For a city as massive and diverse as New York, bringing the music community together may seem a daunting task. But with music playing such a central role in the city's culture and economy, for the second year running the Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment have joined forces with NY Is Music with the goal of uniting the music community by offering free programming and resources for musicians, industry professionals, students, and fans as part of New York Music Month this June.
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New York Music Month aligns with several other marquee music industry events throughout June, including Governors Ball, the Songwriters Hall of Fame induction ceremony, the National Music Publishers Association's annual meeting, A2IM Indie Week, and SummerStage opening weekend. Together, these events and more reflect the true breadth and reach of the city's music scene while offering a little something for everyone.
"This initiative is a celebration of all that our city's music industry has to offer, whether you're an artist trying to make your mark, a sound engineer interested in honing your craft, or simply a music fan looking for free concerts this summer," says Julie Menin, commissioner, Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment. "New York is home to the largest and most diverse music business ecosystem on the planet."
Indeed, the city that played a crucial role in developing such genres popular and varied genres as hip-hop, punk, folk, electronic, jazz, and more comprises a wide range of music enthusiasts. Menin and the MOME are up to the task, however, committing for the second year in a row to enriching and celebrating the people who make and support New York music.
The cornerstone of programming for New York Music Month is its one-day conference on June 8 at NYU's Kimmel Center. Based on the theme Innovation at the Intersection of Music + Nightlife, this year's lineup of speakers includes GRAMMY-nominated producer Just Blaze in conversation with Bandcamp Senior Editor Marcus J. Moore, as well as rapper and Chairman of Universal Hip-Hop Museum Kurtis Blow, co-Founder of NY Is Music and CEO of Downtown Music Publishing Justin Kalifowitz, and Menin, to name just a few.
The all-day event will feature a program of speed talks, interviews and panels all aimed at raising awareness and promoting a dialogue about New York's thriving music scene across the five boroughs. Guest professionals from the worlds of event production, booking, venue management, education, politics, and public service will all be on hand to throw their perspectives into the conversation. Best of all, the conference is totally free and culminates with a networking reception.
In addition to its main conference, New York Music Month will offer programs throughout the month, including the Interlude+ series, which will coincide with Pride Month to engage LGBTQ+ musicians and artists in a variety of events and workshops from BBQ cookouts to recording studio workshops, all with insights from music industry professionals. Free for all ages, Interlude + events will take place each Saturday starting June 9.
The principals behind New York Music Month are also empowering the music community this month by providing more than 2,000 hours of free rehearsal space access. Local music makers are eligible to receive up to 10 hours each at one of the 20 Spaceworks rehearsal studios across the city.
Additional workshops for musicians include the Musicians Union Local 802's "Make It Live: A Practical Approach To Getting Gigs In NYC And Touring The United States," the How To Make Money With Music series presented at Carnegie Hall in both traditional and digital editions, and a pair of events at Power Station at Berklee NYC, a historic recording studio that was taken over last year by the Boston-based music conservatory. The first of the two free and practical workshops, "Intro To Sync And Music Licensing" takes place June 16 to cover film, TV and advertising income opportunities, while "Creating A Band Agreement" on June 26 will arm attendees with best practices in navigating the legal side of the industry from the jump.
Berklee NYC is also sweetening the deal by offering discounts for New York Music Month of up to 50 percent off workshops and programs during June. Additionally, for those looking for a totally free and immersive educational experience, the organizers of New York Music Month have a lineup of free walking tours of iconic music sites including Morrisania, the South Bronx, Lincoln Center, and Greenwich Village. The initiative's Get In The Mix series also features the World Refugee Day concert on June 26 at the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music and Guitar Mash's #MyNYCSong Teen Songwriting Contest.
And speaking of youth, New York Music Month is also focused on fostering the future generation of music makers and industry movers and shakers.
Divas Behind The Music will place women leaders in the music, tech and education industries in front of 150 exceptional high school students from underserved communities to engage, inspire and encourage young women to pursue technical careers and management careers in music. The invite-only initiative will be produced in partnership with VH1 Save The Music Foundation. The Mayor's Office also partnered with Kidz Bop to promote the initiative and send a reminder that the benefits of music education and appreciation are ripe for starting early.
"I invite all New Yorkers to 'get in the mix' with us this summer!" — Julie Menin
In total, New York Music Month represents a collective effort to celebrate and empower the city's diverse music community by bringing together so many of its major players to ensure it continues to thrive.
"We are excited to extend our partnership with Commissioner Julie Menin and her extraordinary team at the Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment in once again producing New York Music Month," says Kalifowitz. "We thank the commissioner for her unwavering support of the City's music community and her work to ensure that we continue to be the music capital of the world."
