Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI) celebrated the 22nd annual Conducting Workshop for Visual Media Composers with a final scoring session at Nathan Barr’s Bandrika Studios in Tarzana, California on August 24. The workshop provided eight rising composers the chance to hone their conducting skills under the direction of award-winning conductor and composer Lucas Richman.

Over a two-week period, the selected composers participated in several training sessions focusing on proper beat patterns, tempo changes and cueing, as well as one-on-one conducting experience with Richman. At the finale, the selected composers conducted film cues by Jerry Goldsmith and John Williams, to picture, with a 32-piece orchestra.

This year’s class of participant composers included Jongnic Bontemps (United Skates), Kris Bowers (Green Book), Ryan Elder (Rick and Morty), Sage Lewis (Operator), Jason Nesmith (The Ellen DeGeneres Show), Adam Schoenberg (Graceland), Kevin Smithers (Monster Island) and Dara Taylor (Colewell).

“The BMI Conducting Workshop is a coveted experience for a reason. Lucas Richman is indescribably great at teaching you, supporting you, and pushing you out of your comfort zone. After two weeks of personalized instruction, technique study, and a bit of soul-searching, his students not only feel more comfortable on the podium, but also enhance their musicality, leadership skills, and connection with the music and musicians,” said Dara Taylor, BMI composer. “Thank you, BMI and Lucas, for an experience I’ll cherish and utilize for the rest of my musical life.”

The series is produced by BMI’s Director Creative – Film, TV & Visual Media, Philip Shrut in collaboration with Richman, who has helped curate BMI’s Conducting Workshop for more than two decades to propel hundreds of BMI composers to conduct their own scores.

Finneas Releases new track ‘Shelter’, Confirms Debut Ep ‘Blood Harmony’ To Be Released October 4, while Billie Eilish’s ‘Bad Guy’ — Produced By Finneas – Earns Number 1 Spot In The Billboard Hot 100 This Week. Listen to ‘Shelter’ here.

Today, 22-year-old songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer and artist FINNEAS, releases his latest song “Shelter.” With this release comes the exciting news of his highly awaited debut EP, Blood Harmony, out on October 4.

Here’s Finneas North American tour dates:

10/05 – Austin City Limits Music Festival – Austin, TX
10/15 – August Hall – San Francisco, CA
10/17 – Masonic Lodge at Hollywood Forever – Los Angeles, CA
10/20 – Thalia Hall – Chicago, IL
10/23 – Warsaw – Brooklyn, NY
10/24 – Paradise Rock Club – Boston, MA

In speaking about the new song, FINNEAS reveals, “I wrote this song a couple years ago and just let it percolate for a while, seeing how it would age,” he explains. “When I looked through my music to release this year, I came across the demo and was pleasantly surprised to find I still liked it.” He continues. “Usually, I get bored of my stuff almost immediately. I wanted this song to have an urgency to it when I recorded it, the same way that the lyrics do—the kind of feverish feeling that accompanies loving someone.”

Explaining the title of his EP, FINNEASshares, “I would love for this title to remain ambiguous to listeners and for everyone to be able to imbue it with their own meaning and justification.” As the sole collaborator, producer and elder brother to Billie Eilish, he elaborates. “Themost common use of the term blood harmony is an English expression for what it sounds like when siblings sing together, that biologic chemistry—I think that speaks for itself.”

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The House of Blues Music Forward Foundation today announced its first-ever Ambassadors Council featuring a virtual who’s who of GRAMMY®, American Music, Academy of Country Music and Billboard Music Award-winning artists including Benny Blanco, Sofia Carson, Lauren Daigle, Chris Janson, Khalid, Martina McBride, Julia Michaels, Carlos Santana and Umphrey’s McGee.

Each Music Forward Ambassador will contribute in a variety of ways including mentoring aspiring artists, speaking at educational youth workshops, donating funds from ticket sales and providing exclusive music memorabilia for auction. The council, boasting artists that have sold over 100 million albums, will be using their various platforms to call attention to the foundation’s vital work.

As part of the House of Blues and Live Nation Entertainment family, the Music Forward Foundation is focused on providing young people from diverse communities interested in music industry careers with artist development, educational and mentoring programs.

“I’m honored to join together with the House of Blues Music Forward Foundation to inspire young people to channel their passion for music into a career and to use their voice to make a positive difference in the world,” said Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Carlos Santana.

“It’s important to have foundations that involve music,” said multi-platinum artist Khalid. “There are so many kids who don’t have the resources or information to get started in the music business. There is this huge world of creative opportunities that you can pursue a career in, and there are so many amazing jobs in the music world that I imagine young people would be excited to pursue if they knew about them.”
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