Borneo World Music Expo 2013 all set to take centre stage
Sarawak is all set to play host to another exciting event, the Borneo World Music Expo, the inaugural exposition for professionals and trade visitors within the international music scene.
The Borneo World Music Expo (known affectionately as the BWME) which is going to be held from 24 to the 26 June in Kuching, Sarawak is happening just a few days before the very established Rainforest World Music Festival which will be held on the 28 to 30 June.
While the Rainforest Festival is about entertainment, the Expo is about the trade, networking, information dissemination and business behind the entertainment industry – concentrating on the World Music genre. The Expo seeks to be the market place where professionals come to present their services or to hire.
Being a musician or a band is not just about playing music but it is also about how to present and market the music, the image, the branding. It’s about how to get one’s information and music to the right people.
On the other side of the coin, programmers need to have a big pool with a vast variety to consider and to choose from when it comes to selecting the line-up for their events. The Borneo World Music Expo is just about bringing the two parties together where they will have a chance to show and tell and buy and sell.
The Expo, guided by the very experienced hands of Gerald Seligman, who was until November of 2009, General Director of WOMEX, the very well established world music Expo, in Berlin, has selected and invited programmers from all over the world to come to Sarawak Borneo where several showcase bands from Eastern and Asian regions are going to present their performances.
The Expo is also opened to everyone who wants to come and network and share, distribute their press kits, create more awareness of their own music events, meet and extend their contacts. It seeks to be the open arena for everyone in the music industry to use it as a meeting place.
The business of running music events also involves potential sponsors, media, event managers, entertainment venues, marketing companies, audio-visual services and equipment, record labels. For all these people, the BWME is going to be a useful tool and guide.
But it’s not all about just live shows and a bustling market place. There are daytime conferences that are informative and educational. There are panels of experienced professionals discussing aspects of the music industry and brainstorming discussions.
In the words of Isabel Soffer founder of Live Sounds from New York,” I am coming to Sarawak with the hope of discovering new artists, traditions and cultures from Asia.
Southeast Asia, in particular, is underrepresented in the US performing arts field and I hope to be able to make connections with artists, presenters, agents, and sponsors to begin bridging that gap”.
Sonya Mazumdar, Founder/CEO of EarthSync, a world music production house from India and an invited programmer, has this to say; “Asia’s rich musical tapestry needs to be featured much more in world music programming.
A conscious effort is needed to create relevant platforms for collaborations and markets to showcase both traditional and contemporary acts”
The expo is supported by Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB), an agency established by the Ministry of Tourism and Culture Malaysia to further strengthen and position Malaysia as a major events hub for the region and Sarawak Convention Bureau.
Conclusion
Those interested to sign up as delegates to the conference can still do so. Delegate fee is RM360 inclusive of conference materials, lunch and 2 tea-breaks.
For the public who are interested in watching the night showcases, tickets can be bought online or at the entrance and cost of these shows are only RM30 per person for the Borneo World Music Expo.