About Icon Mentors
Icon Mentors a unique 6-week mentoring program with Australia's leading artists and industry experts which covers songwriting, performance, and development
Icon Mentors Description
James Reyne, Diesel, Rob Hirst and Jim Moginie (Midnight Oil), Mark Seymour (Hunters and Collectors), Pete Murray, Suzy DeMarchi and Dave Leslie (Baby Animals) and Ian Moss – are just some of the ‘mentors’ up ‘n coming singer-songwriters will have the opportunity to work with as part of an exciting, new program to launch in Sydney this May called Icon Mentors.
Icon Mentors is the brainchild of Rick Grossman (Hoodoo Gurus and Divinyls) and Stephen Baker (Senior Lecturer in Voice and State President of the Australian National Assoc of Teachers of Singing).
Grossman and Baker have joined forces to bring together some of the most successful Australian singer-songwriters - creating a brand new course that will run twice a week for a total of six weeks for budding songwriters and musicians.
With only 40 taken for each course, Icon Mentors will provide intimate and in-depth access to some of Australia’s biggest music Icons. Over the course duration, the ‘mentors’ will impart their knowledge of how they became the household names they are today.
Speaking on being one of the first round of ‘mentors’, Rob Hirst (Midnight Oil) said “The Icon Mentors workshops will be a unique opportunity for those interested in all aspects of contemporary songwriting: rhythm, melody and harmony, lyric development, song structure, instrumentation, mood creation and production. It will be the chance to hear some of Australia's most experienced tunesmiths talk about the importance of strong original song-craft in their music careers. ”
Fellow first-time ‘mentor’ James Reyne also said, “This is a great and unique initiative and a chance to get some insight into what is often an under-valued craft. It will also hopefully be an opportunity to help unlock and unleash another chapter in the fabulous tradition of peerless and truly original Australian popular song-writing! ”
Icon Mentors is a course designed to help foster the next generation of Aussie rock and contemporary singer –songwriters. But in addition to the creative writing process, music business will be represented by the biggest team of heavy hitters to advise and nurture developing talent. They will include Tony Glover (Sony Music), John O’Donnell (Managing Director, EMI), Michael Harrison (Frontier Touring), Andy Kelly (Ivy League Records), John Watson (Eleven Music) and Damian Trotter (Sony Music Publishing).
Grossman and Baker are confident that by sharing the skill sets of Australia’s most treasured musical icons, as well as their stories and influences as to how they became successful as songwriters and stage performers will inspire and educate musicians who otherwise would not be privy to this information.
“Our ‘mentors’ are either still performing sell-out concerts to big audiences all around the nation, or leading music businesses - so we are very privileged they are equally excited to be a part of what we are doing, ” says Stephen Baker, co-Founder Icon Mentors.
“I can’t wait to see the faces on our budding singer-songwriters when they’re able to ask our greatest recording artists what they did - and how they did it - some incredible things are going to begin from this event and I want to be near that explosion when it happens, ” says Baker.
“One great part of being a musician is to be able to share what I have learnt and to try to instill in others the pure joy and excitement that music has given me throughout my career - and continues to, to this day, ” Icon Mentors co-Founder Rick Grossman says
Icon Mentors will kick-start on Monday May 4 at Trackdown Studios at Fox Studios, Sydney. To register your interest, simply email your contact details to info@iconmentors.com. An official application form will follow to assist in outlining your experience and interest in the course.
For more information visit the official Icon Mentors website www. iconmentors.com
ICON MENTORS COURSE DATES
Monday 4th May
Thursday 7th May
Monday 11th May
Thursday 14th May
Monday18th May
Thursday 21st May
Monday 25th May
Thursday 28th May
Monday 1st June
Thursday 4th June
Monday 8th June
Thursday 11th June