The Association for Popular Music Education (APME) invites secondary school and collegiate student bands to its 2024 APME LIVE Student Festival, to held this year at the Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, CA, USA. This non-competitive, in-person festival 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. All middle school, high school, and collegiate popular music ensembles, producers, and soloists from ALL GENRES are encouraged to participate.
What Will the Festival Look Like?
LIVE, IN-PERSON EXPERIENCE:
In scheduled daily sessions, highly qualified clinicians and professional musicians will provide a clinic and 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 end-of-conference event will take place at Tommy’s Place (see picture). Professional sound, lights, and backline will be provided.
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.
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
- An input list of ALL instruments/vocalists, i.e., drums, bass, guitar, 5 vocals, etc.
Submissions closed on March 1, 2024
Participation Fees
Participation fees are $100 for bands and $50 for solo/duo acts, payable upon acceptance into the Festival. 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. A reminder that a band’s director and/or lead contact will need to register for the APME conference. Students will be registered for the conference free of charge through the completion of the Consent/Assent form that was mailed on March 14 to invited artists.
Conference Housing
We have coordinated with the University of Southern California to provide on-campus conference housing for APME LIVE student participants and chaperones. Information on housing options is below. For additional information on how to book dorm space, please contact conference@popularmusiceducation.org
Suite-style student housing
Air-conditioned suites, with multi-rooms per suite; two (2) people per room; each suite share bathroom facilities. Linen packet (pillow case, top and bottom bed sheets, 2 bath towels and facecloth) is provided along with pillow and blanket.
Pricing for Suite-style option:
- $56.00 per person per night + 14% LA City bed tax = $63.84 per person per night @ double occupancy, two people per room sharing a multi-room suite
- $76.00 per person per night + 14% LA City bed tax = $86.64 per person per night @ single occupancy, one person per room sharing a multi-room suite
- $81.00 per person per night + 14% LA City bed tax = $92.34 per person per night @ single occupancy per room in a single suite (very limited inventory)
Apartment-style student housing
Air-conditioned one or multi-room apartments; shared bathrooms in the apartment. Each room with 2 extra-long twin size beds. Linen packet (pillow case, top and bottom bed sheets, 2 bath towels and facecloth) is provided along with pillow and blanket.
Pricing for apartment-style option:
- $59.00 per person per night + 14% LA City bed tax = $67.26 per person per night @ double occupancy, two people per room sharing a multi-room apartment
- $79.00 per person per night + 14% LA City bed tax = $90.06 per person per night @ single occupancy, one person per room sharing a multi-room apartment
- $84.00 per person per night + 14% LA City bed tax = $95.76 per person per night @ single occupancy, one person per 1 bedroom apartment (limited inventory)
There are a number of food options at the USC Village, located within a 5-minute walk of the conference location.
Questions?
Contact Kat Reinhert at kat@popularmusiceducation.org or Steve Holley at steve@popularmusiceducation.org