This is a unique opportunity to connect closely with experts from many aspects of the music industry. Attendees will sign up for 15 minute slots to discuss their own questions and ideas. Meetings take place with a small group seated around a table and are on a first-come, first-served basis, so come early to sign up for the people you want to meet. Building a career in music? You need to be here. An experienced professional? This is great networking for you. Decades of experience shared in one session!

Due to the nature of this event, capacity is extremely limited. Get your spot now!

Topics and Clinicians:

Assembling and Managing a Vocal Group
Brett Joel Ludwig is a singer, arranger, and beatboxer who’s spent a big chunk of his life in contemporary a cappella—performing and chasing that perfect chord that makes everyone grin. He’s a founding member of 6 Minute Warning, and has managed the group since day one. Before that, he started several other vocal groups, and later applied the same impulse to startups, including his work as CTO of Story City, pagepack, and Simple Connections.Musically, Brett can be found performing across contemporary a cappella, classical choral music, and at the piano. He grew up playing classical piano and took jazz piano in college (after finishing an engineering degree). He also sang with Pro Coro Canada, one of the country’s three professional choirs. He’s a huge fan of video game music, loves playing video games, enjoys learning songs on the piano by ear, and is always up for karaoke—especially musical theatre, which his friends totally, like, tell him he’s pretty good at and not an over-actor at all.Brett believes singing should be for everyone, in any style, and that belief is at the heart of SING! Edmonton, the a cappella festival he founded and gets to run alongside some amazing people.

A Cappella in the Media
Heralded “The Father of Contemporary A Cappella” (Entertainment Weekly), Deke Sharon is a producer (NBC’s The Sing Off), music director (Pitch Perfect), arranger (Broadway’s InTransit), community leader (founding CASA, BOCA,CARAs, ICCA, Camp A Cappella), author of7 books, and performer since the age of 8, sharing the stage with the likes of Pavarotti, RayCharles, and James Brown while pioneering and popularizing the sound of modern acappella.

Agents
Elwood Saracuse has a varied background in the entertainment business beginning his career as a concert promotor producing shows at various arenas and concert halls throughout southern Ontario.He continued his career as National Tour Director for Canada’s largest rock booking agency in the 1970’s, Music Shoppe International, where he booked tours for Rush, Supertramp, Bachman Turner Overdrive and many others. After Music Shoppe, Elwood started his own boutique-style company ESP Entertainment booking and producing entertainment for high profile corporate & government special events, casinos and city celebrations. He has booked entertainment and produced shows all across Canada and the USA, the Caribbean and Europe including at several World Fairs, the 1st. Non-Political Gala ever held at The Kremlin, parties inside the Top Gun Hangar at Miramar Air Force Base, and several Royal visits.ESP Entertainment books a wide variety of talent including Canadian & international headliners from Barenaked Ladies to Lionel Richie, party bands, dance troupes, jazz & classical ensembles, cirque performers, magicians/mentalists, comedians, and of particular interest to this audience, vocal groups and custom song & dance revues.

Paul Ryan is a seasoned music industry professional with extensive experience in artist management, rights negotiations, concert production, and international touring. He managed the renowned Canadian a cappella group The Nylons, and beloved children’s entertainer Raffi, both among the most successful in their genres in the world. Paul has booked and managed hundreds of performances and tours around the world, including Asia, Europe, Australia, the United States, and Canada. Prior to his work with other artists, Paul was a successful singer, performer, and musician in his own right.Paul is a co-founder of SING! and continues to serve on its board. He is president of Limelight Music Inc., where he advises performers, songwriters, recording artists, and charitable organizations.

Canada's Music Incubator

Jesse Mitchell is the Vice President of Canada’s Music Incubator (CMI), a not-for-profit organization that has cemented itself as a leader in professional development having supported 2,000+ independent artists, managers, and music companies, and delivered 200+ programs across Canada since 2012. On the live side, CMI curates over 650+ community-based concerts a year across Canada. Jesse is also the manager of Canadian classic rock artist Kim Mitchell (his father).