Lineup Part 2: 2023 Arctic Music Conference Workshop Presenters! ✨
We are happy to announce the workshop presenters for the 2023 Arctic Music Conference.
The Arctic Music Conference will take place virtually on Zoom, March 24 and 25, 2023. The Arctic Music Awards Ceremony, taking place on March 25, 2023 will also be livestreamed on Twitch.
To reserve FREE conference tickets, please go to: ArcticMusicConference.com
To vote for the Arctic Music Awards, please go to: ArcticMusicAwards.com (Open until March 22, 2023)
Workshops for the 2023 Arctic Music Conference & Arctic Music Awards:
60 Things to Post on Social Media in 60 minutes - Eric Alper
Performance and Stage Presence - K.ÓLA
Songwriting - Anna Fauske
Fundraising for Music Projects - Nunavut Music (Thor Simonsen)
Entertainment Law for Artists - Edwards Creative Law (Byron Pascoe)
Music Distribution and Marketing with CD Baby - CD Baby (Darryl Hurs & Kevin Breuner)
Workshop Presenters
Eric Alper
Eric started his own PR firm in 2017 after being the Director of Media Relations and Label Relations for eOne Music Canada for the past 18 years. He’s one of most well-known music commentators in North America, and named to Billboard Magazine, Paste Magazine and The National Post’s best on social media with over 1 million followers on Social Media. Past and current clients on the PR include Bob Geldof, Judy Collins, Randy Bachman, The Cult, Merle Haggard, John Prine, Ringo Starr, Slash, The Wiggles, Bush, Steve Earle, Snoop Dogg, The Smashing Pumpkins, Ray Charles, Little Steven, Sinead O’Connor, Sesame Street among hundreds of others over his 25 years in the music industry.
K.ÓLA
K.óla (Katrín Helga Ólafsdóttir) is an Icelandic artist born in 1996. She currently mainly writes and plays pop-music. Her album ‘Allt verður alltílæ’ (translation: Everything will turn out okay) released in 2019 got nominated for the Pop album of the year at the Icelandic Music awards and won the Kraumur awards. She graduated from IUA with a BA degree in Composition in 2020. Her compositions often include non-linear scores, character- making, non-musical instruments and playfulness. Currently she lives and studies her masters degree in music creation in the Rhythmic Music Conservatory of Copenhagen. She is a member of the art- collective Post-dreifing which has been very active the last 4 years in hosting events and releasing music of grassroot artists in Iceland.
Anna Fauske
Hailing from the secluded small town of Mosjøen in the north of Norway, Anna creates feel-good songs about feel-bad things. She is a guitarist, producer and songwriter with a Music degree from LIPA in the UK. As a songwriter, her catalogue ranges from introspective, emotional songs about the dark sides of life, to upbeat songs you could dance to. Her Scandi-Pop songwriting was given a tick of approval in a session with Paul McCartney in 2021. She is currently working as a guitarist and songwriter in Norway.
Nunavut Music - Thor Simonsen
Founded in 2022, the mission of Nunavut Music is to help Nunavut artists and industry workers create sustainable careers in music through professional development, administrative assistance, fundraising, performance opportunities, travel support, networking opportunities, and more. Other objectives include advocacy and representation at industry events, promotion to global markets, and strengthening of Inuit languages and culture through music. In short, Nunavut Music is designed to become a singular music development hub and contact point.
Thor Simonsen is a Danish-Canadian artist and entrepreneur. Born in the Faroe Islands, Thor spent his childhood and teenage years in the Canadian Arctic. After graduating from high school in Iqaluit, Thor returned to Scandinavia to work in the music industry while earning his Bachelor's Degree in Design from the Danish School of Media in Copenhagen. An accomplished artist and music producer, Thor has released 2 solo albums, produced 10 albums for other artists, and acted as songwriter, co-producer, and executive producer on many more. In 2016, Thor co-founded Hitmakerz, a Nunavut-based record label with a mission to help create sustainable careers in the arts, with a special focus on Inuit and Indigenous artists.
In 2022, he also founded Nunavut’s first territorial music association, Nunavut Music. Thor’s various business and artistic endeavours have earned him many wins and nominations for awards such as the JUNO Awards, Capital Music Awards, Baffin Regional Chamber of Commerce Business Awards, Planet Awards, and Indigenous Music Awards. His unique, international and intercultural experiences have also allowed him to share his story with audiences across Canada and media outlets around the world.
Edwards Creative Law - Byron Pascoe
Byron Pascoe is an entertainment lawyer and partner with Edwards Creative Law. Byron focuses on music law and works with recording artists, producers, managers, music service businesses and festivals. Before law school, he was a television and new media producer. Based in Ottawa, Byron works with clients across Canada. In Ottawa, he organizes the monthly music professional development series Independent Music Business. He is also a board member of City Folk, MEGAPHONO; is active with the national network of legal clinics for the arts; and was awarded the Impact Award at the inaugural Ottawa Music Awards.
Edwards Creative Law - Canada's Entertainment Law Boutique™ are entertainment lawyers who understand the business of creative industries. We guide creators and business professionals as they navigate the legal complexities of working with others—purchasing, financing, creating, licencing, and protecting creative properties, buying and selling creative services.
We act for clients from across Canada and around the world – working in Canada with Canadians. We advise on and structure their commercial transactions, their employment and independent contractor relationships. We incorporate and administer their corporations. And, if necessary, we resolve their disputes.
CD Baby - Darryl Hurs & Kevin Breuner
Darryl Hurs
Kevin Breuner
Darryl Hurs, Market Manager for CD Baby in Canada, has over 30 years of experience in various roles within the music industry, including venue booker, talent buyer, artist manager, instructor, and digital graphics and design specialist. He has also worked on branding/marketing projects for Live Nation and major artists. Darryl founded and manages Indie Week, was one of Canada's largest in-person music showcase festivals and conferences, which now hosts four annual online conferences and offers a free weekly webinar called Indie Weekly. He recently launched a new global online music community for artists and professionals called DIT (www.ditcommunity.com).
Grammy nominated artist, Kevin Breuner (w/ Smalltown Poets), has sold over 300,000 albums, toured the world, and had songs used by the NFL, Peacock, ABC, Rock N Roll Hall of Fame, and countless indie film productions. Founder/host of the popular DIY Musician Podcast, Kevin has lead the content marketing efforts at CD Baby for over 17 years, and currently serves as the SVP of Engagement & Education.
To reserve FREE conference tickets, please go to: ArcticMusicConference.com
To vote for the Arctic Music Awards, please go to: ArcticMusicAwards.com (The voting deadline is March 22, 2023)
For PR, bookings, or more information, please contact: amcama@hitmakerz.com
Acknowledgment
The events were made possible with support from Hitmakerz, Nunavut Music, and the Government of Nunavut. We also acknowledge the financial support of FACTOR and Canada’s private radio broadcasters
About Hitmakerz
Founded in 2016, Hitmakerz is a full-service record label based in Nunavut. Specializing in creating world-class Inuit and Indigenous music, Hitmakerz has studios in Iqaluit, Ottawa, and Toronto. A social enterprise, their mission is to create viable careers in the arts for Inuit and Indigenous artists through music, media, and education, as well as to empower artists to share their stories and strengthen their culture. For more information, go to hitmakerz.com