Mountain Stage NewSong contest!
Date: Jul 03, 2009
Posted by:
Contact:
http://www.newsong-music.com/contest
PRESS RELEASE: June 5, 2009
The Mountain Stage NewSong Contest
‘Where Great Artists Are Discovered’
www.newsong-music.com
E-MAIL: info@newsong-music.com
MEDIA: Lauren Stockner; contest@newsong-music.com; call (347) 410-7311
SUBSCRIBE to NewSong News: newsongfestival-subscribe@topica.email-publisher.com
Mountain Stage NewSong Contest, presented by Folk Alliance, is Now Seeking Entries.
Performing songwriters, start your songs. Now in its eighth year, the 2009 Mountain Stage NewSong Contest is one of the premier showcases in North America of talented singer-songwriters across multiple genres of music.
“We’re super excited about this year’s contest,” says NewSong Director Gar Ragland. “The talent we identify in this program is consistently exceptional and varied, and the ongoing development of ways for us to strengthen our community of entrants and promote our finalists and winners continues to broaden.”
About NewSong
The Mountain Stage NewSong Contest is produced by NewSong, an independent music organization with the following two-fold mission:
• To build a supportive community of performers and songwriters across all genres of music and levels of skill.
• To identify the truly exceptional artists within this community and to work closely with them to develop their careers and introduce their music to a broader, international audience.
How to Enter
The NewSong Contest is now accepting entries. There are two ways to enter:
• Online through contest partner Sonicbids.com (www.sonicbids.com/newsong2009)
• Mail-In by sending in CD entries via US Postal mail. (details at www.newsong-music.com/contest)
Contest Overview
A total of 12 finalists will be chosen to perform in the international contest finals, held this year on Saturday, October 10 at the home theater of Mountain Stage in Charleston, West Virginia. The contest features cash and other prizes, and at least one of five co-winners will earn an appearance on a worldwide broadcast of the prestigious “Mountain Stage” radio show.
Co-winners and other contest standouts will also be invited to participate in future NewSong productions in locations throughout the country, and will be candidates for future releases on the NewSong Recordings label. Non-winning contestants will also be considered for future “Mountain Stage” appearances.
"NewSong made everyone feel like we were there for a purpose and that we were being celebrated for what we do. Everyone was treated so well and told that NewSong would always be a resource for us through our careers and even two year’s later I’m still working with them. It's much more than a songwriting contest."
– 2007 Mountain Stage NewSong Contest Winner Rose Cousins; Halifax, Nova Scotia (www.rosecousins.com)
Deadline for submitting songs to the contest’s General Round is September 1. There is a July 21 deadline for entries into Regional Rounds (described below). Entrants who submit to the general round before midnight, July 6 will be considered for the two ‘Early Bird’ finalists. Eligibility for the regional rounds is based on residency, and entrants may submit to both a regional round and the General. For full rules and guidelines, see www.newsong-music.com/contest.
The contest is open to all genres of music, reflecting the diversity of styles and performers on “Mountain Stage with Larry Groce,” now in its 25th year. The acclaimed show, heard on radio and TV around the globe, presents acts ranging from traditional roots, blues and country, to avant-garde rock, world beat, jazz and beyond. The show has featured more than two thousand artists since 1983. A short list of those who made their national radio debut on the program include Barenaked Ladies, Ryan Adams, Sheryl Crow, Norah Jones, Alison Krauss and many other notable acts.
THE 12 NEWSONG CONTEST FINALISTS will be chosen from the following:
• Six (6) from the General Round, open to anyone from any state or country. Two of these six spots will be selected from artists who submit before the ‘Early Bird’ deadline of midnight, July 6.
• Six (6) from Regional Rounds, open only to artists who reside in particular regions.
Eligible entrants may submit to both a regional and the general round.
THE REGIONAL ROUNDS
Performing songwriters in the states and regions below can enter songs in their respective Regional Rounds by July 24 -- 10 finalists in each region will be selected to compete in ‘virtual’ live contests. The winner of each round will advance to the international finals. Entry discounts for regional rounds are available to active members of qualifying organizations.
New this year, our regional finals will be “virtual.” Entrants who advance to a regional round will be asked to upload a video performance of a song to YouTube. NewSong Contest judges will review each finalist’s footage to select a winner. In addition to the official winner there will be a "People's Choice" award for each region based on popular vote through our website.
NOTE: You do NOT have to submit a video when entering the contest. If you are selected as a regional finalist, however, you will be required to have at least one video performance available on YouTube.
REGIONAL ROUND ELIGIBLE RESIDENCY
MIDWEST Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin
CANADIAN All of Canada
NORTHEAST Connecticut, DC, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont
SOUTHEAST Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia
SOUTHWEST Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah
WEST Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Wyoming
IMPORTANT DATES
JUNE 5 Contest Opens For Entries (All Regional & General Rounds)
JULY 6 Early Bird Submission Deadline (General Round)*
JULY 20 Early Bird General Round Finalists Announced (2)**
JULY 24
Regional Round Deadline
AUGUST 5
Regional Round Finalists Announced
SEPTEMBER 1 General Round Submission Deadline
SEPTEMBER 10 General Round Finalists Announced (4)
SAT, OCTOBER 10 International Mountain Stage NewSong Contest Finals
(Cultural Center Theater; Charleston, WV)
SUN, OCTOBER 11 One Of Five Co-Winners Featured On An Internationally Broadcast Mountain Stage Show
(Recorded Live In Charleston, WV)
* All deadlines are at 11:59 PM on date listed above.
** All Early Bird entrants who are not selected as Early Bird finalists will remain in the General Round pool and be considered for the remaining four General Round finalist spots.
For full contest rules and guidelines, see www.newsong-music.com/contest
FOR MORE INFORMATION and interviews with NewSong Director Gar Ragland, contact Lauren Stockner at the number above.
SUBSCRIBE to the NewSong News: newsongfestival-subscribe@topica.email-publisher.com
www.newsong-music.com
www.mountainstage.org
|
