Red Bull Music Academy Returns, Application Deadline April 2

Red Bull Music Academy is a unique two week professional music education program that takes place in a different major city each year. This year it returns to New York for a session running from September 30 to November 2. It's for musicians 21 and over of any musicial background though it's pretty clear you'd have to have something strong and distinctive to make the cut. The deadline for application is April 2.

Red Bull Music Academy held its first session in Berlin in 1998 and has traveled the globe from Sao Paulo to Seattle.

The basic concept is that 2 groups of 30 each are chosen to create a diverse mix of participants though no exact formula is employed. Applicants fill out an "extensive questionnaire, ranging from nerd standards to personal to purely technical" and submit an audio CD that represents "where you're at right now" whether that means original tracks or dancefloor mixes.

The application can be downloaded from a link on the homepage and must be postmarked by April 2.

Applications are then considered by an "international group of producers, label heads, music journalists, and Academy couch team members" and each app is read by at least two members. They don't return your application material but Red Bull Music Academy does not retain any rights over submissions or over music created during the sessions. It's about creating a learning space rather than a farm league.

The sessions include daily visits from diverse guests as well as work with studio tutors. Activities include radio broadcasts, studio work, jam sessions and events in the city.

The list of past lecturers and participants shows they are really bringing a diverse group together. This program is clearly not for narrow-minded, genre-limited musicians who don't like to think about what they're doing.

Questions? Contact Red Bull Music Academy

Hypebot Features Writer Clyde Smith maintains his freelance writing hub at Flux Research and music industry resources at Music Biz Blogs. To suggest topics for Hypebot, contact: clyde(at)fluxresearch(dot)com.