UMG names Maria Alonte SVP of film and TV sync for Def Jam, Island and Republic
Universal Music Group has appointed Maria Alonte to the position of SVP of film and television synchronisation for Def Jam, Island and Republic. Effective immediately, Alonte will oversee licensing music from Def Jam, Island and Republic, UMG’s East Coast labels, for use in film, television, video games, commercials and all other visual media. She will be based in Santa Monica and report to Michele Anthony, UMG executive vice president, and CFO of East Coast labels, Joseph Schmidt. Alonte joins UMG with experience in film and TV licensing, most recently serving as senior vice president of film and TV at Kemosabe Records and Prescription Songs. She previously held executive positions at District Music/District Music Publishing, Red Light Management, Nettwerk Music Group and Arista Records.
The Box Plus Network launches music and broadcasting work experience programme
Music video network The Box Plus has launched a new campaign dubbed Legends of Summer – a brand new work experience programme aimed at developing up and coming talent in the world of music and broadcasting. Sarting in August, the work experience programme offers a series of placements that provide students aged 18 and over an insight into the music and broadcasting industry. This will help them to shape their own careers by sharing valuable knowledge and giving them the opportunity to explore the industry’s many career pathways, regardless of their academic background. The programme offers seven one or two week placements across marketing, production, music, and digital through to operations, commercial and scheduling on The Box Plus Networks UK music channels; The Box, Box Upfront, Box Hits, 4Music, Kiss, Kerrang! Magic and bespoke digital channel BeBox.
Music Futures Festival returns for 2016
Asia House and Talent Unlimited’s Music Futures Festival returns on Monday 26th September. The festival, which this year will comprise of seven concerts over four days, promotes emerging musical talent from across Asia and Europe. Music by composers including Schubert, Dvorak, Brahms, Handel, Chopin, Schumann, Liszt and Tchaikovsky will feature alongside contemporary compositions from Chinese composer and conductor Tan Dun and Belgian violinist, composer and conductor Ysaÿe. Turkish classical/crossover pianist Ayse Deniz Gökçin will open the Festival on 26th September with a performance of Schubert’s Fantasy in F Minor D.940, Brahms’ Hungarian Dances WoO1 and Dvorak’s Slavonic Dances Op. 46. Gökçin’s 2015 album Nirvana Project, which was dedicated to Kurt Cobain, merges classical-grunge and the electronic beats of Ivan Shopov. It reached the Top 10 in the UK Classical chart on iTunes. Gökçin will be performing Piano Four Hands with award-winning Israeli pianist Nadav Hertzka.
Björk virtual reality exhibition coming to Somerset House
A virtual reality exhibition of Björk’s visual artwork is to be held at Somerset House this autumn. Entitled Björk Digital, the exhibition will present a career-spanning showcase of the Icelandic artist’s experimental visuals, along with an immersive virtual reality experience to accompany her song Stonemilker, as well as other performances. Björk Digital will culminate in an event at the Royal Albert Hall in September, her only live UK show this year.
Heavy metal good for mental health, says study
Heavy metal music can help listeners come to terms with the idea of their own mortality, according to a new study in the Journal of Psychology of Popular Media. Its findings suggest that themes of death and the sense of identity that comes with it can help listeners find meaning in their lives. "Heavy metal music is often associated with death and dying by non-fans, whereas members of this subculture report that listening to metal music is their escape from depression and even helpful against death-related thoughts," the report says. "Metal music can be seen as cultural good for fans and thereby can form part of their social identity."
