Hybrid and In-Person Student Festival
The Association for Popular Music Education (APME) invites secondary school and collegiate student bands to its 2023 student festival, this year at Loyola University. This non-competitive festival will be held in a hybrid format, with both live, in-person and pre-recorded, online performance options. It will be an encouraging educational atmosphere for all to perform for peers and the local community and also take part in sessions to learn from a team of outstanding popular music clinicians and professional musicians.
What Will the Festival Look Like?
LIVE, IN-PERSON PERFORMANCES:
In scheduled daily sessions, highly qualified music clinicians and professional musicians will provide a clinic and recorded critique, noting areas of strength and offering suggestions for improvement for performing students. Each ensemble will receive a certificate of participation and qualifying students will receive individual certificates recognizing outstanding solo performances. In addition, we will recognize a limited number of students who perform exceptional original material. These students will receive an additional certificate of acknowledgment and will be featured on the APME website. There is no required repertoire; bands can play original music and/or cover songs. Performances are open to the public and attending students and teachers are encouraged to listen to as many of their fellow performers as possible.
After the feedback session schedule is complete, the conference will feature an evening of performances on a festival stage by student bands and soloists selected by clinicians, although ensembles and soloists can opt-out of performing. The festival stage will feature professional sound, lights, and backline.
Additionally, over the event’s three days, attending teachers and students will have access to all sessions, presentations, and performances during the APME conference. The conference features networking events, songwriting sessions with professionals, and opportunities for one-on-one mentoring and discussions with industry professionals, expert educators, and researchers in popular music.
ONLINE, PRE-RECORDED PERFORMANCES:
Over the course of the conference, selected student bands and solo/duo artists performances will be showcased in a private Zoom room as well as displayed throughout the venue at Loyola University. Submissions will receive feedback and critique from highly qualified music clinicians and professional musicians, noting areas of strength and offering suggestions for improvement for performing students. There is no required repertoire, bands can play original music and/or cover songs. We encourage original material from solo/duo artists. Each band will receive a certificate of participation. In addition, we will recognize a limited number of students who perform exceptional original material. These students will receive an additional certificate of acknowledgment and will be featured on the APME website.
What you need to participate
On the submission form linked below, you’ll need to submit the following items:
- Artist name
- Artist bio
- Artist photo
- Artist/school program website
- Artist/school program social media
- YouTube link to a 3-5 minute video performance of your song
- If performing live, a list of ALL instruments/vocalists performing—i.e., drums, bass, guitar, 5 vocals, etc.
Participation Fees
All fees apply to both live and online submissions. First ensemble, $50; all subsequent ensembles, $25; solo/duo groups $25. Individual students are limited to performing in no more than two bands. We have a limited number of waivers to cover participation fees for schools that will allow student ensembles to participate in the conference at no cost to the school.
Questions?
Email Steve Holley at: steve@popularmusiceducation.org or Kat Reinhert at: kat@popularmusiceducation.org