A New Generation of Music Entrepreneurs

Manitoba Music and ACI Manitoba have teamed up once again to run a program aimed at Manitoba youth interested in careers in the music industry. Over the span of three months, the Youth Mentorship Program provided 14 students from various southern Manitoba high schools with a chance to expand their knowledge of the industry and develop their own music business skills. 

Students participated in a series of mentor sessions facilitated by local industry professionals covering different aspects of the music business, from touring to releasing records to marketing and publicity. Derek Kun of rock act Burnthe8track coordinated the project, which featured the expertise of Jen Zoratti (Spinner, Huffington Post), Mike Petkau Falk (Head In The Sand), Julia Ryckman (This Hisses), Lindsay Collins (Flying Fox and The Hunter Gatherers), Jared Falk (Killbeat Publicity), Morgan Hamill (Winnipeg Folk Festival), John Paul Peters (Private Ear Recording), Shawn Dealey and Sam Osland (Counting Crows technical staff), and Greg MacPherson (Disintegration Records).

While the mentor sessions helped the students learn firsthand about working in the industry, they also had a chance to develop their practical skills, with a marketing project. Coordinated, marketed, and promoted by the students themselves, the project includes a collection of tracks from young independent Manitoba artists, as well as a Facebook page and Twitter account, called Flood at the Trading Post.

Flood at the Trading Post is a digital compilation featuring eclectic collection of 15 songs from talented and young Manitoba musicians, including contributions from Take Me To The Pilot, Dane Bjornson, Young Folk, Leanne Pearson, and Salinas. The project features musical styles ranging from electronica to folk/pop and serves as a truly impressive representation of the diversity in the local music scene here in Manitoba. These new tracks showcase some of this province’s most promising young artists. Listen to Flood at the Trading Post at floodatthetradingpost.bandcamp.com

Flood at the Trading Post will be released May 14 at The Park Theatre. Rock group The Minority, indie-folk band Almost Birds, and heavy rockers Left of Centre are on the bill. Click here for show details.