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November -
December 2002
ASCAP's Collaborator Corner
A free service for music professionals
to find collaborators
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Have you written a libretto and need a composer
to complete your concept?
Are you a songwriter looking for a lyricist to
write words to your music?
Do you play an instrument and want to start a
local band?
Are you a composer seeking a commission? |
| ASCAP COLLABORATOR CORNER IS
EASY TO ACCESS
Search and post projects on Collaborator Corner.
You do not have to be an ASCAP member to use the
service. Here's how it works:
To Post a Project:
1) Log onto: http://www.ascap.com/collaborator
2) Select "Register Now"
3) Enter your email address and create a password
(required), enter self-descriptive information
in text boxes (not required)
4) Check both boxes for "I am at least 18 years
old" and "I have read and agreed to the Collaborator
Corner terms of use"; click "Submit"
5) Click "Return to Main Menu"; Select "Add a
Project"
6) Enter information in text boxes, check both
boxes for "I am at least 18 years old" and "I
have read and agreed to the Collaborator Corner
terms of use"; click "Submit Project"
To Search for Projects
1) Log onto: http://www.ascap.com/collaborator
2) Select "Search for a Project"
3) Specify search criteria by checking relevant
box for "I am a..."
4) Check relevant boxes for "Location" and "Areas
of Collaboration"
5) Sort results by checking one of three options:
date, location, name
6) Click "Search"
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ASCAP's Collaborator Corner can help you find the right
person to suit your musical needs. Collaborator Corner
(www.ascap.com/collaborator/),
an online networking tool for music professionals looking
for creative partners, has been enormously successful
since its launch in the summer of 2001. The number of
project postings has grown rapidly to over 1,000 and
includes posts from high profile songwriters seeking
to establish new working relationships.
Collaborator Corner helps songwriters, composers and
lyricists develop career-enhancing connections and enables
users to take advantage of opportunities that might
not otherwise be brought to their attention. The response
from users has been overwhelmingly positive and appreciative,
with some users relating their personal success stories.
One of these success stories resulted from a request
for collaborators posted by librettist R.C. Staab that
attracted composer Jeremy Blachman and lyricist Eric
Winer. The three met through Collaborator Corner and
pooled their talents to write an original musical comedy
entitled the "The Loyal Order of Lulus." They communicated
via email during the creative process since geographical
separation (North Carolina, New York and Michigan, respectively)
and time-consuming day jobs made it impossible for the
three to work together in person. This unorthodox approach
to co-writing caught the attention of a writer for the
Detroit Free Press and prompted praise from
Mr. Winer: "The fact that we all met this way and have
a great working relationship with songs I'm very proud
of is a miracle. I will continue to use Collaborator
Corner as much as possible; I think it's a godsend for
lyricists and anyone outside of Los Angeles, New York
City and Nashville."
Another success story comes from ASCAP member Bill
Susman who was commissioned by marimba virtuoso Michael
Varner to compose a new solo work for an upcoming concert
and CD. Susman, a California based classical and jazz
pianist and composer, has also received awards from
ASCAP (Raymond Hubbell Award, Standard Award) and commissions
for his orchestral works from the Fromm Music Foundation
at Harvard, Gaudeamus International Musicweek, the Percussive
Arts Society, and the KUCYNA/ALEA III International
Composers Competition. Susman was offered the commission
after he responded to a project posting with a short
description of his experience and a link to some streaming
audio samples available on his web site. Similarly,
after responding to a post seeking a musical theater
composer, ASCAP member Roger Butterly was awarded a
commission from the Southwest Theatre Company in residence
at New Mexico State University to write incidental music/underscore
and three original Christmas carols to text provided
for a new adaptation of Dicken's A Christmas Carol.
The New Jersey based songwriter/ composer was flown
out to Las Cruces to develop the score on-site with
the production staff, make public appearances and talk
with students. Mr. Butterly was very pleased with the
outcome of his visit to the ASCAP web site, saying "Collaborator
Corner is an excellent idea, and I will definitely keep
checking back for more opportunities."
Possibly the most high profile project on ASCAP's Collaborator
Corner is a posting that belongs to Bob Welch, a former
Fleetwood Mac guitarist and songwriter with seven top-ten
records to his credit. With a melody and background
music track already written and recorded, Mr. Welch
posted a project seeking a lyricist to help finish the
song. He received numerous responses from possible co-writers,
ultimately choosing lyricist Steve Werfel based on a
sample of his lyrics. The entire process of meeting,
exchanging ideas, writing and recording the song, "The
Girls Ain't Happy Yet," took place online. In addition
to shopping the song to singers and A&R executives,
Mr. Welch plans to use all of his emails that chronicle
the evolution of that song for a book about this revolutionary
method of songwriting.
Playback
: November - December 2002
ASCAP
Playback
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