SING! Virtual Music Business Summit

SING! The Toronto International Vocal Arts Festival marks its 13th year with an array of live performances and educational workshops taking place from May 25 to June 2, 2024.

 The festival includes the SING! Virtual Music Business Summit, presented by Canadian Music Spotlight and Long & McQuade. Facilitated by industry insiders, this free virtual series will cover a multitude of aspects of building a successful career as a performer.

Sessions include:

·         Music Rights, The Law and Money Streams: Hosted by Paul Sanderson, veteran owner and founder of Sanderson Entertainment Law, who has counseled clients across the globe in every area of arts and entertainment.

·         Self Promotion 101: A roadmap to navigating the complex terrain of personal branding and marketing and highlighting your unique value proposition. Presented by Jim Norris, publisher of Canadian Musician Spotlight.

·         Touring in the US: How to find and secure gigs, navigate visa requirements, customs, merchandise sales and more. Presented by Robert Baird of Baird Artists Management; Lianna White, executive director of the Canadian Federation of Musicians; and Genny DeMerchant of You Will Love It Live! booking and management agency. Hosted by Paul Ryan of Limelight Management.

·         Progressing from Collegiate Singing to Pro: Pathways for singers who want to continue singing semi-professionally or professionally after graduation. Presented by Dylan Bell and Aaron Jensen, who sang in Wibi A Cappella at York University and went on to become full-time professional a cappella singers with touring groups Cadence, FreePlay, Countermeasure, Retrocity and The Watch. Co-Presenter is Deke Sharon, heralded as the founder of contemporary a cappella, founder of the Contemporary A Cappella Society, producer for five seasons of The Sing Off for NBC TV, and award-winning recording artist.

·         Social Media 2.0: An exploration of the different online communities, the do's, the don'ts and best practices to set you up for organic or paid success. Presented by Ashley Saunders of Marketplace Events.

·         Tax Strategies for Musicians: What expenses are deductible and how is that managed? Kelly Ross from Ross Professional Corporation guides you through how to stay compliant while maximizing returns. https://singtoronto.tickit.ca/events/23864

·         Talent Agent, Casting Agent, Booking Agent: A group of leading industry professionals discusses the nuances of these roles in the music world. Presented by Presented by Jenny Weisz, agent at The Talent House; Michael Walters CSA, CDC Dayton/Walters Casting; Patricia Silver, founder of Sphere Entertainment Agency.

·         The Rise of AI in the Arts: The implications, opportunities, and pitfalls of AI and its profound impact on the artistic landscape. Panel includes Paul Levy, editor of FringeReview UK.

 SING! 2024 also includes two live ticketed workshops:

 ·         The World of Competitions, presented during All From the Mouth Beatbox Workshop and Open Mic: What do competitions mean for career development and how do you select the right competition, prepare, and parlay a win into a sales tool for future gigs? Presented by Scott Jackson, Canadian beatbox champion.

·         Tax Strategies for Musicians: What expenses are deductible and how is that managed? Kelly Ross from Ross Professional Corporation guides you through how to stay compliant while maximizing returns. This is a follow up to the May 29 session where participants can ask in-person questions.

 Toronto’s only a cappella festival also features concert performances incorporating an array of musical styles — from folk to pop, classical to jazz, R & B to spoken word, and even beatboxing and battle rap.

The full schedule is available at singtoronto.com/2024-events.