IO MUSIC ACADEMY ANNOUNCES THERE IS A LIGHT SCHOLARSHIP

Los Angeles Based Education Program In Electronic Music Production To Provide $70,000 Worth of Courses 

Second Location In San Francisco Opening Spring 2024

Now Accepting Applications:
https://www.iomusic.academy/thereisalight

music production school IO Music Academy has announced their new scholarship in partnership with There Is A Light (TIAL) Foundation. Dedicated to educating the next generation of aspiring music producers, IO Music Academy will be awarding 20 scholarships totalling $70,000 worth of courses and more in Los Angeles and San Francisco. 

Designed for those looking for an in-depth and industry-focused education in electronic music production, the scholarship is open to a range of levels – from beginners to seasoned producers. Winning applicants will earn a placement in one of IO’s 6-month music production programs, valued at $3,500. Students will also receive monthly one-on-one mentorship sessions with IO Music Academy team members, as well as access to state-of-the-art studios and weekly specialized workshops with established artists and industry professionals. 

“From the beginning, IO Music Academy has been committed to offering scholarships and making music production education accessible. Our partnership with There Is A Light marks a significant step in furthering that mission and expanding our already vibrant community of music makers and DJs. Naturally, we're thrilled to be able to provide such a great opportunity to so many aspiring artists seeking to realize their musical dreams.” – Adam Weimann, COO, IO Music Academy

Beginning in Spring 2024, IO Music Academy will be expanding to offer classes in two locations. 10 spots will be available in each of the Los Angeles and San Francisco academies. San Francisco scholarship winners will be amongst the new location’s inaugural class.

Since 2017, IO Music Academy has provided forward-thinking music production education in Los Angeles. IO Music Academy provides a dynamic community where innovation and collaboration are at the forefront of hands-on learning and practical application. Notable alumni from IO Music Academy includes Madame Gandhi, Mary Droppinz, Travis Emmons, Masha Mar, and SOOHAN.

There Is A Light Foundation was founded by Arash Homampour, a lawyer by day and DJ, producer, and label owner known as The Archer by night. There Is A Light Foundation is dedicated to supporting, encouraging, and enabling individuals to pursue educational opportunities that will foster and enhance professional development, including degree programs and certification courses. 

Applicants must live in Los Angeles or San Francisco and be able to attend weekly classes, monthly private lessons, and studio time in-person. To apply, applicants will submit a short video showcasing their musical creativity in the studio or behind the DJ decks. To read more about submission guidelines and requirements please visit the application page.

Applications are due by January 1st, 2024, with winners set to be announced on January 9th. Classes begin the week of January 15th for students at the Los Angeles campus and in Spring 2024 for students at the new San Francisco location.

Connect with IO Music Academy
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Connect with There Is A Light Foundation
Website

SXM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES FULL LINE UP FOR 2024 EDITION IN THE CARIBBEAN

Vintage Culture, Cassy, DJ Three, Culoe de Song, Konstantine Sibold and more have all been added to the SXM Festival

The most beautiful festival in the world has completed its irresistible list of world class acts as it looks to raise the bar once more in 2024. The likes of Cassy, DJ Three, Culoe de Song, Konstantine Sibold, Manda Moor, Mason Collective, Oxia, Robag Wruhme, Vintage Culture, Wally Lopez and tens more will now play from March 11-18, 2024 on the breathtaking Caribbean island of Saint Martin / Sint Maarten with local and club partners still to come. 

SXM Festival is a week-long mix of music, art, culture and tropical getaway. It is a highly Instagrammable experience that has, since its debut in 2016, offered a world of cultural delights, escapist day trips, unique island experiences and many more surprises to complement the carefully curated soundtrack. 

Says SXM Festival’s Julian Prince, “We've got so many exciting acts making their SXM debut, new incredible venues, mind-blowing art installations and so much more in store. As we cruise into the final stretch before our 7th Edition, we can't help but feel the magic of the number seven so this year will be all about passion, pleasure and partying in paradise. We're gearing up to take SXM Festival to a whole new level, and we can't wait to rock this journey with all of you!”

 The line-up always blends legendary names and emerging acts from all across a tasteful electronic spectrum and the island itself is one of the main headliners with its gorgeous beaches, lush rainforest dancefloors, beautiful villas, boat parties, and beach clubs all meaning you can plot your own adventure from sunrise to sunset and beyond. 

The music plays out at these truly unique venues, each with their own bespoke design and immersive atmosphere and this year there are five new places to explore starting with Bamboo House, a restored 19th Century Sugar Mill in Cole Bay overlooking Simpson Bay with sweeping sunset views. Moonbar meanwhile is a place to escape - a large open air nightclub where the futuristic and whimsical meet right in the heart of Maho and a chance to hop around the strip and explore. 

Kalatua Beach is a Caribbean Chic beach lounge and restaurant on Mullet Bay Beach, one of the most beautiful on the island and somewhere you can spend the day partying by the seaside, chilling on beach loungers, indulging in French-Med cuisine and water sports. Next is Lotus Nightclub, voted best on the island for the last five years and one with a truly underground feel, while the St Tropez-style beach club Rainbow Cafe offers lounging by the seaside and partying on the rooftop with mesmerizing views of Grand Case.

All these are added to the already much loved Boho Beach, the iconic Arc main stage, immersive Ocean stage and also up on the peak of Sint Maarten's highest mountain where the world renowned Panorama party offers dancing with 360-degree views, with satellite parties such as the Boat and Villa Party also part of the experience. 

All these latest names come on top of the likes of Adam Ten, AJ Christou, Anja Schneider, Chus, Dana Ruh (live), Doc Martin, Eli & Fur, Fleur Shore, Harry Romero, Ilario Alicante, Kevin Saunderson, Loco Dice, Robag Wruhme, Roy Rosenfeld, Shimza and Tiefschwarz amongst many more. 

SXM Festival offers a 3 or 7-day EPIC Experience which includes access to all main events including Happy Bay, Boho Beach and more, or the 3 or 7-day PREMIUM Experience including everything the EPIC Experience offers plus exclusive access to the infamous Villa Party on Saturday, priority access to limited capacity Satellite Party events and best table access, expedited wristband pick-up, closer parking, ultra-mod washrooms, covered areas, additional bars, lounges and surprises.

To upscale your experience further, the SXM Festival Villa Collection offers special benefits when you book such as a private transfer from the airport, a welcome gift, access to the Ultra VIP parking area at Happy Bay for closest proximity to the main entrance, full concierge service, top island experiences dedicated concierge, all available through sxmfestival.com/villa.

SOL FEST MUSIC AND ARTS FESTIVAL MOVES TO FLORIDA’S VORTEX SPRING FOR THIRD EDITION WITH DIVERSE ELECTRONIC MUSIC LINEUP

Headliners include REZZ, CloZee, LSDREAM, Bob Moses (club set), Dabin, Dr. Fresch, Elderbrook, G Jones, Lettuce (sunset set), and Of The Trees

Special performances from Barclay Crenshaw featuring Flowdan, Lightcode by LSDREAM, and 2 additional sets from Flowdan

Waterpark parties hosted by Chase & Status, Two Feet, CloZee’s Odyzey, and Dr. Fresch’s House Call Records

Thursday, May 2 - Sunday, May 5, 2024
at Vortex Spring in Ponce de Leon, FL

Exclusive early access to tickets opened today for Sol Fest email and SMS subscribers

Sol Fest Music & Arts Festival has announced its expansive Phase 1 lineup for the event’s third annual edition, set to take place from Thursday, May 2 through Sunday, May 5, 2024. Relocating from Bama Slam Waterpark & Campground in New Brockton, Alabama, the four-day music and arts camping experience will debut at its new venue Vortex Spring in Ponce de Leon, Florida, commencing an exciting new chapter for Sol Fest.

Sol Fest 2024's Phase 1 lineup is a towering roster of artists that expands on previous bass-heavy lineups to include genres across the electronic music spectrum, in addition to some jam acts. Headliners include Canadian producer and two-time winner of JUNO Awards’ Electronic Album of the Year REZZ, two sets from French trailblazer CloZee, and psychedelic bass purveyor LSDREAM. Additional headliners include Canadian duo Bob Moses with a club set, melodic bass maestro Dabin, House Call Records boss Dr. Fresch, British singer, songwriter, and producer Elderbrook, experimental bass wizard G Jones, funk band Lettuce, and genre-blending bass act Of The Trees.

Additionally, Sol Fest will feature special performances from Barclay Crenshaw, Flowdan and LSDREAM. Claude VonStroke will deliver a highly-anticipated set under his bass alias Barclay Crenshaw featuring Flowdan. The London-based grime MC and record producer Flowdan, who has collaborated with artists like Skrillex and Fred Again.., will also perform two sets, in addition to his performance with Barclay Crenshaw. LSDREAM will perform a special Lightcode set which is an immersive sonic healing experience featuring original music, guided meditations, and sound baths. Sol Fest will also feature daily waterpark parties hosted by singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer Two Feet, English drum & bass duo Chase & Status, as well as takeovers from CloZee’s Odyzey imprint and Dr. Fresch’s House Call Records.

The lineup for Sol Fest 2024 also boasts a wide array of talented support acts, including genre-blending keyboard/drummer duo Break Science, Atlanta electro-soul artist Daily Bread, a b2b between dubstep kings Dirt Monkey and Smoakland, bass experimentalist Eprom, boundary-pushing producer/guitarist Emancipator, a b2b between groundbreaking producers IMANU and Machinedrum, Denver-based electro-soul artist Manic Focus, drum n’ bass pioneer Netsky, heady bass master Opiuo, a wave music b2b between Skeler and Deadcrow, British producer/singer-songwriter Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs (DJ Set), sound design-oriented bass producer Yheti, and joyful bass queen Maddy O’Neal. 

In 2024, Sol Fest will host its event at a brand-new venue: Vortex Spring, the famed freshwater diving facility in Ponce De Leon, Florida. The 500+ acre recreational camping and dive park offers a tropical wonderland perfect for camping, snorkeling, scuba diving, and swimming. When attendees want a break from dancing, they can ride the waves down six epic water slides, relax on the beach beside palm trees, or float along the clear blue water spring, pumping out a refreshing 28 million gallons of water everyday. Other activities include underwater cave diving, tubing, canoeing, kayaking, and paddle boarding; the grounds also provide a dive shop and general store, where you can get scuba and snorkeling gear. 

The Vortex Spring campground will include shaded pine forest glamping and camping options, in addition to on-site showers, restrooms, and housing. There will also be shaded RV sites with 30/50 AMP hookups and a two-story VIP building with A/C and an indoor and outdoor balcony. 

The magic of Sol Fest is rounded out by Sol Sunday: the festival’s annual memorial segment that pays homage to their dear friend Quentin “Sol” Rupp, a passionate festival-goer who passed away at the age of 26. Sol Sunday includes, amongst other things, a special interactive sun lantern effigy burn and slideshow, where attendees can honor those in their own lives who have passed. The spirit of Sol Sunday reflects the ethos that Sol Fest has made its identity: an inclusive, close knit event that from top to bottom represents community, equality, and diversity - including for women and LGBTQ rights. 

Sol Fest will also feature live and digital art installations, murals, hologram water screen shows, therapeutic workshops such as breathwork, yoga, and sound healing, as well as other daytime activities and games such as Frick Frack Blackjack, Sonic Portal, disc golf, tie-dying, and body marbling - a list that further highlights the festival’s dedication to emotional and social wellness. Additionally, there will be 40+ food, merch, and craft vendors onsite. 

Sol Fest will offer a variety of ticketing and camping options. The standard 4-Day GA Ticket offers a 4-day festival pass with access to the waterslides, swimming, river float zone, and other festival amenities such as the on-site general store, tube rental shop, and daytime activities. 

4-Day VIP Ticket holders will have access to a VIP air-conditioned indoor lounge with exclusive VIP only secret sets, concierge & on-site restrooms, VIP viewing at the main stage, air conditioned restrooms, exclusive VIP bar, exclusive VIP entrance, a Sol Fest merch pack, and free showers. 

The 5-Day VIP+ Ticket holders get all of the above in addition to breakfast & lunch catering (Fri-Sun), exclusive VIP Lounge balcony access, daily drink tickets, water excursion discounts, and a free Wednesday Waterpark Early Arrival.

For car camping options, the Primitive GA Car Camping option includes (4) nights of camping in a 20x20 space, while the VIP Celestial Camping option includes a 20x20 space in a premium location next to the festival entrance, air-conditioned bathrooms, campground showers, and beauty bars and vendors.

For RV options, the Primitive RV Camping includes 20x 50 space but doesn't include power, water, or sewage, while the Power RV pass includes a 20x50 space with a power hookup. The Shaded Power/Water RV pass includes a 20x50 space in a shaded mossy oak and pine campground close to the festival entrance and swimming area, a picnic table area, and water and power hookups. 

For Glamping Packages, there is the VIP Glamping Package, which includes (2) VIP 4-day passes, (2) Wednesday early arrival passes, parking for 1 vehicle, and (4) nights in the pre-set bell tent which features a lock, bed with bedding, nightstand, storage, decor rug, and power supply. The Celestial Campground VIP+ Glamping Package includes all of the above, but upgraded to VIP+ passes with all the aforementioned VIP+ amenities. 

There is also a Group Camping option - a 4,000 sq foot area of prime camping space for 10 vehicles. 

The festival’s previous two renditions in 2022 and 2023 were hosted at Bama Slam Waterpark & Campground in New Brockton, Alabama. In 2023, the festival welcomed over 5,500 attendees from 48 states and 7+ countries. Previous editions have hosted a variety of electronic music acts primarily in the bass music genre including headliners Liquid Stranger, Zeds Dead, Mersiv, Manic Focus, Minnesota, Mr. Bill, and Yheti.