their favourite songs and find new music fixes.

Following in the footsteps of Lucky Dube, the group is passionate about furthering the global recognition of untapped South African talent. With SAMRO’s international reciprocal agreements in place, ensuring that local music creators receive their dues when their music is played or performed overseas, they should find it easy to reap their royalties when their dreams of hitting the jackpot internationally come to fruition.

Visit www.peanuttgallery.co.za to find out more.

MUSIC GURUS TO SHARE THEIR KNOWLEDGE AT 2013 MUSIC EXCHANGE CONFERENCE

Don’t miss the opportunity to hear pearls of wisdom from top-notch music industry names at the third annual Music Exchange Conference, taking place at the Cape Town City Hall from 21 to 23 March 2013.

MUSIC GURUS TO SHARE THEIR KNOWLEDGE AT 2013 MUSIC EXCHANGE CONFERENCE

This independent music conference features speakers such as Benjy Mudie (A&R consultant for Universal Music and Idols mentor), Rashid Lombard (founder of the Cape Town International Jazz Festival), internationally acclaimed musician Sipho “Hotstix” Mabuse, Ghetto Ruff CEO Lance Stehr, renowned producer Gabi le Roux and Rolling Stone SA editor-in-chief Miles Keylock.

Other participants include; SAMRO CEO Nick Motsatse, Thebe Ikalafeng, (vice-chairman of the Brand Council of South Africa), Mike Joubert (CEO of Brandsrock) music rights attorney Nick Matzukis and KFM radio personality Ian Bredenkamp.

Renowned musicians speaking at the conference include Arno Carstens, RJ Benjamin, Chad Saaiman, Jimmy Nevis, Dubmasta China, Andrew McPherson, Mark Haze, The Rudimentals, Reburn, Shadowclub, 7th Son, Goodnight Wembley, Dino Michael, DJ Da Capo and international producer and record label owner Charles Webster.

Industry practitioners will find great value in the talks focusing on production, branding, negotiation, promotion, touring and, of course, making money from your musical creations. One of the many highlights of the event will be the ADMT (African Dance and Music Technology) full day interactive DJ and dance music production workshop, free to all delegates attending the conference.

Delegates will hear about the future of music from the who’s who of the music industry.

Visit www.musicexchange.co.za to find out how to buy tickets and to upload music demos via the Soundcloud link, to stand a chance of being part of the conference’s showcase evening.

REGISTER FOR AFRICA’S FIRST BACHELOR OF ARTS IN SOUND PRODUCTION

With career opportunities for sound production in music, film, television, gaming and new media skyrocketing in South Africa, the SAE Institute in Cape Town has launched the continent’s first bachelor’s degree in sound production.

REGISTER FOR AFRICA’S FIRST BACHELOR OF ARTS IN SOUND PRODUCTION

As sound production technology becomes more affordable and accessible, there has been an increase in home studios and thousands of aspiring producers are emerging. Yet very few are equipped to handle the demands made by a rapidly changing industry.

This reality has prompted the SAE Institute South Africa to launch the first specialised degree in sound engineering and music production in Africa.

The curriculum for this Bachelor of Arts degree covers every aspect of the art and science of sound production, married with business subjects that foster entrepreneurial spirit and intellectual enquiry. Subjects range from music recording to live concert sound, sound production for film and television and music business.

The college aims to produce graduates who can operate effectively as well-rounded audio professionals and make a meaningful contribution to the industry.

For more details, email SAE Institute South Africa at capetown@sae.edu or visit http://capetown.sae.edu.

SAMRO MEMBER PROFILE: SINGER-SONGWRITER JOSIE FIELD

Josie Field’s music has an unquantifiable honesty about it, often accompanied by a subtle twinge of guilty pleasure, as if the listener is peering into the pages of a secret diary laid open invitingly. It is sometimes introspective and sometimes cynical.

SAMRO MEMBER PROFILE: SINGER-SONGWRITER JOSIE FIELD

In her 27 years, the South African singer-songwriter has already released three albums – Mercury, Leyland and 1984 – earning six SA Music Awards nominations for her work. She’s previously collaborated with musicians such as Arno Carstens, a trend she plans to continue as she works on her fourth album, due for completion this year.

On the subject of artistic partnerships, Field has bravely signed on to take part in revolutionary music show Jam Sandwich, airing on SABC2 from June. It’s a 13-part reality/documentary/entertainment series that throws wildly different musicians together to collaborate and produce original new songs. The format promises to give birth to some potent new tunes and, understandably, she says she’s both excited and terrified at the opportunity.

Field stepped out of the shadows in 2008 when she supported James Blunt on his tour to South Africa, and thereafter Ziggy Marley. Her unstoppable rise has featured other impressive milestones, including working with Levi’s and Suzuki, which have featured her introspective and emotive works in their commercials.

A SAMRO member since 2005, she is also a bit of a change agent and is on a mission to create more platforms that support original South African music. Her annual acoustic and blues festival – the Drake Music Festival – is now in its second year. The festival aims to showcase South African musicians, particularly newcomers, and will again be taking place in December in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands.

The songstress says she’d like to see more musicians supporting each other and is impressed by the new SAMRO website, which includes an events calendar. Since she attends other gigs by local musicians, she says it’s great to have a place to find out what everyone is up to.

Field is an evangelist of the power of live performances to create connections between musicians and audiences. She says: “Live is where you can really feel people’s hearts and get honest with your audience. They can really feel your energy.”

Check out Josie Field’s website at www.josiefieldmusic.co.za.

HOW SAMRO MEMBERS CAN HELP ENSURE MUSIC USERS GET LICENSED

With so many businesses and entities playing and performing music, SAMRO’s Licensing Department has its work cut out protecting music creators’ rights and encouraging music users to pay their dues – but members can also play a part in ensuring that their.

HOW SAMRO MEMBERS CAN HELP ENSURE MUSIC USERS GET LICENSED

SAMRO’s licensing team visits licensees, where necessary, to assess their operations and evaluate their licence requirements on a case-by-case basis, guided by SAMRO’s licensing tariff structure.

The team covers the whole country, working hand in hand with venues, businesses, broadcasters and other places that make use of music publicly to add value to their activities, forming relationships with licensees and helping them to stay on track.

Although the licensing team does its best to watch over all businesses and venues, the sheer size of the country makes it impossible to be everywhere at once. That is why the team also relies on SAMRO members to remain vigilant and notify the Licensing Department of any suspected unlicensed use of music. So, if you hear music playing at a flea market, a school fun day or a festival, let us know. Remember: if in doubt – call SAMRO.

Regional Sales Manager Alan Gustafson says: “SAMRO members can help by being aware and letting us know what is happening out there.” Members should notify SAMRO if they are ever in doubt as to the legitimacy of the music they hear played or performed around them, particularly when new venues such as bars or restaurants open their doors. Music creators should feel free to ask owners and managers about their licence status and notify SAMRO of those unlicensed venues.

If SAMRO members wish to enquire whether a venue they intend to use is licensed, or want to explore obtaining a music usage licence for their own event or business venture – be it a house concert, a mobile disco or a private function – please feel free to contact the SAMRO sales team at licensing@samro.org.za or phone them on the SAMRO 24/7 Communication Hub numbers.

LOCAL ACTS GET HOOKED ON ROCKING THE HOUSE

House concerts are not a new phenomenon in South Africa, but their recent re-emergence is certainly a sign of the times. With festivals dominating the live music scene and few smaller venues available, more and more musicians are using residential homes a

LOCAL ACTS GET HOOKED ON ROCKING THE HOUSE

In 2012, Glynn Berridge started hosting live music events at his home in Observatory, Johannesburg. These intimate acoustic performances highlight musical excellence, and for a modest fee that includes “a meal, coffee, cake and a boogie”, up to 60 people can enjoy the show.

Having featured top-class acts such as Wouter Kellerman, Pops Mohamed, Dave Reynolds and Kathy Raven, this monthly event has become a resounding success. Besides these gigs nurturing and supporting the growth of South African music, Berridge believes they are also crucial in building a music-loving community, and describes how “music can be a means of attracting like-mindedness”.

For musician, composer and multi-instrumentalist Concord Nkabinde, house gigs benefit both the musician and the audience, because “people are looking for something more honest, less overly produced”. He goes on to say how “… these days, a lot of musicians think the only way to perform is at a big show … but these [house concerts] cost less to put together and offer a more intimate exchange.”

Acclaimed flautist Wouter Kellerman says these smaller shows are actually his preferred way of performing. He describes how “musicians have all kinds of subtleties”, and at big events the quality of music is often compromised by considerations such as sound equipment and acoustics.

Pops Mohamed, another internationally renowned musician, also finds house concerts extremely valuable, explaining that they foster “a meaningful exchange between musician and audience”.

This more personal and direct interaction appeals to music enthusiasts – and musicians can supplement their live performance fees, which are sometimes modest, by selling CDs, building databases and exploring spin-offs.

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT HOSTING A HOUSE CONCERT

House concerts have the potential to become an important means for musicians to generate income, but there are a few things you should know before you open your doors. Here, SAMRO explains the licensing requirements to help you host a successful event.

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT HOSTING A HOUSE CONCERT

House concerts were popular in the days when musicians had few places where they could perform in front of an audience. Now, some are returning to this practice to make extra cash without the risk of high overheads and venue fees – and are successfully hosting paid performances in residential homes.

However, it’s important to be informed about the licensing requirements of this type of event – even if you plan to perform your own music to an audience in your own home.

Everyone is entitled to make personal use of music within his or her home. However, if you’re regularly hosting performances and charging some sort of entrance fee, it clearly qualifies as a commercial use of rights-protected music. In such a case, you would need a licence.

The good news is that it is easy to apply and pay for your music usage licence through SAMRO’s Licensing Department. There’s a standard licence structure in place for this type of usage. You simply need to fill in a licensing form and let SAMRO know how many people are expected to attend the performance and provide a detailed playlist of the music you intend to use. From there, SAMRO will work out the appropriate licence fee.

At this point you may be thinking: why should musicians have to pay to play their own music? First of all, each musical work may have multiple rights holders in addition to the primary composer. This could include authors of lyrics, music publishers and others in the value chain. They should also receive royalties whenever their music is used publicly.

This is why SAMRO encourages every member to be aware of the music that is used at every venue they attend. No matter how small the event, you should notify SAMRO if you think someone has made public use of rights-protected music.

SAMRO works to protect your rights whenever others use your music. Should a member also become a user of music, by paying your licence fee you, by the same token, are contributing to a culture of fairness and acknowledgement of the value of copyright.

Furthermore, let’s envisage a scenario where the police respond to a noise complaint at your house concert – not an unusual occurrence at rocking house parties, if you’re performing music, they are likely to request to see your music licence. You could be in trouble if you don’t have the correct documentation, which is something we all want to avoid.

Extracting more value from music is extremely important in the current economy. SAMRO welcomes every new idea that assists in generating income for members and music users alike. Doing so in the correct way will ensure a strong music industry.

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