Two Music and Arts Conferences You Can’t Miss This Week

Dave Gaydon (left) and Lou Birkett, founders of London-based music and events agency GOAT. Photo: Courtesy of GOAT

This week, music buffs and creatives looking to broaden their perspectives both as individuals and as part of the industry will be able to attend two conferences held in Mumbai. The Exchange, in its fourth edition, will feature multiple music industry professionals discussing India’s potential as a major music destination. The annual conference, which is curated by the U.K.’s Department of International Trade and Indian promoters Submerge, will take place on March 28th at Khar Social. Also in its fourth year, The Coalition will be held from March 31st-April 1st at the Bal Gandharva Rang Mandir, and will discuss topics across all creative forms.

“We’ve tried to keep the content for each panel fresh and thought provoking and also help the delegates understand each aspect of our industry,” says Submerge co-founder Hermit Sethi. “From the very first session where Vijay Nair will deliver the keynote based on the Indian music market scenario today to a session on sound technology, our attempt is to engage just about everyone who attends.”

If you’re wondering which panels and discussions to attend, check out this list we’ve compiled to help you decide.

Infrastructure and Sound Technology in the Live Music Industry, The Exchange, 11 AM, March 28th

This panel will look at views on technology connected to both artistic and technological creativity. The speakers at the panel are Fali Damania (Pro Audio Services), Bharat Joshi (Super Joshi), Jayesh Veralkar (Dolby) and Rohan Ramanna (Cotton Press Studios).

Opportunities in Emerging Markets, The Exchange, 4:50 PM, March 28th

With a growing number of venues, festivals and artists, India’s music scene is growing at a rapid pace, and new opportunities are presenting themselves each day.  This topic will be discussed by Nikhil Udupa (4/4 Entertainment), Vinay Hegde (Voila Events) and Ankur Kedia (Dusdozen).

The Sweet Spot ”“ Boutique Festivals, The Exchange, 5:45 PM, March 28th

The increasingly popular boutique festival intends to create an engaging experience minus the crowds byfeaturing intimate gatherings and lesser-known talent. Festival founders and organizers Sohail Arora (KRUNK), Emmanuelle Decker (Nariyal Pani), Dave Gaydon (Goat Festival) and Tuhin Mehta (GoMadra) will speak on the opportunities boutique music festivals in India offer to U.K. artists.

Digital Music in India, The Exchange, 2:55 PM, March 28th

Streaming is set to dominate the future of the music industry, dictating not only how we listen to music but also how artists make and release it.  Soumini Paul (Hungama), Prerna Dhawan (Streo), Nina Condron (Horus Music) and Lee Parsons (Ditto Music) will talk about the new digital ecosystem we live in.

Go-To-How-To’s, The Coalition, 12:15 PM, March 31st

This discussion will touch on topics ranging from bringing in the crowd to building to right team, with panelists Shreyas Srinivasan (Insider.in), Roshan Abbas (Communications Wiz), Samir Bangara (Qyuki) and Kartik Maheshwari (Nishit Desai Assoiciates).

Creating World Class Properties, The Coalition, 3:45 PM, March 31st

 Establishing excellent festivals and venues is one of the main objectives for promoters and agencies. This panel will consist of Sarah Chawla (Magnetic Fields Festival), Sharupa Dutta (Teamwork Arts), Vikranth Pawar (Disney India) and Arjun Bahl (St+art India Foundation).  

Sound Advice: The Creative Process, The Coalition, 3:30 PM, April 1st

Music director Amit Trivedit and Vijay Nair, CEO of Only Much Louder (OML) will go in-depth on the inspiration, writing and thought process that goes into creating a song or any form of art.

Fast Forward: The Future of the Creative Industries, The Coalition, 5:15 PM, April 1st

Panelists Kunal Shah (Freecharge), Shreyas Srinivasan (Insider.in) and Anand Gandhi (Filmmaker) will talk about the key shifts in technology, trends, and workstyles that will shape the future in the creative industries.

Visit the event pages for The Exchange and The Coalition for more details.