Songwriters of every genre, from the novice to the professional will converge for The 8th Annual Nashville SongWriters Festival held June 4-6. The 2010 Song Fest is many happenings in one. It’s part live original music festival, part teaching conference, part business networking opportunity and part gathering of old friends. Tune smiths share their songs on multiple stages and Open Sing Rings located directly on Music Row. The jamboree is hosted by SongWritersFestival.com and registration to attend is now officially open.

There will be featured writers strumming their hits and undiscovered songwriters playing new ones. The fest represents the past, present and future of songwriting. We welcome all forms of music. Composers are encouraged to come as they are and find their place in the mix.

There are several stages with scheduled performances and impromptu areas for unscheduled Sing Rings. Everyone who comes to the fest has an opportunity to share their original lyrics, song or music.

Running concurrently with the live performances the festival also has classes hosted by hit writers to Grammy winners. Writers can attend all or parts of the Pro Instruction while at the fest.  The
tutoring was held outdoors last year between Crystal Gayle’s Building and SESAC on the grass near a shady oak tree. Pros who have “been there done that” gathered to impart their secrets, personal experiences and other tidbits of the music biz.

The celebration also host an Open House on Music Row where participating music related businesses have an “open door” policy to take questions, exchange samples and discuss what part they play in
the industry. Recording Studios, Publishers, Song Pluggers, Duplicators, Distributors, Instrument Makers and many other aspects of the music business will be represented. The Open House is a
whirlwind of unscheduled meet and greets and an opportunity to run the Row.

Non Performing songwriters are also encouraged to come to collaborate with other writers. Networking and Co-writing is a crucial key to getting cuts. There will be a writer table where registered attendees can display their CD’s. There will also be informational booths and a
collaboration tent hosted by “Keeli”.

“There are no set pre qualifications to attend all or parts of the Fest.” says festival founder Cornelius “Popcorn” Robertson.  “The event is put on by songwriters, for songwriters which makes for a more relaxing atmosphere.  The efforts of caring volunteers and many “Fest Heads” makes this event different. We have feel! The pros were once novices and one day some novices will be pros. Together we inspire and grow in the business of music. ”

“Popcorn” Robertson continues, “This year the festival has added a “Song Challenge & Critiques”. We want to recognize great songs and get them in the hands of publishers and recording artist. There are 5 Grand Prizes with cash awards and working tours of Music Row along with other prizes.  Any excess funds generated by the “Song Challenge” will go to help host the 2010 Nashville Song Fest on Music Row.

Registration is now officially open. Performing and Non performing songwriters, music related business, volunteers and the public wishing to participate in the June 4-6. 2010 activities can visit the web site at www.SongWritersFestival.com , Email: Popcorn@SongWritersFestival.com or call 615-424-1491 or 931-296-4067 for more info.

New York, NY, January 7, 2010:  The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) is pleased to announce its lineup of events for the 2010 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.  Returning for the 12th year, the Sundance ASCAP Music Café will present an exciting and dynamic mix of composers, songwriters and artists from across the musical spectrum and around the world.  The annual, invite-only ASCAP Filmmaker & Composer Breakfast will once again provide a wonderful opportunity for filmmakers and music creators to connect in a warm and friendly setting.
The 2010 Festival includes many films that prominently feature the music of ASCAP’s composer and songwriter members.

“ASCAP composers and songwriters, from emerging to the most successful, represent the diverse world of today’s music, so we are a great resource for filmmakers and film and music executives who are looking to find composers and songwriters for their films,” said Sundance ASCAP Music Café producer Loretta Muñoz, ASCAP Assistant Vice President.  “We are delighted to partner once again with the Sundance Film Festival, with whom we share a mutual goal of discovering and nurturing great talent, by highlighting the role of music in film through our live performances and networking events, and supporting our members’ dreams.”

Sundance ASCAP Music Café
Now in its 12th year, the Sundance ASCAP Music Café is the focal point for music at the Festival.  It is dedicated to showcasing the exceptional talent of emerging and established artists, including solo acts and major bands, and is a place where independent filmmakers can meet and interact with composers and songwriters to encourage collaboration between these two creative communities. This year’s program features eight days of stellar programming, presenting songwriters and composers associated with Festival films along with other legendary and cutting-edge artists.

The featured performers include: 2AM Club, Adrian Younge and the Black Dynamite Sound Orchestra, AM, Brendan Benson, Isobel Campbell, Carney, Danielia Cotton, Colin Devlin, John Forté, The Fray, Holly Palmer & Dillon O’Brian, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, Joey+Rory, Sass Jordan, Richard Marx, Mike Posner, The Rescues, k.s. Rhoads, LeAnn Rimes, Sam & Ruby, Matt Scannell (Vertical Horizon), Sonos, Vedera, and Youth Speaks.  For the complete schedule, please visit ASCAP’s website at www.ascap.com.

The Sundance ASCAP Music Café will be located at the Stanfield Gallery, 751 Main Street, Park City.  It is open to Festival credential holders from January 22 to 29, 2010.  Performances begin each day at 2:00 p.m.  The Stanfield Gallery has curated a unique avant-garde visual art exhibition by influential musicians and pop art icons.  This showcase will include works from Devo keyboardist and composer Mark Mothersbaugh, Brandon Boyd of Incubus, pop artist icons Steve Kaufman and Peter Max, Pete Wentzof Fall Out Boy, Travis McCoy of Gym Class Heroes, Joseph Arthur, and many more.  Look for special appearances by the artists throughout the day and at some of the gallery’s evening events.

ASCAP Filmmaker & Composer Breakfast
On Tuesday, January 26, ASCAP will host a special, invite-only Filmmaker & Composer Breakfast exclusively for Sundance Film Festival Filmmakers and their film composers - as well as other ASCAP composers who will be in Park City for the Festival.  Festival filmmakers and film composers who are interested in attending may contact Jennifer Harmon at jharmon@ascap.comfor further details.  Accredited Festival press who are interested in covering may contact bobbi.marcus@bobbimarcuspr.com.

Music in Film
The 2010 Festival includes many films that prominently feature the music of ASCAP’s composer and songwriter members, including film composers Klaus Badelt (The Extra Man); Carter Burwell (Howl); Joel Goodman (A Small Act); Nicholas Greer (8: The Mormon Proposition); Jan Kaczmarek (Get Low); Keith Kohn (Climate Refugees); David Majzlin (Sins of My Father); Justin Melland (Life 2.0); Joshua Myers (The Violent Kind); Marc Streitenfeld (Welcome to the Rileys); Ryuichi Sakamoto (Women Without Men); Marcelo Zarvos (Please Give); and Ljova (My Perestroika).

About Sundance Film Festival
The Sundance Film Festival is the premier showcase for U.S. and international independent film, held each January in and around Park City, Utah.  Presenting dramatic and documentary feature-length films from emerging and established artists, innovative short films, filmmaker forums and panels, live music performances ranging from solo acts to film composer events, cutting-edge media installations, and engaging community and student programs, the Festival brings together the most original storytellers of our time.  Supported by the non-profit Sundance Institute, the Festival has introduced global audiences to some of the most ground-breaking films of the past two decades, including sex, lies, and videotape, Maria Full of Grace, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, An Inconvenient Truth, Trouble the Water, and Central Stationand, through its New Frontier initiative, has brought the cinematic works of media artists including Isaac Julian, Doug Aitken, Pierre Huyghe, Jennifer Steinkamp, and Matthew Barney.
www.sundance.org/festival.

About Sundance Institute
Founded by Robert Redford in 1981, Sundance Institute is a not-for-profit organization that fosters the development of original storytelling in film and theatre, and presents the annual Sundance Film Festival. Internationally recognized for its artistic development programs for directors, screenwriters, producers, film composers, playwrights and theatre artists, Sundance Institute has nurtured such projects as Angels in America, Spring Awakening, Boys Don’t Cry, Sin Nombre and Born into Brothels. www.sundance.org.

About ASCAP
Established in 1914, ASCAP is the first and leading U.S. Performing Rights Organization (PRO) representing the world’s largest repertory totaling over 8.5 million copyrighted musical works of every style and genre from more than 370,000 songwriter, composer and music publisher members.  ASCAP has representation arrangements with similar foreign organizations so that the ASCAP repertory is represented in nearly every country around the world where copyright law exists.  ASCAP protects the rights of its members and foreign affiliates by licensing the public performances of their copyrighted works and distributing royalties based upon surveyed performances.  ASCAP is the only American PRO owned and governed by its writer and publisher members.  www.ascap.com