Every year, ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers) does a major music conference and workshop for their members and anyone who is willing to attend. The conference features interviews, live showcases of performers, one-on-one sessions, lectures regarding the music industry, and a networking reception. I’ve attended my first ASCAP EXPO this year, which was held at the Renaissance Hollywood Hotel in LA California. The experience was very encouraging and motivational. Most of the information that was given at the EXPO was information I already know. However, to be up close and personal at the EXPO was very rewarding. I had a chance to meet and greet with top music executives, and various songwriters, composers, authors, and publishers.

This year’s EXPO conference was April 22-24. I arrived at the EXPO a day before just to get a feel of it. That day, I made sure I received my badge, and just walked around and did a few sight seeing round Hollywood Boulevard. When the next day came, the EXPO began, and it started with the ASCAP’s General Membership Meeting. Which was lectures on the current operations of ASCAP and the financial reports. It was also, highlighting the many ASCAP members careers in music and awards received within the previous and current year. Throughout the three days of the EXPO, I’ve attended meetings and lectures that I thought would be beneficial to advancing my career as a musician, artist, composer, publisher, songwriter, and producer.

The first day, I attended: The Membership Meeting, Making the scene as a TV composer, We Create Music (interviews of top producers, songwriters, and composers), Exploring the International Market, and the Networking Reception. On the next day, I attended: Music Licensing, To Feature Film Score, Emerging Writer Teams, Publishers & Writers/Artists Development, and Quincy Jones Interviewed by Ludacris. The final day, I attended: Copyright Issues, Production Music Libraries, Rocking the Cradle (writing music for children programs) and Bill Withers interviewed by Justin Timberlake.

The most valuable feedback I’ve received from this EXPO was to work very hard to get to where you want to be in this industry. No one will do it for you, you have to do it yourself. The secret is who you know in the industry that can be of assistance. It’s all about connections. For example, if you’re an independent film maker just starting out who needs a film composer to write the music for your film, how do you go about finding such a person? By word of mouth, asking your colleagues who they know or worked with, attending music conferences, and or calling/looking for ads in music magazines, and music trade publications for composers. Go where the stuff is happening, or take a business trip and network your butt off. Be sure to contact me if you need a composer, orchestrator, pianist, arranger, transcriber, or producer for your project at: www.jamalmathis.com.