Northeast Regional Folk Alliance

Focus Music is partnering with NERFA to host a One-Day Mini-Conference at B'nai Israel Congregation in Rockville, Maryland, on Sunday, June 9, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Like last year's DC-area one-day mini-conference, this one is designed especially to give artists, presenters, DJs, agents and others engaged in the folk music scene a small taste of what takes place during our annual conference each fall. This one-day event will feature workshops, networking, and juried artist showcases.

The NERFA mini-conference will have two classroom periods, each featuring two concurrent workshops (scheduled not yet confirmed). Following lunch, the mini-conference will conclude with juried showcases featuring 10 acts -- each performing a 15-minute set.

The workshops:

Sing What You Mean/Mean What You Sing: Singer-songwriter Amy Speace leads a comprehensive performance workshop. Do you ever feel disconnected when performing your own song or are you unsure whether the song or the performance itself is connecting authentically to your audience? This workshop will deal with all aspects of the performance, from stagecraft to overcoming stage fright. Looking at singing as a natural extension of speaking, we'll put our songs and the “singing of them” under a microscope, illuminating the dramatic questions already written into the song and how to have a strong, connected performance without overacting. In the end, this will reinforce that we are singing what we mean, meaning what we sing, and finding new ways to allow the natural voice to express the lyric.

On the Griddle: Instant critique. Ever wonder how a radio music director decides which recording to add for airplay or why a presenter books one songwriter instead of another? Give us your latest CD with a post-it note indicating the cut you want evaluated. Choose carefully; we’ll only play the first 60 seconds of a tune and in rapid fire our panel of experts will put it in the inbox or reject it and tell why. Marked CDs will be collected at the beginning of the workshop and played in the order received. Only professionally manufactured CDs, please. Participants are given the option of revealing their names after the critique.  Panelists include venue bookers, radio DJs, musicians, and sound engineers.

Spotlight on the Blues : What makes the blues such a distinctive genre? What is the history of the east coast Piedmont blues, and how is it different from other styles such as Delta or Chicago blues? What role do the blues play in contemporary folk, and how can the blues influence singer-songwriters? Some of the local masters of the genre lead the conversation, including representation from the Archie Edwards Blues Heritage Foundation of DC. This workshop will include both discussion and musical demonstrations.

Making Connections:  Both folk musicians and venues have to connect with people long before the musician hits the stage. This workshop will explore effective (and ineffective) ways to connect in the folk scene, both online and in person. What are the most effective ways to use social networking sites? Is your Website putting your best foot forward? How should artists approach the venues where they want to play? More broadly, what are the best uses of performers' and venues' time and resources to connect with their prospective audience? Panelists provide useful tips about social media, Web design, getting an audience, and getting booked at large and small venues.

Registration forms and showcase applications may be found elsewhere on this website. More details on the Capital Area One-Day Mini Conference will be posted here and on our Facebook page as they become available.

NERFA is part of the larger Folk Alliance International, an association that aims to foster and promote multicultural, traditional and contemporary folk music, while strengthening and advancing organizational and individual initiatives in folk music and dance through education, networking, advocacy, and professional and field development.

For more information on the NERFA One Day in Maryland, contact Scott Moore at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

RISA Partners With NERFA to Host a One-Day Mini-Conference in Rhode Island on June 1, 2013

The Rhode Island Songwriters Association (RISA) is partnering with NERFA to host a NERFA One-Day Mini-Conference at the University of Rhode Island in Kingston on Saturday, June 1, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Like previous one-day mini-conferences, this one is designed especially to give artists, presenters, DJs, agents and others engaged in the folk music scene a small taste of what takes place during our annual conference each fall. This one-day event will feature workshops, networking, informal jams, and juried artist showcases.

Following a continental breakfast, networking, and opening remarks and introductions, two concurrent workshops on “Marketing Your Music” and “Using a Producer for Your Recording” will be offered from 10:30 a.m. -11:45 a.m. Lunch and opportunities for jamming and networking are slated from noon to 1 p.m., followed by three concurrent workshops on “Radio Airplay,” “Before You Record, Preparation” and “Toys for the Acoustic Musician” from 1-2:15 p.m. Then, after a short break, an “On the Griddle” instant critique session, like the ones that have proven to be quite popular at the annual NERFA conferences each November, is set for 2:30-3:45 p.m. “Mixing and Mastering” and “Toys for the Acoustic Musician” workshops will also take place concurrently. Following a 30-minute refreshment break, conference attendees will head into the theatre to enjoy juried showcases featuring 10 acts --each of which will perform a 15-minute set. The event will wrap up with closing remarks around 7 p.m.

NERFA’s board of directors is grateful to our friends and partners on the RISA board of directors, led by Chuck Williams, for organizing this mini-conference and to the University of Rhode Island for making its space available to us. We hope that attendees will find the learning, listening and performance opportunities to be both useful and enjoyable and that many will seize the chance to make and build on already existing connections and help our folk-acoustic community to grow and flourish.

Registration forms and showcase applications may be found elsewhere on this website. More details on the New England One-Day Mini Conference will be posted here and on our Facebook page as they become available.

NERFA is part of the larger Folk Alliance International, an association that aims to foster and promote multicultural, traditional and contemporary folk music, while strengthening and advancing organizational and individual initiatives in folk music and dance through education, networking, advocacy, and professional and field development.