On The Money

by Ainé Ardron-Doley

So you want to win a Grammy? Start here. As part of the Grammy Professional Education Series, The Philadelphia Chapter of The Recording Academy is playing host to a songwriting forum and demo review, aptly titled "Music and the Money." Dishing music biz gems on all fronts, the two-panel forum explores the profitable side of songwriting and tops that off with a real live demo review. Hmm, shades of American Idol, eh? Musicians, songwriters and all those interested in pocketing some of the recording industry's gazillions of dollars ought to strap on their thinking caps and attend. The role of publishers, soundtrack coordinators and licensing agents will be defined during the panel on "Who Does What" with BMI's Director of Writer and Publisher Relations Samantha Cox, Spirit Music Group A&R Director Justin Kalifowitz, entertainment attorney John Robertson, and moderated by Anne Freeman from the Princeton Chapter of the Nashville Songwriters Association International. Next up, the "More Money for Music" panel explores lucrative alternative songwriting markets such as television, video games, Internet, retail airplay and overseas licensing with panelists John P. Luneau of Palm Pictures, Urban Outfitters Music Director Drew Scully, Rodney Whittenberg of Melodyvision, songwriter Nancy Falkow and Sounni de Fonteney, editor-in-chief of MusicDish.com and panel moderator. All paneled out? It's critique time as publishing wizards, record execs and radio folk select 10 songs for review. The winner snags a production consultation with Grammy-nominated producers Skip Drinkwater and Phil Nicolo, a legal consultation and a CD duplication package from Discmakers. But hey, go on and make that money honey: In today's cutthroat music industry, a li'l education can be one giant step in the right direction.

Pro-Ed Series: “Music and the Money,” Sat., Feb. 8, noon-6 p.m., $15-$20, Indre Studios, 1418 S. Darien St., 215-985-5411, www.grammy.com/philadelphia.html.