The British Academy of Songwriters, Composers & Authors (BASCA) has announced the results of its recent Board and Committee elections.
Over recent weeks BASCA members have been electing representatives across Classical, Jazz, Media and Songwriting genres, with a number of new faces joining those committees and the board.
As well as nine existing board members – Crispin Hunt, Gary Carpenter, Issie Barratt, Mark Ayres, Marc Sylvan, Helienne Lindvall, Paul Hartnoll, William Sweeney and Rupert Hine, who all retain their seats – Stephen McNeff returns, alongside four new elected members: Martyn Ware, Dru Masters and Orphy Robinson.
Two independent board members will be announced in the near future.
Following these elections Crispin Hunt – who will remain in post as Chair of the BASCA Board for a further three-year term – said, “I’m delighted to unveil our new board and committees, which demonstrates the amazing strength and depth of expertise and experience that we have among the BASCA membership.
“There are big challenges ahead of us , not least the ongoing issues surrounding Article 13, but I am confident that these strong , diverse teams can be instrumental in taking us forward towards what we all think can be a bright future for songwriters and composers. ”
BASCA has also confirmed a move to new offices at the newly opened ‘The Ministry’, in Borough, South London.
All of these new developments were celebrated at the annual BASCA Summer Party this week (Tuesday, 31st July), where the 2018 recipient of The Academy of Contemporary Music (ACM) / BASCA Scholarship for Songwriting was also awarded to Elsa Thurley, who performed at the event alongside two other finalists Samuel Deed and Leoni Kennedy.
This is the 4th year of this prize, which offers a fully funded place on ACM’s highly regarded Songwriting & Artist Development Degree course.
Crispin Hunt said, “BASCA’s move to new, state of the art offices at The Ministry, will provide a dynamic new home and will allow us to work alongside and network with other creative businesses, something that I’m sure will complement our own activities. We also had our annual Summer Party last night and it felt like day one for a new BASCA.
“We celebrated everything our organisation has achieved this year and proudly unveiled Elsa Thurley as the recipient of the 2018 ACM/BASCA Scholarship. It was fantastic to be in the company of 300 old friends and new, members, partners, stakeholders and colleagues from across the industry, across genre’s and across all ages and backgrounds. I can’t wipe the smile from my face.”
[Pictured: Crisipin Hunt with Elisa Thurley]Music Business Worldwide