Festival Song 2018 to Launch November 30
By: , November 21, 2017The Key Point:
Photo: Michael Sloley
Interim Executive Director of the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC), Orville Hill (head of table), leads a meeting involving board commissioners, songwriters and producers at the JCDC’s head office in Kingston on Thursday (November 17). The meeting was held ahead of the launch of the Festival Song Competition 2018 on November 30.The Facts
- Interim Executive Director of the JCDC, Orville Hill, told JIS News that the meeting was important in order to hear the views of the producers.
- Mr. Hill told JIS News that the decision to launch the competition in November is to mobilise singers, writers and producers, “to get them to start creating a product that will ultimately be satisfactory to the Jamaican people”.
The Full Story
Plans are under way for the 2018 staging of the Jamaica Festival Song Competition, which is scheduled to be launched next Thursday (November 30), at 23 Dominica Drive in New Kingston.
Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC) board commissioners and senior officers met with songwriters and producers at the agency’s head office at 3-5 Phoenix Avenue on Thursday (November 16) to discuss the plans.
The talks focused on the vision for the competition, criteria for the selection of the winning song, incentives for winners, and increasing participation from the local music fraternity.
Interim Executive Director of the JCDC, Orville Hill, told JIS News that the meeting was important in order to hear the views of the producers.
“The conversation was important so as to get some of the ideas from the producers, who are critical in regards to the Festival Song and as part of the process for it to be more inclusive,” he said.
He noted that the ideas that came out of the talks will be examined “to see to what extent we can incorporate them in the plans for the Festival Song 2018”.
“That is a critical part of the competition; the initial part is very important to get the right product,” he pointed out.
Mr. Hill told JIS News that the decision to launch the competition in November is to mobilise singers, writers and producers, “to get them to start creating a product that will ultimately be satisfactory to the Jamaican people”.
He said the early launch will also help to generate public interest in the contest before the submission of entries. He noted that previously, entries were presented before the launch.
Mr. Hill informed that a series of workshops will begin in January to focus on various areas relating to copyright issues, writing and delivery of the song.
“The parishes are grouped into four regions, so we will have regional workshops throughout the month of January, where we provide the guidance that the persons will need in developing and producing their products,” he said.