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Inaugural edition of DJ Mag Middle East Music Conference 2020 Announced

Over 50 industry experts and artists will converge at Abu Dhabi to present talks, workshops and more for the inaugural event

Words: KEVIN KANG

DJ Mag Middle East announced its round of programming, label partners, and more for its inaugural edition of DJ Mag Middle East Conference, which will take place at Abu Dhabi in March 2020. The event will span across two days during Abu Dhabi Music Week and its premiere event, Ultra Abu Dhabi.

According to the freshly launched regional arm of UK electronic music publication DJ Mag, the conference will center on the theme of “the electronic music scene on the Middle East” and feature over 50 industry experts and artists who will present talks, workshops, and Q&A sessions, with the focus of providing the attendees with crucial insight into the prospects of the industry in the region. DJ Mag Middle East’s programing will offer diverse opportunities for aspiring musicians, promoters, and newcomers seeking to discover more about the industry.

For details of the program, see below.

 

Program Overview

Spread out across two days and joined by over 50 top-notch industry experts and artists from around the world, DJ Mag Middle East Conference will feature 8 sessions from industry panels, 2 masterclass sessions, 4 tech sessions, 4 demo drop sessions, and 2 networking sessions.

 

Industry Panels

Keynote: Understanding The Middle East Dance Music Eco-system (Day1)

DJ Mag Middle East Music Conference welcomes all attendees to the inaugural edition. The keynote will feature an opening speech by a key figure in the industry, and influential experts in the region will explain the key facts about the music scene in the Middle East.

 

It’s All About The Music: Knowing What’s Hot In the Middle East (Day1)

The Middle East might be the next big market in the realm of dance music. With bigger festivals like Ultra Abu Dhabi coming its way, more and more people are now interested in the region. If you want to break it into the market and take a piece of the action, you need to know what works and what doesn’t. We talk about the music scene in the Middle East – the past and present – and what to expect in the future of this growing scene.

 

The Golden Plan Behind The World’s Best Clubs (Day1)

What are the key ingredients of a great club? Would having the best sound system and production be all? What about the programming? The resident DJs? The sales team? DJ Mag Middle East invites some of the key individuals who have done their part to achieve greatness and ask them to share their experience as a nightlife expert.

 

The Dance Music Industry Now And Its Roots (Day1)

History might not have been your favorite subject to study at school, but this just might be the best lesson you will enjoy during our conference. The conference covers the history of dance music, how it has evolved since the early raving days, and how the legendary players in the scene came to. Seasoned gurus from the dance music scene describe what it was like back in the days and share their perspectives on the modern musical landscape.

 

So, You’re An Artist? (Day2)

We see many young aspiring producers and DJs trying to make it to the top. However, pursuing your career as a professional musician offers you quite the challenge. It’s not just about talent, but also understanding the industry, marketing and promotion, and even sometimes knowing the right people. DJ Mag Middle East Music Conference sheds light on the behind the scenes of making it as an artist and how to kickstart your career in the first place.

 

What We’re Listening To Now (Day2)

Did you ever wonder what other people listen to? Especially the people who run the most influential music labels in the world? We take a sneak peek into their playlists, find out what their guilty pleasure song is, and ask what kind of sound they’re looking for when signing a track to their label.

 

The Perfect Show: How Agents And Promoters Work To Make The Best Shows (Day2)

In the ever-changing dance music scene, the basics to making a good show never change. Or does it? The conference will ask some of the most respected agents and promoters what they think is vital in making a good show, and what makes a good show the best show that they look forward to in the future.

 

Rhythm Is Everything: Techno Is Taking Over The World (Day2)

Carl Cox, Charlotte De Witte, Amelie Lens, Richie Hawtin, Adam Beyer, Solomun, Dubfire, Nic Fanciulli, and the list goes on. Judging from their tour dates, it seems the whole world is currently in love with techno. Despite the global EDM-phenomenon that has swept the festival and club scene for the past decade, the techno scene has still been going strong and now even stronger than ever. The renowned artists and individuals from the scene guide us through the current techno landscape, and discuss their views on why the techno craze is a thing.

 

Masterclass & Tech. Sessions

Tech Session 1: Setting Up Your Studio (Day1)

A Technical master introduces different speakers, soundcards, and other various producing hardware.

 

Tech Session 2: DJ-ing Equipment (Day1)

A Technical master introduces different mixers and DJ-ing equipment.

 

Tech Session 3: Setting Up Your Studio (Day2)

A Technical master introduces basic producing softwares and explains the significant traits.

 

Tech Session 4: The Future Is Now (Day2)

This session will focus on creative ideas on music performance, technology and creative practice. How technology can be used to create hybrid DJ and Live performances utilizing equipment from both the DJ and production world.

 

Masterclass

A renowned DJ/Producer artist explains how a good track is made and what young producers should work on.

 

Networking & Demo Drop

Demo Drop

Major music and recording labels will have separate booths to listen to local artists’ productions and provide feedback on their work.

 

Networking Session

DJ Mag Middle East will host networking sessions after the conference on each day. The attendees of the conference can also interact with the panelists and other industry experts, which would help them to connect with their counterparts from different parts of the world.

 

Record Labels

To help and inspire the young aspiring artists, DJ Mag Middle East will be working with various well-known music and record labels including the likes of Spinnin’ Records, Armada Music, STMPD RCRDS, Protocol Recordings, and Barong Family. Hosting in collaboration with these labels, there will be demo drop sessions where the local producers and artists can present their tracks or productions and get feedback from the professional A&R managers.

 

To find out more about DJ Mag Middle East and Music Conference 2020, please visit djmagmeconference.com.