Welcome to Drumlinia Cavan Music Industry Week!
A few words from the Executive Producer Don Mescall;
“I am truly delighted to extend a warm welcome to Drumlinia Cavan Music Industry Week 2023 in association with Cavan County Council and Cavan Institute. Many thanks to the industry speakers and music tutors who are sharing national and international experiences of careers, sharing their gift and knowledge and enriching our lives with outstanding commitment to music and entertainment. It really is an honour to host you guys in Cavan.
To you, the musicians and media makers of the future, congratulations on your chosen career so far, I hope you find the time to engage with these wonderful industry leaders while they are on campus, please feel free also to submit any specific questions you might want to ask at the Q&A , these can be emailed through to alovett@cavancoco.ie. I really hope this experience nurtures your potential through connections with peers and mentors and you will walk away with some knowledge and information that you hadn’t previously.”
"Scientia potentia est"
Don Mescall, Executive Director
Drumlinia Music and Media Industry Day 12th October 2023
Cavan Institute, Cathedral Rd, Campus
Industry Day Schedule
9:30am Introductions by Louise O Reilly, MC
Opening Remarks by Don Mescall and Willie Kavanagh
9:40am Mary Callery
Discussion Topic: How do you get into the drama/film/TVproduction industry and what kind of attitude is needed to help sustain a successful career in this industry reminiscent from your own experience and drawing from your time as head of Drama at RTE.
10:05am Chris Kelly
Discussion Topic: How to approach a record company and the benefits of being signed to a major label .
10:30am Alejandro Jara Weitzmann
Discussion Topic: The ethical role and use of new technology in the music and other creative industries.
10:50am to 11:10am Break
11:10am John Masterson
Discussion Topic: The importance of profile and managing this ,and how PR tools can work for you
11.30am Barbara Galavan
Discussion Topic: How to move your career and negotiate, the role and advantages of the publisher copyright / pitfalls / film scores, the digital side / streaming / Spotify.
12:00pm Q & A chaired by Willie Kavanagh
12:25pm to 1:30pm Lunch
1:30pm Louise O’Reilly Introductions
1:35pm Angela Dorgan
Discussion Topic: What First Music Contact provides to resource musicians in the independent music sector.
2:00pm Lottie Ryan
Discussion Topic: Staying Positive and Following Your Own Path for a Career in the Music and Media Industry.
2.25pm Keith Johnson
Discussion Topic: Irish Music Rights Organisation and Its Benefits for Musicians and Composers.
2.55pm Dave Fanning
Question and Answers and anecdotes from a Lifetime in Music Industry with Louise O Reilly
3.15pm Q&A chaired by Louise O Reilly
3.30pm “NoVendor” performing in Cavan Institute Canteen
(Attendees are requested to attend all contributions by the speakers)
Industry Speakers Biographies
Willie Kavanagh, chair of Irish Recorded Music Association and co-founder of Taranis Music label and formerly MD of EMI Record Label for 25 years Willie will chat and share from his vast knowledge of the industry. He will chair a Question-and-Answer session.
Mary Callery, ShinAwiL Productions
Mary Callery focuses on TV drama at ShinAwill and was previously Project Manager at Screen Ireland and Executive Producer on a range of feature films and documentaries; The Breadwinner, Sing Street, Song of the Sea, Jimmy’s Hall, and Miss Julie. She was Head of Development and Production/Executive Producer at Parallel and commissioning editor at RTE responsible for original drama commissioning. ShinAwiL is one of the largest independent production companies in Ireland and specialising in non-scripted entertainment, factual, live events and drama.
Chris Kelly Marketing Manager at Sony Music Ireland will share insights on the benefits of being signed to a major record label, how to achieve this, what to aim for, what is attractive to a label, what you need as an artist to have in place before a label comes onboard. He will address the ever-changing music industry / streaming /promotion etc. Sony Music is an American Japanese multinational music company and was founded in the US in 1929 as the American Record Corporation.
Alejandro Jara Weitzmann, CEO and Co-Founder of Smart Republic will speak about the ethical role and the use of new technology in the music and other creative industries. This company addresses the need for new approaches in the rapidly changing world.
John Masterson is an experienced journalist, producer, and public relations expert. He enjoyed a career in RTE as a television producer and his work included Today Tonight and the Late Late Show. He worked with presenters including the late Gay Byrne and Olivia O Leary. He is Managing Director at Purcell Masterson Associates. His company represents leading brands, organisations and personalities.
Barbara Galavan is a Director at Mc Guinness Whelan Music, formerly CEO of Screen Producers Ireland. Barbara is an experienced executive with a demonstrable history of working with public and private stakeholders. She is skilled in negotiation, corporate governance, lobbying, IP rights management, broadcasting and film.
Angela Dorgan, CEO of First Music Contact; the lead national music organisation for resourcing musicians and the independent music sector in Ireland. First Music Contact help new bands develop at key stages in their career with band consultancy and facilitating performances at international festivals. She is the former Chair of the National Campaign for the Arts. FMC runs the music festival Hard Working-Class Heroes and Dorgan has been described by the Irish Times and others as “The Fairy Godmother of Irish music”.
Lottie Ryan, Podcaster, Irish television and radio presenter and former winner of Dancing with the Stars. She studied media and television in college before moving to New York where she worked with CBS on The Good Wife. Her style is described as ‘chatty’.
Keith Johnson is Marketing & Membership Manager at the Irish Music Rights Organisation (IMRO). This national organisation aims to protect the rights of music creators. It administers the performing right in copyright music in Ireland on behalf of its members (songwriters, composers and music publishers) and on behalf of the songwriters, composers and music publishers of the international overseas societies that are affiliated to it. IMRO has approximately 11,000 songwriter, composer and music publisher members.
Dave Fanning is an Irish television and radio broadcaster, rock journalist, DJ, film critic and author. He is often referred to as Legendary DJ and cited ‘encyclopaedia’ on Irish Pop and the Music Industry.
Master of Ceremonies: Louise O’Reilly is an experienced female vocalist performing with her sisters Lorraine and Majella O’Reilly. Highlights include performing in Doha for the Irish Ambassador, and shows on UTV, RTE and TV3. Louise performed an Irish Prison Tour in her role as June Carter on the highly acclaimed Theatre Show in the popular 8-piece band, ‘Get Rhythm - A Tribute to Johnny Cash’ with sold out shows at the INEC, Theatre Royal Waterford, Electric Picnic, Town Hall Theatre Galway and Ramor Theatre, Virginia.
“NoVendor” A young Rock band from Cavan playing their own original music .The bands concoction of Breffni talent consists of lead singer and guitarist Dara Cunningham, the beat master Georóid Doherty and the Kelly duo Callum on lead guitar & vocals and bassist & vocals - Adam. With a range of influences from The Stunning, Green Day, & The Undertones, these lads have wetted the appetite of old and young with a mix of energetic and youthful beats. Releasing 3 singles in 2022 – Rainfire, The Underworld & Ego with many more to follow. Track them down and seek a new flavour of music on live & on social medias (BAND formally known as KCD).