Cullum was born in Essex but grew up in Wiltshire where he absorbed all genres of music, favoring jazz luminaries such as Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock and Steely Dan. While studying English at college, Jamie began performing as a singer/pianist, which led to Universal Classics & Jazz signing him in 2003 and the release of his debut recording Twentysomething. Cullum’s international fame and appeal, has made him one of the brightest, gifted and exciting UK artists to emerge in jazz.

The British Academy of Composers & Songwriters is the single voice for all UK music writers and, with over 2,000 members, is the recognized independent trade association for UK music creators. Covering a wide range of disciplines, ages and musical styles, the Gold Badge Awards are the British composers’ salute to an outstanding group of people who have made a special and lasting contribution to Britain’s entertainment industry.

BMI London's Brandon Bakshi congratulates Gold Badge Award recipient Christine McVie

Covering a wide range of disciplines, ages and musical styles, the Gold Badge Awards salute an outstanding group of men and women who have made a special or lasting contribution to Britain's entertainment industry.]]> 2006-10-30T04:00:00-05:00 http://www.bmi.com/events/entry/533318 Artists, Beatles, The, Melson, Sara, O'Leary, Dean, Reese, Melissa, Stark, Casey, Wide Range, Awards, Regions, Los Angeles, Showcase, Showcase Templated Casey Stark - A California native, but newcomer to the singer-songwriter scene, Casey’s brand of music has been described as ‘California country’ and ‘Americana.’ Descending from a long line of musicians, singers and songwriters, Casey marked her debut in 2002 and has received airplay in both the U.S. and Australia. Go to www.caseystark.com for more.

Melissa Reese – This young, talented singer, pianist, writer, and producer has been a musical prodigy since the age of 4. Classically trained in both piano and voice, Melissa has expanded her musical influences to include hip-hop, R&B and pop. Having discovered Pro-Tools, she has now written, performed and produced over 30 songs on her demo, all from her home studio.

Sara Melson – Hailing from Indiana and now in L.A., Sara grew up memorizing albums by The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, the Band, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, James Taylor, and early Bowie. Her hooky folk-pop songs are filtered through a moody, psychedelic dreamscape and have been described by Steve Mirkin of Daily Variety as, “Like Laura Nyro hooking up with Beggars’ Banquet-era Rolling Stones… something special.”

Dean O’Leary – An Australian native visiting Los Angeles, Dean has been writing songs since the early age of fourteen when he first picked up the guitar. His own brand of music has a wide range of influences and genres, with a combination of folk, rock and blues and at times a hint of jazz in the chord progressions. A favorite on the local singer-songwriter scene in his native Sydney, be sure not to miss this L.A. performance. Go to www.deanoleary.com for more.]]> 2005-07-11T21:00:00-05:00 http://www.bmi.com/events/entry/500021 Artists, Cumbie, Clay, Speace, Amy, Vincent, Gordon, Wide Range, Awards, Musical Styles, Country, Pop, Rock, Singer-Songwriter, Regions, Nashville, Showcase, Showcase Templated 2004-12-09T01:00:00-05:00 http://www.bmi.com/news/entry/234087 Ophoff, Jon, Carpenter, Pete, Post, Mike, Wide Range, Film-TV, Foundation, Pete Carpenter Fellowship BMI Foundation President Ralph N. Jackson announced today that Jon Ophoff and Mark Petrie are the winners of the 16th Annual Pete Carpenter Fellowship, a competition open to aspiring film and TV composers under the age of 35. The Fellowship was established by the BMI Foundation and Carpenter's family, colleagues, and friends to honor the late composer whose credits include television themes and scores such as The A-Team, Magnum P.I., The Rockford Files, Hardcastle and McCormick, Hunter and Riptide.

Jon Ophoff	Mark Petrie

The Pete Carpenter Fellowship winners are given the opportunity to intern with renowned BMI TV composer Mike Post in his Los Angeles studio and meet with other distinguished theatrical, film and television composers. Post was Carpenter's longtime partner and is the writer of some of the most memorable theme songs in television history, including Hill Street Blues, Magnum P.I., The Rockford Files, NYPD Blue, The A-Team, Law and Order, L.A. Law, Quantum Leap and City of Angels. A stipend for travel and living expenses is also part of the award.

Jon Ophoff is an active composer, conductor, and pianist from Ann Arbor, Michigan. He earned his Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Michigan School of Music where he studied a customized curriculum of film music composition in the Artists and Scholars Honors Program. He has written a variety of pieces for choir, orchestra, and electronics, as well as having provided soundtracks to a number of films, including Absence (2003) and Jones (2002). His musical direction credits include the University of Michigan's Festival of New Works.

Mark Petrie grew up in New Zealand, where he first studied piano and composition. Passionate about film music from an early age, he traveled to Boston, MA in 1999 after receiving a scholarship to study film scoring at Berklee College of Music. Since completing his degree in 2002, Mark has gone on to compose for a wide range of award winning films including Caf� and Tobacco starring Enrique Murciano (Miss Congeniality 2, Black Hawk Down) and Murder Reincarnated starring Cristi�n de la Fuente (Basic, Driven).

The BMI Foundation, Inc. is a not-for-profit corporation founded in 1985 to support the creation, performance, and study of music through awards, scholarships, commissions and grants. Tax-deductible donations to the Foundation come primarily from songwriters, composers and publishers, BMI employees and members of the public with a special interest in music. Because both the Foundation staff and the distinguished members of the Advisory Panel serve without compensation, over 97% of all donations and income are used for charitable grants.

Kamen, who was considered a visionary for skillfully fusing classical music with rock and roll, did orchestrations for a wide range of artists including Aerosmith, David Bowie, Eric Clapton, George Harrison, Queen, Alice in Chains and David Sanborn. Among his most famous collaborations was the orchestral arrangements on Pink Floyd's 1979 classic album The Wall. He also conducted, orchestrated and arranged the multiplatinum CD, Metallica With The San Francisco Symphony, and won a Grammy for Best Rock Instrumental Performance for the metal band's song, "The Call of Ktulu."

The versatile composer/arranger/conductor received numerous industry and BMI awards throughout his prolific career, including his first Grammy in 1992 for Best Pop Instrumental Performance for the music to Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. The movie's theme song by Bryan Adams, "(Everything I Do) I Do It for You," also earned Kamen three BMI Pop Awards (1991, 1992, 1993), a BMI Film/TV Award in 1992 for Most Performed Song from a Motion Picture and a BMI Million-Air for over four million radio performances. Kamen also won a Grammy in 1996 for Best Instrumental Arrangement with "An American Symphony," which he derived from his work on the Richard Dreyfuss musical drama Mr. Holland's Opus. Inspired by the movie, Kamen established the Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation in 1997 to raise money to make musical instruments available to needy children. The movie also earned him a BMI Film/TV Award.

BMI's Doreen Ringer Ross and Frances Preston congratulate Richard Kirk Award winner Michael Kamen at the 1993 BMI Film/TV Awards ceremony

Other BMI Awards include several Film/TV Awards for the music to the Die Hard and Lethal Weapon movies, as well as Pop, Film/TV and Million-Air Awards for "All For Love" from The Three Musketeers and "Have You Ever Really Loved A Woman" from Don Juan De Marco. In addition, Kamen was honored by BMI in 1993 with the Richard Kirk Award for Outstanding Career Achievement. Named after past BMI Vice President Richard Kirk, the prestigious award is given annually to the composer who has made significant contributions to film and TV music. He also received the Sterling Circle Award that year for having been with the performing rights organization for 25 years.

Born in New York in 1948, Kamen began playing piano at the age of two. He got his start as a folk/blues singer in a jug band and went on to study oboe at the Juilliard School of Music before turning to composition. He toured with David Bowie in the early 70's and scored his first film, The Next Man (starring Sean Connery), in 1976. Kamen wrote the music to more than 80 films and TV shows and received multiple Oscar, Golden Globe and Emmy nominations.

Diagnosed with multiple sclerosis six years ago, he did not go public with his illness until this past September when he was honored with the Dorothy Corwin Spirit of Life Award by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

Kamen's illness did not slow him down, however. In recent years, he wrote and directed music for the opening ceremony of the 2002 Winter Olympics and performed at the Grammy Awards with Coldplay and the New York Philharmonic. Last year, Kamen served as musical director for the Queen's Golden Jubilee at Buckingham Palace.

Kamen is survived by his wife, two daughters, three brothers and his father.

Michael Kamen's BMI Awards:

Lethal Weapon
1988 Film/TV Award

Die Hard
1989 Film/TV Award

Lethal Weapon II
1990 Film/TV Award

Die Hard 2: Die Harder
1991 Film/TV Award

Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves
1992 Film/TV Award

"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" (from Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves)
1991, 1992, 1993 Pop Award
1992 Film/TV Award for Most Performed Song from a Film

Lethal Weapon 3
1993 Film/TV Award

"All For Love" (from The Three Musketeers)
1994 Pop Award
1995 Film/TV Award for Most Performed Song from a Film

Die Hard with a Vengeance
1996 Film/TV Award

Mr. Holland's Opus
1996 Film/TV Award

"Have You Ever Really Loved A Woman" (from Don Juan De Marco)
1995, 1996 Pop Award
1996 Film/TV Award for Most Performed Song from a Film

101 Dalmatians
1997 Film/TV Award

Lethal Weapon 4
1999 Film/TV Award

X-Men
2001 Film/TV Award

Band of Brothers
2002 Cable Award

Special Awards
1993
Richard Kirk Award
Sterling Circle Award

1996
BMI Salute to our Olympians

2002
BMI Olympic Flame Award]]> 2003-11-18T17:00:01-05:00 http://www.bmi.com/events/entry/500096 Artists, Herricks, The, Lucas, Lauren, McDonald, Christy, Watson, Dave, Wide Range, Awards, Musical Styles, Country, Singer-Songwriter, Regions, Nashville, Showcase, Showcase Templated 2003-10-16T02:00:00-05:00 http://www.bmi.com/news/entry/233803 Artists, Clinton, George S., Corea, Chick, De Gli Antoni, Mark, Golub, Peter, Gregson-Williams, Harry, Kent, Rolfe, Mansell, Clint, Ottman, John, Revell, Graeme, Shearmur, Ed, Tin, Christopher, Wide Range, Awards, Musical Styles, Dance, Film-TV, Jazz, Rock, Musicworld, Feature, Type, Important, International The lab kicked off on July 22 and will run through August 6. During the two-week lab, Fellows participate in workshops and creative exercises under the guidance of leading film composers and film music professionals. The Composer Lab participants also collaborate with filmmakers from the Sundance Institute Feature Film Program to create accompanying scores for scenes shot by the Filmmaker Fellows during the June Filmmakers Lab.

The Composers Lab is a major component of the Sundance Institute Film Music Program, which is dedicated to supporting emerging film composers and enhancing the role of music in independent film. Originally running from 1986-1989, the Composers Lab was re-introduced in the summer of 1998 to provide a collaborative and supportive environment where composers could experiment and expand their musical language. The Composers Lab provides valuable first-hand experience in composing for film and enhances the musical understanding of independent filmmakers participating in the Sundance Institute Feature Film Program.

"We have a very exciting and eclectic group of composers coming from a wide range of styles and backgrounds and selected from hundreds of applicants," explained Peter Golub, Director, Sundance Institute Film Music Program. "The composers write and record music, work with the filmmakers, and in general participate in the artistic community at Sundance Institute. There is much 'cross-pollination' and an invigorating flow of ideas."

"This is a program that we've always been involved with - from its inception to its reintroduction in 1998. By supporting and educating composers who have unique and independent vision we're helping to foster a new community of original and important music. By pairing it with the Directors and Producers labs at the Institute, we're able to foster relationships and understanding of the creative process and help both sides understand the process behind each art."

In addition to their work with the Filmmakers Lab Fellows, Composers Lab participants will work under the mentorship of a distinguished group of film composers and filmmakers. This year's Creative Advisors include: composers Carter Burwell ("Fargo," "Adaptation"); George S. Clinton ("Austin Powers In Goldmember," "Joe Somebody"); Rolfe Kent ("Nurse Betty," "Legally Blonde 2" "About Schmidt"); Clint Mansell ("Pi," "Requiem For A Dream"); Ed Shearmur ("Charlie's Angels," "Wings Of The Dove"); Robert Kraft, President Of Fox Music; Music Supervisor Tracy McKnight; Director Peter Medak ("The Ruling Class," "Let Him Have It"); Film Music Agent Robert Messinger (First Artists); Doreen Ringer Ross, Vice-President, Film/TV Relations at BMI; and music editor Adam Smalley.

2003 Sundance Institute Film Music Lab Fellows

Christopher Anderson-Bazzoli
Christopher Anderson-Bazzoli is a Los Angeles-based composer of film scores and concert works. His most recent credits include "Revolution Os," which screened on the Sundance Channel; "Regresso A Casa," an official selection at the Los Angeles International Short Film Fest; and the forthcoming feature film "Lazarus."

Billy Childs
Billy Childs is an orchestral composer with a long list of commissions for organizations including the LA Philharmonic, LA Master Chorale, and is a jazz pianist who has worked with Dianne Reeves, Bobby Hutcherson, Chick Corea, Freddie Hubbard and Buster Williams.

Ronit Kirchman
A composer, songwriter, instrumentalist and electronic artist, Kirchman composed music for "Come Nightfall," a short-film shown at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival. She has written numerous concert works, produced a string tribute to Jane's Addiction, and has worked with composer Harry Gregson-Williams.

Courtney Von Drehle
Courtney Von Drehle is a composer, bandleader, and accordion player. He is a member of the band 3 Leg Torso and has written music for numerous short films, dance pieces, and instillations.

Mark De Gli Antoni
Mark is a member of the rock group Soul Coughing. He composed music for "Cherish," which screened at the 2002 Sundance Film Festival; "Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness," a short film screened at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival, as well as several short films directed by William Wegman.

Christopher Tin
Christopher Tin is the recipient of a Fulbright Scholarship at the Royal College of Music. He has written additional cues for "X-Men 2", and composed the score for the South African film "A-ZU-RE." He has worked with film composers Graeme Revell, John Ottman, Joel McNeely, and Klaus Badelt.]]> 2003-08-04T18:00:00-05:00 http://www.bmi.com/news/entry/233792 Artists, Ms. Dynamite, Wide Range, Musical Styles, R&B Ms. Dynamite (right) is greeted by BMI's Brandon Bakshi at the recent Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy's Silver Clef Lunch in London. The Silver Clef Lunch is the biggest fundraising event on the Nordoff-Robbins calendar and has become the music business charity event of the year. Attended by over 800 guests, the luncheon is hosted by the fundraising committee to recognize achievement in music.

BMI's Brandon Bakshi and Ms. Dynamite at the recent Silver Clef Lunch at London's Intercontinental Hotel

Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy, a self-funded charity that relies greatly on the generosity of popular music artists and the music industry at large, uses music therapy to treat children and adults with a wide range of conditions which include both physical and mental disabilities, learning difficulties, emotional and behavioral problems, autistic spectrum disorders, neurological damage and terminal illness. With worldwide offices in the US, England, Australia and Germany, everyone can benefit from this charity.]]> 2003-07-28T18:00:00-05:00 http://www.bmi.com/musicworld/entry/233748 Artists, Hall & Oates, Rundgren, Todd, Temptations, The, Wide Range, Musical Styles, Pop, Musicworld, Feature They are the best-selling duo in pop music history with nearly 30 Top 40 hits to their credit, yet Hall & Oates have always taken a dignified approach to stardom. Though they could rightfully promote themselves as pop royalty, singer/songwriters Darryl Hall and John Oates have eschewed pomposity, instead focusing their formidable energies towards creating superlative songs.

From their emergence in the early '70s to their most recent 2002 hit "Do It For Love," Hall & Oates have made a career of beating the odds. They started out as white purveyors of Philadelphia soul, a competitive situation that made them musical long-shots. Thanks to their uncanny hitmaking instincts, the duo went on to become an inescapable radio presence during the '70s and '80s. They kept a low profile during the '90s, but when the group was profiled on VH1's "Behind the Music" rockumentary series in 2002, it resulted in a greatest hits compilation featuring a new Hall & Oates track, "Do It for Love." The single, the duo's first studio recording in six years, crept to the top of the adult contemporary charts.

Responding to that unambiguous sign from fans and radio listeners, Hall & Oates repaired to the studio to create an album celebrating their pop and r&b roots. Named after the single that fueled their return, Do It For Love finds Hall & Oates churning out their signature sweet melodies, clever lyrics and deep-felt vocals on songs like "Miss DJ" and the winsome "Forever For You." On their magnificent cover of New Radical's "Someday We'll Know," the duo reunites with Todd Rundgren, producer of Hall & Oates hit '70s album, War Babies.

Introduced while attending Philadelphia's Temple University, Darryl Hall and John Oates were established professional musicians when they met in the mid-'60s. Starting out as a folk-soul act, the duo secured a recording contract with Atlantic Records and almost immediately made their presence felt. Solidifying their credibility as r&b songwriters, Hall & Oates' 1973 tune, "She's Gone," was covered by soul legend Lou Rawls and the funk-pop quintet Tavares, among others.

Moving to RCA Records in 1975, the duo heralded their arrival by starting a seemingly endless hit streak. Starting with their 1976 single "Sara Smile," Hall & Oates fired off smash after smash, including "Rich Girl," "It's A Laugh," "Kiss on My List," "Private Eyes," "I Can't Go for That," "Maneater" and countless others.

During the hitmaking streak, Darryl Hall established himself as one of pop's most expressive and versatile vocalists. The lanky singer won praise from a wide range of respected artists, collaborating or performing with former Temptations David Ruffin and Eddie Kendricks, Elvis Costello and King Crimson conceptualist Robert Fripp. Not to be outdone, John Oates has demonstrated impressive vocal prowess on tracks like "She's Gone" and the contemplative new tune "Someday We'll Know."

But solo excursions aside, Hall & Oates’ historic chart run has been fueled by harmony — that is, teamwork, superb songcraft and mutual respect. As their compelling new album attests, Hall & Oates still create great music 30 years after their auspicious arrival.