Red Bull Music Academy Applications Open
15 January 2014
“Our waking hours were spent in lectures, workshops and music making, or at midnight events in venues both cozy and cavernous. Sleep quickly lost its importance. There wasn’t time for it anyway” - Jivraj Singh (Participated at the Red Bull Music Academy Madrid, 2011)
“Before the Academy, I was too shy to perform live, but since then I’ve taken my guitar playing to enough of a level (I call it competent accompanist) to allow me to perform on stage.” - Sonaluna ( Sonal D’silva) (Participated at the Red Bull Music Academy London, 2010)
Over the course of the last 15 years, Red Bull Music Academy has visited some of the world’s most iconic and musically important cities. From Toronto to London, Madrid to Melbourne and last year's stint in New York, it's slowly earned itself a reputation as the world's most forward thinking music and art initiatives.
In a different city each year, 60 up and coming musicians from around the world participate in workshops with musical luminaries in a custom-fitted complex of studios and workspaces. By night, they perform in the city’s cult venues and concert halls, alongside contemporary and classic innovators as well as heroes and heroines of the local scene.
Its ceaseless team of editors, curators, event organisers, and various multi-taskers, have only just finished up the year, having also visited India for the very first time with Berlin based electronic music duo, Modeselektor - but with no time to stop and think, they've kickstarted the year by opening up applications to this year's Red Bull Music Academy due to take place in Tokyo, later this year.
In celebration of its 15th anniversary and the lead-up to the Tokyo edition, Red Bull Music Academy recently announced a full-length feature film highlighting the long list of musical luminaries, that have attended the annual sessions.
The artists featured in the film include Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry, Brian Eno, Philip Glass, Giorgio Moroder, Erykah Badu, Nile Rodgers, Rakim, Skream, Q-Tip, Bernie Worrell, Egyptian Lover, Ken Scott, Thundercat, Richie Hawtin, James Murphy, Debbie Harry, Stephen O’ Malley and many others. All of these artists have lectured or been studio tutors at the Red Bull Music Academy. And every one of these artists have been heavily influential in shaping the face of music today.
'What Difference Does It Make?' was shot entirely at the 2013 Red Bull Music Academy in New York and will be available for free viewing and digital download on redbullmusicacademy.com from 18 February.
A trailer for the film can be seen above. All applications from hopeful entrants to this years academy are being accepted from 15 January through to 18 March. Good luck!