MPA AGM - Report
The Music Publishers Association held its Annual General Meeting yesterday, Thursday 25 June.
photography by lubo www.stefanlubo.com
“Reaching for the Stars” gave representatives of twelve different sectors of the music industry 3 minutes each to make the case for their ticket to join songwriters and artists on a shuttle heading for a new musical universe. Having listened to all speakers (see below for the full list) the audience of MPA members and invited guests voted for the six representatives who they felt had made the most compelling case for the importance of their sector in connecting songwriters and artists with music fans.
Voted on to the shuttle were the music publisher (of course), the broadcaster, promoter, educator, online service provider and record label. Left behind in the departure room were the collecting society, artist manager, trade association, tastemaker, record retailer, and the lawyer.
photography by lubo www.stefanlubo.com
Whilst the votes were counted Daniel Ek, co-founder of Spotify, gave some clues as to his future plans for the service in conversation with Emmanuel Legrand (editor, Impact magazine). Daniel praised the new streaming rates announced by PRS for Music in May as part of its new Online Music Licence and stated his opinion that “the future of the music industry is in an access model”. He also raised the prospect of a Spotify app for the iPhone. Asked to give his own thoughts on “Reaching for the Stars” Daniel responded diplomatically: “There are a lot of brilliant people in the music industry. There’s a future for all of them in different shapes and forms”.
To view a gallery of photos from the MPA AGM 2009 click here.
Formal business of the AGM
photography by lubo www.stefanlubo.com
Earlier in the afternoon the formal business of the AGM had included reports from Nigel Elderton (chairman, MPA), Stephen Navin (chief executive, MPA) and, in his capacity as executive director of the MPA’s subsidiary company MCPS, Steve Porter (CEO, PRS for Music).
Stephen Navin bookended his address with a “mash-up” of the Gettysburg Address, finishing with a rallying call: “As music publishers we are dedicated to the great task remaining before us that the value of music, of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth”.
Election of Officers and Board Members
photography by lubo www.stefanlubo.com
The election of Pop Publishers to the Board saw seven candidates for five places. Crispin Evans (Cote Basque Music Publishing Ltd) was elected to the Board alongside Nigel Elderton (peermusic (UK) Ltd), Stuart Hornall (Hornall Brothers Music Ltd), Simon Platz (Bucks Music Group Ltd) and Rakesh Sanghvi (Sony/ATV Music Publishing (UK) Ltd) – the latter four being re-elected.
Three Classical Publishers retired from the MPA Board by rotation: John Minch (Boosey & Hawkes Music Publishers Ltd), Ben Newing (Universal Edition (London) Ltd), and Shirley Ranger (United Music Publishers). All three were re-elected unopposed.
photography by lubo www.stefanlubo.com
MPA members voted to re-elect Nigel Elderton as MPA Chairman. Chris Butler was re-elected as Deputy Chairman. Both Nigel and Chris were first elected to their respective posts at the MPA’s 2008 AGM.
MPA Richard Toeman Scholarship
photography by lubo www.stefanlubo.com
Nigel Elderton awarded the 2009 MPA Richard Toeman Scholarship to joint winners Graham Jackson, who has just completed a Music and Entertainment Industry Management degree at the University of Hertfordshire; and Kieran Morris who works for Universal Edition. The annual scholarship, now in its fourth year, provides funding of up to £3,000 towards personal professional development, and is designed to support the progress of outstanding individuals within the music publishing industry.
For further details, for images, or for the full text of the speeches given by the chairman and the chief executive of the MPA please contact Will Lines, MPA - Tel: 020 7637 4058; Email: wlines@mpaonline.org.uk
Notes:
Reaching for the Stars – the speakers:
Trade Association Horace Trubridge, Assistant General Secretary, Musicians’ Union
Artist Manager Brian Message, Manager and Music Entrepreneur
Lawyer Chris Organ (speech delivered by Stephen Navin)
Music Publisher Tim Medcraft, Managing Director, Powis Music
Record Label Iain McNay, Chairman, Cherry Red Group
Collecting Society Jeremy Fabinyi, Managing Director, MCPS
Music Educator Richard Frostick, Freelance Education Consultant and Project Animateur
Online Service Provider Ed Averdieck, Director, Music Division, Real World
Promoter Tony Moore, Director of Music, Arts & Development, The Bedford
Tastemaker Tom Service, Journalist and Broadcaster
Broadcaster Susannah Simons, Project Executive BBC 2012 Cultural Olympiad, BBC
Record Retailer Graham Jones, Author, "Last Shop Standing" (Whatever Happened To Record Shops?)
MPA Richard Toeman Scholarship Founding Donors:
ABRSM (Publishing) Ltd; Ariel Music; Bourne Music Ltd; Bug Music Ltd; Catalyst Music Publishing Ltd; EMI Music Publishing Ltd; Menace Music Ltd; Mute Song Ltd; Rock Music Company Ltd; Silva Screen Music (Publishers) Ltd; Songstream Music; Sony/ATV Music Publishing (UK) Ltd; SJ Music; Stainer & Bell Ltd; Woza Music.