The legendary Red Bull Music Academy is currently accepting applications for the annual music workshop which will be held in Toronto this fall. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Academy which provides a unique opportunity for up and coming DJs, MCs and musicians to mix, mingle and learn from icons and artists who have made a significant imprint in the world of music. Over the past 10 years, hundreds of music legends and moguls have shared their personal experiences, spent one-on-one studio time, and built enduring relationships with participants of the Academy. Anyone interested in applying for one of the 60 coveted spots can simply submit a mix CD or representative samples of their music along with the application and a photo to Red Bull Music Academy on or before May 4, 2007. Information and applications can be downloaded at www.redbullmusicacademy.com. By July 6, 2007, all applicants will be notified via email whether or not they have been invited. If selected, participants should clear their calendars for either Term 1 (Sept. 23 - Oct. 5, 2007) or Term 2 (Oct. 14 - Oct. 26, 2007). There is no cost to apply or attend. Flights and accommodations for all selected participants will be covered by the Red Bull Music Academy.
THE BREAKDOWN
The Red Bull Music Academy unfolds as follows. Two groups of promising producers, musicians and DJs hailing from around 30 different countries assemble at a new location each year. In an open, friendly forum and in the comfort of well-equipped studios, they meet and make beats with crucial characters in the story of music: from authors of the foundations of funk to the young, independent-minded technicians who re-wrote the book. Together, they explore and mash up aural possibilities via DJ-mixing set-ups, classic samplers, and boxes upon boxes of the latest keyboards, mics and music production software. Each group of 30 takes part in one of two 2-week sessions. However, they don't just take notes and let hope float. With the help of a stellar production team, a number of quality tracks are produced at the Academy and later mastered on CD. Participants also have the chance to broadcast live on the Academy's web-based RBMA Radio www.rbmaradio.com. The constant musical activity -- not to mention camaraderie -- creates a unique energy, which catches fire in the nightspots of the city. There, everybody has a chance to perform in the spotlight.
TORONTO PRONTO
So far, the Red Bull Music Academy journey has led to the metropolises of Berlin, Dublin, New York, London, Sao Paulo, Cape Town, Rome, Seattle, Melbourne and now Toronto, one of the biggest and most cosmopolitan cites in North America. Nestled on the shores of Lake Ontario, Toronto is an ideal place for the gifted to gather and trade tips. Home to the second-highest population of foreign language-speaking residents in the world, Toronto's grids hum with diverse culture and architecture, criss-crossed with parks, rivers and tree-covered ravines. Independent galleries and record stores pop up west of Chinatown, while vibrant clubs and music temples can be found on the back streets of Little Italy. The main stage for Canada's thriving hip hop scene, Toronto has a heavy jazz tradition, and explodes with cross-pollinated musical lineages from deep house, disco and the miniature/crashing scapes of Canadian techno, to big-bottomed space dub, electro rap and experimental indie rock. From Mathew Jonson to Black Uhuru, and from Gino Soccio to Oscar Peterson or D.F.A. 1979: there's plenty of fresh heritage to uncover.
MUSIC ACADEMY REVERB
Whether or not you attend the Red Bull Music Academy in person, you can still experience the beats and bites at www.redbullmusicacademy.com. There you can find the RBMA Radio stream, diary entries from Academies past, video footage from memorable sessions, message boards, and of course a list of all the star-studded folks who've passed through the doors of RBMA.
