Schadowrider News
2 new Schadowrider releases to be part of NYS Music Fund grant
added to the Schadowrider News archives on 11 Feb 2007
Middlesex, New York, February 2, 2007. The Rochester Folk Art Guild announced today that it is the recipient of a grant from The New York State Music Fund for its 2007 Concert Series 'Legacies' and two new recordings produced from these concerts. 'Legacies' will be a seven-concert series in the Finger Lakes Region, supporting the creation of new music and the wealth of living traditions featuring musicians from New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Paris, France.
The New York State Music Fund was created when the New York State Attorney Generalís Office resolved investigations against major record companies that had violated state and federal laws prohibiting "pay for play" (also called 'payola').
The settlement agreement stipulated that funds paid by music businesses would support music education and appreciation for the benefit of New York State residents. The Attorney General's Office enlisted the services of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, one of the nationís largest and most experienced philanthropy services, to develop and manage the grant program.
"This is a wonderful chance for audiences in the Finger Lakes to become acquainted with the process of how new music is created through improvisation, and the richness of world music that draws on improvising traditions" says Matthew Shubin, 'Legacies' program coordinator. "We'll be presenting a fascinating collection of instrumental and vocal groups, including Ensemble Resonance, Sladki Doume, Karamfil, and Emerald Stream, plus the internationally acclaimed composer/guitarist Jose Lezcano."
The New York State Music Fund published guidelines and criteria and accepted grant applications in a number of categories, including music education and public performances of music by artists working in hip hop, reggae, fusion, jazz, classical and folk music of all cultures. Applications related to recording, distribution, or broadcast through traditional or new media were also eligible. Special emphasis was placed on reaching underserved populations and broadening awareness of artists, genres or styles with limited access to commercial broadcast or other mass distribution vehicles.
An Advisory Panel comprised of recognized leaders from a cross-section of the music world evaluated and recommended applications based on criteria focusing on artistic merit and community impact, and recommended 218 of 402 applications the Fund received for its second cycle.
Awards to the 218 grantees represent every region of New York State and range from $10,000 to $500,000. Diverse forms of popular or experimental music, including indie rock, salsa, electronic, fusion and reggae account for almost 37 percent of grants and more than 15 percent celebrate a spectrum of jazz; nearly 25 percent include new classical music. The stateís ethnic or racial minority communities are served by close to a third of all programs, while 28 percent specifically target rural communities. The Fundís size and emphasis on music of our time in all its forms set it apart from other arts grant programs.
The two recordings will be produced and released by Schadowrider Records, with an expected release date of March 2008.
