Conductor Lucas Richman (l) and composer Tim Wynn.

This year’s students are an exemplary group of working film and television composers: Kathryn Bostic (Sundance Fellow, Beyond the Ring, Contradictions of the Heart); Kris Carter (Justice League, Teen Titans); Eric Colvin (NASCAR 3D: The IMAX Experience, Bark!); Claude Foisy (The 4400, White Noise); Corey Jackson (Left in Darkness, Starting Over); Dave Reynolds (Cruel Intentions 3, Tides of War); Craig Richey (Friends with Money, Lovely & Amazing); Tim Wynn (Reflections of Venice, Chasing the Light). The class is coordinated by BMI’s Senior Director of Film/TV Relations, Ray Yee, and BMI’s Film/TV Relations staff.

The whole group pauses for a photo: (l-r, front): BMI's Ray Yee, composer Kathryn Bostic, conductor Lucas Richman and composer Kris Carter; (back) composer Corey Jackson, BMI's Linda Livingston, composers Tim Wynn and Eric Colvin, BMI’s Doreen Ringer Ross, composers Craig Richey, and Dave Reynolds, contractor David Low, composer Claude Foisy, BMI's Anne Cecere and Philip Shrut.

BMI recently recognized accomplished conductor and composer Lucas Richman with the 2007 Classic Contribution Award for 10 years of service leading BMI’s celebrated Conductor’s Workshop. A BMI composer, Richman has led the workshop since its inception. Presently Music Director and Conductor for the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, Richman is a leading expert in conducting and composing, having fashioned an outstanding career as a conductor with numerous symphonies and orchestras in the U.S. as well as collaborator with numerous film composers as their conductor for such films as the Academy Award-nominated As Good As It Gets, Face/Off, Seven, Breakdown, Anastasia and The Village.

Past participants in the highly touted lab, include composers Cliff Martinez, Stewart Copeland, Camara Kambon, Danny Pelfrey, Richard Gibbs, Bill Brown, Bennett Salvay, Rolfe Kent, Julie and Steve Bernstein, Anthony Marinelli, Alex Wurman, Gary Kuo, Tyler Bates, Nate Barr, James Venable, Mervyn Warren, Chris Lennertz and Laura Karpman.

Photos: Anna Maria DiSanto

This year’s students are an exemplary group of working film and television composers: Kathryn Bostic (Sundance Fellow, Beyond the Ring, Contradictions of the Heart); Kris Carter (Justice League, Teen Titans); Eric Colvin (NASCAR 3D: The IMAX Experience, Bark!); Claude Foisy (The 4400, White Noise); Corey Jackson (Left in Darkness, Starting Over); Dave Reynolds (Cruel Intentions 3, Tides of War); Craig Richey (Friends with Money, Lovely & Amazing); Tim Wynn (Reflections of Venice, Chasing the Light). The class is coordinated by BMI Senior Director of Film/Television Relations Ray Yee and BMI’s Film/TV Relations staff.

Highly specialized, coursework will include developing conducting technique, working with live players ranging from piano duet to full chamber orchestra; conducting free-form as well as to click-track, both with and without picture. The musical repertoire for the workshop will range from classical selections to music from commercial films. Each session will be videotaped and critiqued.

Workshop alumni include composers Cliff Martinez, Stewart Copeland, Rolfe Kent, Camara Kambon, Richard Gibbs, Bennett Salvay, Julie and Steve Bernstein, Anthony Marinelli, Alex Wurman, Jeff Beal, Mervyn Warren, Joseph Vitarelli, Tyler Bates, Gary Kuo and Laura Karpman.

A limited number of class auditors will be welcomed on an advanced approval basis. Requests for auditors should be sent to Yee at ryee@bmi.com.

Front Row (L-R): Composer Andreas Kapsalis, contractor David Low, pianist Alan Steinberger, workshop instructor Lucas Richman, BMI's Ray Yee, concert master Endre Granat, BMI's Anne Cecere, and composers Walterio Pesqueira, Joseph Julian Gonzalez and James Venable. Back Row (L-R): Editor Chris Ledesma, cellist Victor Lawrence, composers George Shaw and Mervyn Warren, violinist Mark Robertson, and composers Stephen Ridley, Joseph Vitarelli and Phil Shrut. Photo by Annamaria DiSanto

Designed for composers who wish to refine their conducting skills, the free annual workshop is limited to eight BMI-affiliated professional film and television composers. This year's students included Joseph Julian Gonzalez (Resurrection Blvd., Price of Glory), James Venable (Powerpuff Girls, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, Clerks 2), Joseph Vitarelli (Revelations, Last Seduction), Andreas Kapsalas (Black Gold, Sundance Composer Lab fellow), Mervyn Warren (Honey, The Wedding Planner, A Walk to Remember), Walterio Pesquira (Mujeres Insumisas, La Usurpadora, Plaza Sesamo [Sesame Street]), Stephen Ridley (The Sharktank Redemption) and George Shaw (Purity, Kidnapping of Ingrid Betancourt).

A highly touted lab, past participants include composers Cliff Martinez, Stewart Copeland, Camara Kambon, Danny Pelfrey, Richard Gibbs, Bill Brown, Bennett Salvay, Rolfe Kent, Julie and Steve Bernstein, Mark De Gli Antoni, Anthony Marinelli, Alex Wurman, Pete Scaturro, Mick Muhlfriedal, Dominic Messenger, Gary Kuo and Laura Karpman.

The Workshop is designed for BMI composers who wish to refine their conducting skills. The annual workshop is free and is limited to eight participants who are BMI-affiliated professional film and television composers. This year's students are composers Joseph Julian Gonzalez (Resurrection Blvd., Price of Glory), James Venable (Powerpuff Girls, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, Clerks 2), Joseph Vitarelli (Revelations, Last Seduction), Andreas Kapsalas (Black Gold, Sundance Composer Lab fellow), Mervyn Warren (Honey, The Wedding Planner, A Walk to Remember), Walterio Pesquira (Mujeres Insumisas, La Usurpadora, Plaza Sesamo [Sesame Street]), Stephen Ridley (The Sharktank Redemption) and George Shaw (Purity, Kidnapping of Ingrid Betancourt).

The course will focus on developing conducting technique and participants will be working with live players ranging from piano duet to a full chamber orchestra. Curriculum will include conducting free form as well as to click track, both with and without picture. The musical repertoire for the workshop will range from classical selections to music from commercial films. Each session will be videotaped and critiqued.

A highly touted lab, past participants include composers Cliff Martinez, Stewart Copeland, Camara Kambon, Danny Pelfrey, Richard Gibbs, Bill Brown, Bennett Salvay, Rolfe Kent, Julie and Steve Bernstein, Mark De Gli Antoni, Anthony Marinelli, Alex Wurman, Pete Scaturro, Mick Muhlfriedal, Dominic Messenger, Gary Kuo and Laura Karpman.

"The conductor's workshop is an incredible experience for composers partially because of the brilliance that Lucas brings with him as a teacher, performer and creator," said BMI's Doreen Ringer Ross, Vice President, Film/TV Relations. "The participants get the opportunity to work with some of the top musicians in the world while they're conducting, and the actual hands-on experience is one that cannot be duplicated in such a condensed period of time. We've heard time and time again how instrumental this workshop has been in adding skill sets to composers' repertoires."

Richman is an accomplished conductor and composer of music ranging from classical concert music and opera to musical theatre and film. He is presently Music Director and Conductor for the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra. He served as the Pittsburgh Symphony's Assistant Conductor from 1998-2002, during which time he was also a Cover Conductor for the New York Philharmonic. From 1988 to 1991 he was the Assistant Conductor for the Pacific Symphony Orchestra.

Mr. Richman has appeared as guest conductor with numerous orchestras throughout the United States, including the Los Angeles Philharmonic, San Antonio Symphony and New Haven Symphony; in Canada with the National Arts Centre Orchestra; and in Germany with the SWR Radio Orchestra of Kaiserslautern. As a composer, Richman has had his music performed by over 100 orchestras across the United States in the last five years alone. The Pittsburgh Symphony most recently premiered his one-act musical, A Christmas Wish, with the participation of the Mendelssohn Choir, the Children's Festival Chorus and the Pittsburgh Youth Ballet.

In 2002-2003, Richman made his conducting debuts with the New York Philharmonic and the symphony orchestras of Baltimore, Knoxville, and Wheeling. He has received numerous awards including the Geraldine C. & Emory M. Ford Award Guest Conductor, Catherine Filene Shouse Foundation Conduct and the Dramalogue Award for his musical direction of the revival of Leonard Bernstein's Candide, directed by Gordon Davidson at Los Angeles' Ahmanson Theatre.

In recent years, he collaborated with numerous film composers as their conductor, recording scores for such films as the Academy Award-nominated As Good As It Gets, Face/Off, Seven, Breakdown, Anastasia and The Village. He received a Master of Music in orchestral conducting from the University of Southern California, where he was a student of Daniel Lewis. He studied privately with Fritz Zweig and Victor Yampolsky, and worked with Leonard Bernstein and Michael Tilson Thomas at the Los Angeles Philharmonic Institute. He was also selected as a conducting fellow in master classes with Pierre Boulez, André Previn, Herbert Blomstedt and Kurt Sanderling.

A limited amount of class auditors will be welcomed on an advanced approval basis. Requests for auditors should be sent to Yee at RYee@bmi.com.]]> 2006-07-27T18:00:00-05:00 http://www.bmi.com/news/entry/334655 Artists, Blanchard, Terence, Brothers, Cary, Copeland, Stewart, Danna, Mychael, Golub, Peter, Hunt, Van, Julyan, David, Kitay, David, Marinelli, Anthony, Richey, Craig, Rouse, Josh, Zigman, Aaron BMI will once again present its annual film music panel and artist showcase during the Sundance Film Festival, being held January 19-28 in Park City, Utah. Check out bmi.com/sundance for more information on BMI events at Sundance as well as onsite coverage of the 2006 Festival.

The 6th annual Composer/Director Roundtable, entitled "Music & Film: The Creative Process," will be held on Wednesday, January 25 from 11am to 1pm at the Sundance House at the Kimball Art Center (638 Park Avenue). The panel is open to festival badge and ticket holders. Tickets are available at sundance.org and at Festival ticket offices.

This year's roundtable will be moderated by BMI's Vice President of Film/TV Relations, Doreen Ringer Ross, and will feature composers Aaron Zigman (Alpha Dog), David Kitay (The Darwin Awards), Stewart Copeland (composer/screenwriter/director Everyone Stares: The Police Inside Out, Rumblefish), Peter Golub (composer/director Wordplay, Sundance Composers Lab), Mychael Danna (Little Miss Sunshine, Capote), Craig Richey (Friends With Money), David Julyan (The Descent), Anthony Marinelli (Dreamland) and Terence Blanchard (Mo' Better Blues, The 25th Hour, Sundance Composers Lab Advisor), and directors Nick Cassavetes (Alpha Dog), Finn Taylor (director/screenwriter The Darwin Awards), Patrick Creadon (Wordplay), Neil Marshall (director/screenwriter The Descent), Jason Matzner (Dreamland) and Haskell Wexler (director/cinematographer Who Needs Sleep?).

The panel will focus on the role music (both score and source) plays in film, the composer/director relationship, the growing role of documentaries and the art of scoring for that medium, as well as budgets and creative expansion of the form.

The 4th annual BMI Songwriters Snowball will take place later that evening from 6pm to 8:30pm. This acoustic, singer/songwriter showcase, also being held at the Sundance House, is an official 2006 Sundance Film Festival event and is open to festival badge holders, press passes and invited guests only; tickets will not be sold.

Michael Penn	Van Hunt

As part of BMI's goal to focus attention on the role of music in film, this year's Songwriters Snowball will feature four unique artists whose voices and vision complement that of the filmmakers showcased at the Festival. Performers include Southern California singer/songwriter Cary Brothers (Garden State soundtrack) at 6pm, Bedroom Classics/Nettwerk Music Group recording artist Josh Rouse at 6:30pm, Grammy nominee and Capitol Records artist Van Hunt at 7pm, and Mimeograph recording artist Michael Penn at 7:30pm.

Josh Rouse	Cary Brothers

As a 15-year supporter of the Festival's film music program, BMI also plays an active role in the Sundance Composers Lab held each summer at the Sundance Institute.

The Sundance Film Festival is the premier showcase for U.S. and international independent film. Held each January in and around Park City, Utah, the Festival is a core program of Sundance Institute, a nonprofit cultural organization founded by Robert Redford in 1981. Presenting 120 dramatic and documentary feature-length films in seven distinct categories, and 80 short films each year, the Sundance Film Festival has introduced American audiences to some of the most innovative films of the past two decades, including American Splendor, Clerks, Hustle and Flow, Maria Full of Grace, Napoleon Dynamite, sex, lies and videotape, Smoke Signals and Super Size Me. Beyond the streets of Park City, sundance.org shares the Festival experience with a global audience through the streaming of short films, filmmaker interviews, current news and box office information.]]> 2006-01-05T17:00:01-05:00 http://www.bmi.com/news/entry/334631 Artists, Adams, William, Adams, Yolanda, Aguilera, Christina, Audio Adrenaline, Audioslave, Austin, Dallas, Ayala, Ramon, Ball, Marcia, Barretto, Ray, Big & Rich, Black Eyed Peas, Blanchard, Terence, Blue Highway, Bolcom, William, Boyer, Peter, Brooks & Dunn, Bush, Sam, Carey, Mariah, Carr, Kurt, Casting Crowns, Cerf, Christopher, Chapman, Steven Curtis, Cherryholmes, Childs, Billy, Chirino, Willy, Clapton, Eric, Clark-Cole, Dorinda, Common, Cooder, Ry, Copeland, Stewart, Crow, Sheryl, Cunliffe, Bill, D'Rivera, Paquito, Daft Punk, Daniels, Charlie, De La Soul, Death Cab For Cutie, Del McCoury Band, The, DiFranco, Ani, Dixie Chicks, Douglas, Dave, Douglas, Jerry, Du Prez, John, Elfman, Danny, Eminem, Fall Out Boy, Floetry, Foo Fighters, Foster, David, Foxx, Jamie, Franklin, Aretha, Franklin, Kirk, Game, The, Gatlin, Larry, Gil, Gilberto, Gill, Vince, Golijov, Osvaldo, Gorillaz, Guy, Buddy, Haggard, Merle, Hancock, Herbie, Hanna, Jeff, Hill, Faith, Holland, Dave, Houghton, Israel, Hummon, Marcus, Hunt, Van, Idle, Eric, Intocable, Jamiroquai, Jars of Clay, Jerkins, Rodney, Jones, Norah, Keane, Kee, John P., Keith, Toby, Kelly, R., King, B.B., Krauss, Alison, La Tropa F, LaBelle, Patti, Lawrence, Donald, Legend, John, Linkin Park, Los Lonely Boys, Maroon 5, McBride, Martina, McClinton, Delbert, McClurkin, Donnie, McGehee, Vicky, McGraw, Tim, McLachlan, Sarah, Metheny, Pat, Miguel, Luis, Mo, Keb, Molotov, Mos Def, Munizzi, Martha, Murphy, Walter, Nelson, Willie, Neptunes, The, Nickelback, Orishas, Palmieri, Eddie, Prine, John, Queens of the Stone Age, Rascal Flatts, Redman, Joshua, Rollins, Sonny, Seal, Shakira, Shorter, Wayne, Souza, Luciana, Sturr, Jimmy, Sugarland, System of a Down, Turtle Island String Quartet, Urban, Keith, Vega, Louie, Vincent, Rhonda, West, Kanye, White Stripes, The, Williams, John, Wilson, Brian, Winans, Bebe, Winans, CeCe, Winter, Paul, Yazbek, David, Ying Yang Twins 48th Annual Grammy Awards with eight nods each when contenders were announced at a star-studded press conference held December 8 at Gotham Hall in New York City. Their three-way tie pushed the total number of BMI-nominated songwriters and artists to an astounding 70% in the general fields.

Mariah Carey	Kanye West	John Legend

Mariah Carey's multi-platinum comeback album, The Emancipation of Mimi, and its smash single "We Belong Together," helped the pop singer score three of the most coveted Grammy nominations: Album of the Year, Song of the Year and Record of the Year. The hit ballad also picked up mentions for Best R&B Song and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance, while Mimi added Best Contemporary R&B Album to Carey's haul.

Presenters for the 48th Annual Grammy Awards nominations included BMI songwriter/artists John Legend, CeCe Winans, Mariah Carey, Nickelback's Chad Kroeger and Patti LaBelle. Photo by S. Lovekin/WireImage

Rapper Kanye West continued his red hot streak, also earning nominations in the Album and Record of the Year categories with his sophomore release Late Registration and the hit "Gold Digger," respectively. He will compete against himself for the Album of the Year title as a producer on Carey's disc. As a songwriter, West will battle for the Best Rap Song crown with his "Diamonds from Sierra Leone," as well as Best R&B Song as a co-writer on the Alicia Keys track "Unbreakable."

Black Eyed Peas	Brooks & Dunn

Soul singer John Legend is up for Best New Artist, Best R&B Album for his debut Get Lifted, and Best Male R&B Vocal Performance and Song of the Year for "Ordinary People," which he also co-wrote. Legend joins his mentor Kanye West and rapper Common on the Best Rap/Sung Collaboration ticket with "They Say."

Casting Crowns	Common

Coming in with six nominations was Will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas who, as a songwriter, has a shot at Song of the Year and Best R&B Song as co-writer of Legend's "Ordinary People" and Best Rap Song for the Peas' hit "Don't Phunk with My Heart." The band is also up for Best Rap and Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.

Death Cab for Cutie	Foo Fighters

In addition to Best Rap/Sung Collaboration, Common earned three other mentions, including Best Rap Album for Be. Four nods also went to Foo Fighters, Gorillaz, Billy Childs and BMI producer/songwriters the Neptunes, who have production credits on two Album of the Year nominees -- Carey's The Emancipation of Mimi and Gwen Stefani's Love. Angel. Music. Baby.

The Game	Gorillaz	John Williams

Earning three nominations apiece were Sheryl Crow, with Best Female Pop Vocal Performance ("Good is Good"), Best Pop Vocal Album (Wildflower) and Best Country Collaboration with Vocals for the single "Building Bridges," featuring Brooks & Dunn and Vince Gill; Eminem (Best Rap Solo Performance, Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group and Best Rap Album); and film composer John Williams, up for Best Score for Star Wars Episode III - Revenge of the Sith, as well as for Best Instrumental Composition for both "Anakin's Betrayal" (from Revenge of the Sith) and "The Ferry Scene" (from the War of the Worlds soundtrack).

Maroon 5	Norah Jones	Sheryl Crow

Double nominees included rappers The Game and T.I., songwriter Marcus Hummon, singer Norah Jones and gospel diva CeCe Winans.

Other BMI songwriters and artists collecting Grammy nominations were Christina Aguilera, Dallas Austin, Casting Crowns, Eric Clapton (PRS), Death Cab for Cutie, Paquito D'Rivera, Danny Elfman, Fall Out Boy, Osvaldo Golijov, Dave Holland Big Band, Intocable, Keane (PRS), Maroon 5, Sugarland, Ying Yang Twins, and BMI Icons Charlie Daniels and Brian Wilson.

Sugarland		T.I.

The 48th Annual Grammy Awards will be held in Los Angeles on February 8.

BMI's 2006 Grammy Award Nominees:

8 NOMINATIONS
Mariah Carey
John Legend
Kanye West

6 NOMINATIONS
William Adams

4 NOMINATIONS
Billy Childs
Common
Foo Fighters
Gorillaz (PRS)
The Neptunes

3 NOMINATIONS
Yolanda Adams
The Black Eyed Peas
Sheryl Crow
De La Soul
Eminem
Herbie Hancock
Faith Hill
Alison Krauss & Union Station
John Williams

2 NOMINATIONS
Bobby Boyd
Brooks & Dunn
Andrew Coleman
Andrew Dawson
Dixie Chicks
The Game
Michael Giacchino
Jeff Hanna
Marcus Hummon
Norah Jones
Delbert McClinton
Donnie McClurkin
Joel Moss
Willie Nelson
Al Schmitt
Fat Man Scoop
T.I.
The White Stripes
CeCe Winans

MORE NOMINEES
Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra with Arturo O'Farrill
Christina Aguilera
Trey Anastasio
Audio Adrenaline
Audioslave
John August
Dallas Austin
Ramon Ayala y Sus Bravos Del Norte
Marcia Ball
Ray Barretto
Steve Berkowitz
Big & Rich
Terence Blanchard
Eddie Blazonczyk's Versatones
Blue Highway
Printz Board
William Bolcom
Peter Boyer
Solomon Burke
Burning Spear (PRS)
Sam Bush
Gary Calamar
Caribbean Jazz Project featuring Dave Samuels Orishas (SACEM)
Kurt Carr
Casting Crowns
Christopher Cerf
Steven Curtis Chapman
Cherryholmes
The Chieftains (IMRO)
Willy Chirino
Eric Clapton (PRS)
Dorinda Clark-Cole
Conjunto Progreso
Ry Cooder
Stewart Copeland
The Crabb Family
Robert Cray
Bill Cunliffe
Rivers Cuomo
Daft Punk (PRS)
Charlie Daniels
Day of Fire
Death Cab for Cutie
Deep Dish
Mos Def
Jack De Johnette
The Del McCoury Band
Ani DiFranco
Jerry Douglas
Dave Douglas
Paquito D'Rivera
John Du Prez (PRS)
Jerry Duplessis
Nokie Edwards
Danny Elfman
Ahmet Ertegun
Bill Evans
Fall Out Boy
Sammy Figueroa
Béla Fleck
Floetry
David Foster
Jamie Foxx
Aretha Franklin
Kirk Franklin
Carlos Franzetti
Larry Gatlin
Joachim Garraud (SACEM)
Gilberto Gil
Vince Gill
Jimmie Dale Gilmore
Osvaldo Golijov
The Grascals
Grits
Buddy Guy
Merle Haggard
John Hammond
Raiatea Helm
Dave Holland Big Band
Israel Houghton
Van Hunt
Eric Idle (PRS)
Intocable
Jamiroquai (PRS)
Jars of Clay
The Jazz Chamber Trio
Rodney Jerkins
Eric Johnson
George Jones
The Jordanaires
Ledward Ka'apana
Keane (PRS)
John P. Kee
Garison Keillor
Toby Keith
R. Kelly
B.B. King
Kitaro
Kraftwerk (GEMA)
Ladysmith Black Mambazo (SAMRO)
Las 3 Divas
La Secta Allstar
The Last Poets
La Tropa F
Donald Lawrence
Ricky Lewis
The Light Crust Doughboys
Lil Wayne
Harold Lily
Aaron Lindsey
Linkin Park
Little Joe
Los Lonely Boys
Los Pleneros de la 21
Andre Lyon
Maroon 5
Joeworn Martin
Martina McBride
Delbert McClinton
Vicky McGehee
Tim McGraw
Sarah McLachlan (SOCAN)
Meat Beat Manifesto
Pat Metheny Group
Luis Miguel
Mingus Big Band
Ministry
Keb Mo
Molotov
Rick Moranis (SOCAN)
Mudvayne
Martha Munizzi
Walter Murphy
Meshell Ndegeocello
North Mississippi Allstars
The Oak Ridge Boys
Claus Ogerman (GEMA)
Walter Ostanek (SOCAN)
George Pajon, Jr.
Eddie Palmieri
John Prine
Queens of the Stone Age
Rascal Flatts
Joshua Redman Elastic Band
Sonny Rollins
The Royal Jesters
Eddie Santiago
Marvin Sapp
Seal (PRS)
José Serebrier
Shakira
Wayne Shorter Quartet
Ron Sluga
Omar Sosa
Luciana Souza
Jimmy Sturr
Sugarland
Tierney Sutton
System of a Down
Ali Farka Touré (BUMDA)
Tiempo Libre
Turtle Island String Quartet
Keith Urban
Bebo Valdés
Marcello Valenzano
Louie Vega
Rhonda Vincent & the Rage
Brian Wilson
BeBe Winans
George Winston
Paul Winter Consort
Hugh Wolff
David Yazbek
Ying Yang Twins

BMI London Awards Photo Slideshow

2005 BMI London Awards winners list

2005 BMI London Awards: Million-Airs

"It's My Life," written by Mark Hollis (PRS) and published by Universal Music Publishing Ltd., was named Song of the Year and received the copyright organization's highest accolade, the Robert S. Musel Award. This prestigious award is named for the late Robert Musel, BMI's long-time UK consultant. Originally a hit for 80s synthpop band Talk Talk (of which Hollis was a member), the No Doubt remake also won a Pop Award at the 2004 London Awards and at the 2005 Pop Awards held in Los Angeles.

Mark Hollis	Steve Winwood	Sting

A highlight of the gala celebration was a special tribute to legendary songwriter and recording artist Steve Winwood, who was honored as a BMI Icon for his "enduring influence on generations of music makers." The Grammy Award-winning singer joins a distinguished list of honorees that includes Van Morrison, Paul Simon, Brian Wilson, Carlos Santana and Dolly Parton, among others.

Per Gessle	Mats Persson

Winwood's 40-plus year career includes international stardom as both a solo artist and as a member of the Spencer Davis Group, Traffic and Blind Faith. He penned such classics as the Spencer Davis Group's "Gimme Some Lovin'" and Blind Faith's "Can't Find My Way Home"; co-wrote all of Traffic's biggest songs, including "The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys" and "Dear Mr. Fantasy"; and enjoyed a string of mega-hits in the 80s with BMI Award winners "While You See a Chance," "Valerie," "Back in the High Life Again," "Higher Love," "Finer Things" and "Roll With It."

Rolling Stones	Van Morrison

"Run," written by Snow Patrol members Iain Archer, Nathan Connolly, Gary Lightbody, Mark McClelland and Jonny Quinn, and published by Big Life Music Ltd. and Kobalt Music Publishing Limited (all PRS), was named BMI's College Song of the Year for tallying the most performances on American college radio. Included on the band's breakthrough album Final Straw, the song peaked at #15 on Billboard's Modern Rock chart. "Run" also received a Pop Award during the ceremony.

Keane	Enya

The BMI Dance Award went to "Listen to Your Heart" written by Per Gessle and Mats Persson and published by Jimmy Fun Music (all STIM). Recorded by Belgium-based duo D.H.T., the song is a remake of the 1989 #1 hit by Roxette, which won a BMI Pop Award in 1990. The D.H.T. version spent several weeks in the Top Ten of the Adult Contemporary, Hot Digital Songs, Pop 100 and Hot 100 Billboard charts, and reached the #25 position on the Hot Ringtones chart. Original Roxette members Gessle and Maria Fredriksson accepted the award; it was the first public appearance by Fredriksson since her recovery from brain cancer.

Snow Patrol	Elton John

Million-Air certificates were also presented throughout the evening in recognition of those songs that have had two million or more U.S. radio and television performances. Topping the list were Sting's "Every Breath You Take," which reached the eight million performance plateau and the Van Morrison classic "Brown Eyed Girl," which won a seven million performance award. "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" by the Rolling Stones and Eric Clapton's "Layla" each earned certificates for six million performances, while "To Love Somebody" by the Bee Gees was recognized for five million plays.

Sir Elton John (PRS) and writing partner Bernie Taupin took home the night's most Million-Air awards with "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" (five million); "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" and "I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues" (four million); "Bennie and the Jets" (three million); and Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting," "Something About the Way You Look Tonight" and "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word" (two million). Songs written by the late John Lennon (PRS) also earned multiple Million-Air certificates, including "Let It Be" (five million), "Here, There and Everywhere" (three million) and "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" (two million).

Other Million-Air winners included the Kinks anthem "You Really Got Me," written by Ray Davies (PRS), which earned a four million performance award; 2002's Song of the Year "Thank You," written by Paul Herman (PRS) and recorded by Dido, with three million plays; and last year's Song of the Year "Forever and For Always" by Shania Twain (PRS), which achieved two million performances. "Forever" is also a two-time BMI Pop Award winner (2003 and 2004) and a 2004 Country Award winner.

In addition to a two million performance certificate for "Behind Blue Eyes," Who guitarist Pete Townshend (PRS) received three TV Music Awards for the themes to CSI, CSI: Miami and CSI: NY. Film composers Harald Kloser (AKM) [Alien vs. Predator, The Day After Tomorrow], Harry Gregson-Williams (PRS) [Man on Fire, Shrek 2] and Rolfe Kent (PRS) [Mean Girls, Sideways] each picked up a pair of Film Music Awards, while ex-Police drummer Stewart Copeland (PRS) earned a TV Award for the music to ABC's smash series Desperate Housewives.

Additional awards included a Pop Award to Keane members Tom Chaplin (PRS) and Richard Hughes (PRS) for "Somewhere Only We Know," a Country Award to Steve McEwan (PRS) for the Brooks & Dunn hit "That's What It's All About," Pop and Urban Awards to Enya, Nicky Ryan and Roma Ryan (all PRS) for the Mario Winans song "I Don't Wanna Know" (featuring P. Diddy and Enya), and Christian and Pop Awards to Brendan Graham (IMRO) for "You Raise Me Up" by Josh Groban.

Panelists included composers Joseph Vitarelli (Revelations, And Starring Poncho Villa As Himself) and Stewart Copeland (Desperate Housewives, The Amanda Show), director Noah Baumbach (The Squid and the Whale, Mr. Jealousy) and music supervisor Tracy McKnight (Murderball, The United States of Leland).

Pictured are panelist Joseph Vitarelli, BMI's Doreen Ringer Ross, and panelists Stewart Copeland, Noah Baumbach and Tracy McKnight. photo by Gary Gershoff

BMI sponsors many film music panels at film festivals and markets throughout the U.S. each year. These panels are designed to promote greater understanding within the filmmaking community about the aesthetic and business aspects of music in film as well as provide an opportunity for composers, songwriters and filmmakers to learn more about each other's role.

The IFP Market is a week-long showcase held each autumn in New York for new features, works-in-progress, shorts and scripts. It is the only market in the U.S. where independent filmmakers can present new film and television works in development directly to the film industry in a selective and professional atmosphere. For the film industry, it is a vital exhibition and discovery forum for new talent and a place to discover new films before they hit the festival circuit.

The IFP Rough Cut Lab, which takes place before the Market on September 15, is a music mentorship program that is intended to help filmmakers successfully complete their works-in-progress before they enter the marketplace. The lab will be held in the screening room at Dolby's midtown office (1350 6th Avenue). BMI's Doreen Ringer Ross, Vice President of Film/TV Music, and music supervisor Tracy McKnight (Murderball, The United States of Leland) will lead an educational session on music licensing, while veteran BMI composer/songwriter George S. Clinton (Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, 3000 Miles to Graceland) will meet with the filmmakers to critique and advise them on the latest cuts of their films from a composer's perspective.

The filmmakers chosen for the Rough Cut Lab are Sam Gold (Blood in the Sand), Pritesh Chheda (For Sale By Owner), Jennifer Chang (Half Life), Eunhee Cho (Inner Circle Line), Kat Candler (Jumping Off Bridges), Bernadine Santistevan (The Cry - La Llorona), Todd Rohal (The Guatemalan Handshake) and Chris Chan Lee (Undoing). Participants will have an opportunity to gain priceless insight into music in the filmmaking process from the three industry leaders.

BMI will also present a film music panel on Tuesday, September 20 at the Puck Building Gallery (293 Lafayette Street) from 10:15am-11:45am. Ringer Ross will serve as moderator. Panelists include McKnight, director Noah Baumbach (The Squid and the Whale, Mr. Jealousy), and BMI composers Joseph Vitarelli (Revelations, And Starring Poncho Villa As Himself) and Stewart Copeland (Desperate Housewives, The Amanda Show). The IFP Market film music panel will cover various topics related to the use of music in film, ranging from creative to technical and licensing issues.

The BMI film music panel is open to the public and IFP Market attendees. Tickets are $30 for a single panel or you can purchase package deals at IFP.org.

BMI sponsors many film music panels at film festivals and markets throughout the U.S. each year. These panels are designed to promote greater understanding within the filmmaking community about the aesthetic and business aspects of music in film as well as provide an opportunity for composers, songwriters and filmmakers to learn more about each other's role.

The IFP Market is a week-long showcase held each autumn in New York for new features, works-in-progress, shorts and scripts. It is the only market in the U.S. where independent filmmakers can present new film and television works in development directly to the film industry in a selective and professional atmosphere. For the film industry, it is a vital exhibition and discovery forum for new talent and a place to discover new films before they hit the festival circuit.

The BMI Conducting Workshop will kick off its eighth year on August 5 at the American Federation of Musicians Local 47 in Hollywood, Ca. "Conducting for the Film Composer" is a two-week course taught by conductor/composer Lucas Richman and coordinated by BMI's Ray Yee, Director of Film/Television Relations.

Designed for composers who wish to refine their conducting skills, the Workshop is free and limited to eight BMI-affiliated professional film and television composers. This year's students include Bill Brown (CSI: NY, Trapped), Stephen Cavit (Blue Vinyl, Chuck & Buck), Mark De Gli Antoni (Cherish, member of Soul Coughing), Camara Kambon (Diary of a Mad Black Woman, Biker Boyz, theme for Girlfriends), Brian Langsbard (Johnny Skidmarks, City Confidential), Mick Muhlfriedel (Animalicious, Adventures of ARK), Eric Speier (Complete Savages, Mission Hill, Mullets) and Christopher Tin (Jacob's Gift, Babysitting).

The course will focus on developing conducting technique and participants will be working with live players ranging from piano duet to a full chamber orchestra. Curriculum will include conducting free form as well as to click track, both with and without picture. The musical repertoire for the workshop will range from classical selections to music from commercial films. Each session will be videotaped and critiqued.

A highly touted lab, past participants include composers Cliff Martinez, Stewart Copeland, Danny Pelfrey, Richard Gibbs, Bennett Salvay, Rolfe Kent, Julie and Steve Bernstein, Anthony Marinelli, Alex Wurman, Pete Scaturro, Dominic Messenger, Gary Kuo and Laura Karpman.

"The conductor's workshop is an incredible experience for composers partially because of the brilliance that Lucas brings with him as a teacher, performer and creator," said BMI's Doreen Ringer Ross, Vice President of Film/TV Relations. "The participants get the opportunity to work with some of the top musicians in the world while they're conducting, and the actual hands-on experience is one that cannot be duplicated in such a condensed period of time. We've heard time and time again how instrumental this workshop has been in adding skill sets to composer's repertoire."

Richman is an accomplished conductor and composer of music ranging from classical concert music and opera to musical theatre and film. He is presently Music Director and Conductor for the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra. He served as the Pittsburgh Symphony's Assistant Conductor from 1998-2002, during which time he was also a Cover Conductor for the New York Philharmonic. From 1988 to 1991 he was the Assistant Conductor for the Pacific Symphony Orchestra.

Mr. Richman has appeared as guest conductor with numerous orchestras throughout the United States including the Los Angeles Philharmonic, San Antonio Symphony and New Haven Symphony; in Canada with the National Arts Centre Orchestra; and in Germany with the SWR Radio Orchestra of Kaiserslautern. As a composer, Richman has had his music performed by over 100 orchestras across the United States in the last five years alone. The Pittsburgh Symphony most recently premiered his one-act musical, A Christmas Wish, with the participation of the Mendelssohn Choir, the Children's Festival Chorus and the Pittsburgh Youth Ballet.

In 2002-2003 Richman made his conducting debuts with the New York Philharmonic and the symphony orchestras of Baltimore, Knoxville, and Wheeling. He has received numerous awards including the Geraldine C. & Emory M. Ford Award Guest Conductor, Catherine Filene Shouse Foundation Conduct and the Dramalogue Award for his musical direction of the revival of Leonard Bernstein's Candide, directed by Gordon Davidson at Los Angeles' Ahmanson Theatre.

In recent years, he collaborated with numerous film composers as their conductor, recording scores for such films as the Academy Award-nominated As Good As It Gets, Face/Off, Seven, Breakdown, Anastasia and The Village. He received a Master of Music in orchestral conducting from the University of Southern California, where he was a student of Daniel Lewis. He studied privately with Fritz Zweig and Victor Yampolsky, and worked with Leonard Bernstein and Michael Tilson Thomas at the Los Angeles Philharmonic Institute. He was also selected as a conducting fellow in master classes with Pierre Boulez, André Previn, Herbert Blomstedt and Kurt Sanderling.

A limited number of class auditors will be welcomed on an advanced approval basis. Email Ray Yee to request approval.]]> 2005-07-28T18:00:00-05:00