The kick-off meeting of the AEC-EJN 2024 Mentorship Programme, co-funded by the European Union, took place on 7th February in Odense, Denmark, in the frame of the AEC Pop and Jazz Platform (PJP) 2024 at the Syddansk Musikkonservatorium – Danish National Academy of Music, with all mentors and mentees meeting in person for the first time.
The Mentorship Programme is meant to serve as an introduction to the music industry for young female and non-binary jazz musicians who are starting to approach their careers, with the support and guidance of well-established female professionals as role models, and with the ultimate goal of strengthening gender equality and non-binary visibility within the sector. The programme has been developed jointly by the AEC – European Association of Conservatoires, ECSA – European Composer and Songwriter Alliance and EJN – European Jazz Network, under the ‘Supporting Female Artists’ initiative.
The meeting offered the opportunity for the mentors and mentees to meet each other and to discuss experiences and expectations, and for the AEC-EJN facilitators to present both networks, the objectives of the initiative as well as the mentorship toolkit that will be used as a basis for the one-on-one mentorship appointments. The agenda also included reflections in breakout groups and informal networking activities. After the initial meeting, mentors and mentees had the opportunity to attend the 3-day AEC Pop and Jazz Platform (PJP) conference in Odense as participants for free.
Mentors and mentees will start their online sessions on 1st March for a period of 6 months, concluding on 31st August 2024. A final networking event will take place in the frame of the AEC Annual Congress and General Assembly in November 2024 at the Conservatorio di Musica Giuseppe Verdi in Milan, Italy, where all mentors and mentees engaged in the two Mentorship Programmes (ECSA-AEC 2023; EJN-AEC 2024) will be able to disseminate the results of the programme, share their experiences, and will receive a certificate.
Throwback to the ECSA-AEC 2023 Mentorship Programme
The ECSA-AEC 2023 Mentorship Programme concluded last year, with mentors and mentees submitting their evaluation forms. Most mentors and mentees will meet the participants of the EJN-AEC 2024 Mentorship Programme at the dissemination event later this year and will be able to jointly deliver a session in order to share their experiences and encourage future mentors and mentees to apply for this programme.
They will also have the opportunity to reflect on how this programme has helped them develop the skills and knowledge needed to take on larger roles and more challenges in their careers.
Read some testimonies from mentors and mentees of the ECSA-AEC 2023 Mentorship Programme:
“I think this has been an excellent way to network and support young composers. It was especially important to meet face to face, share ideas and get to know other mentees and mentors. I´ve also been excited by the diverse mentees (pop artists, songwriters, film composers, etc.). Looks like in every country composers face similar challenges, challenging to get work opportunities.”
Aija Puurtinen, Finland (mentor)
“I found it to be very rewarding, I hope that my experiences helped Lia (mentee). I had just given birth when our mentorship began which took some navigating but I tried my best to give Lia all of the guidance she needed. We had 1-hour sessions where I would give her advice. I talked to Lia about the importance of the business aspect of music – looking after your own finances and having a basic understanding of contracts.”
Rebecca Ferguson, UK (mentor)
“I learned a lot about how my music sounds to another person. As well as all of the things you can think about when finding your niche and learning how to brand your music (like researching artists in a similar genre, thinking about the look and feel of your socials etc.). A very useful part of the meeting was actually spent discussing what my music sounds like to Jill and what she would describe it as. It’s rare to get to discuss my music from this outside perspective.”
Wike Schippers, The Netherlands (mentee)
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For more information about this year’s EJN-AEC Mentorship Programme, please do not hesitate to contact Francesca Cerretani, EJN Event and Office Manager at francesca@europejazz.net or Alfonso Guerra, AEC Membership and Finance Coordinator at alfonsoguerra@aec-music.eu. Stay tuned for more mentorship opportunities coming up soon!
