After the success of CFRC’s Airwave YGK DJ Artists-in-Residence Program last school year, CFRC 101.9 FM is expanding its programming to young musicians through its Airwave YGK Musicians-In-Residence program.
The Airwave YGK Musicians In-Residence program will invite emerging musicians and bands to use the station’s studios for a two-to-three-day residency, where they can perform live on air with CFRC, have access to technical support and professional advice, undertake an artist interview, and promote upcoming releases. Residents will receive an honorarium of $400 for their work, funded by the City of Kingston and Kingston Arts Council. Applications open this month and are due on Sept. 30.
The goal of the new Airwave YGK Musicians in-Residence Program is to provide opportunities for musicians here on campus to perform for CFRC’s 29, 000 weekly listeners. This residency aims to help new musicians create their art, receive advice from local industry professionals, and form industry connections to kick off their musical careers.
CFRC has a mandate and capacity to play a variety of genres as opposed to solely the Top 40. This wide variety of music encourages the station to look for versatile musicians and bands who can play different genres, and who have a well thought out creative vision and proposal.
“Kingston’s serious lack of affordable rehearsal space that artists need to create new music is one of the reasons why CFRC wants to provide opportunities and help artists make their mark,” said Executive Director of CFRC, Dinah Jansen, ArtSci ’07, PhD ’15, in an interview with The Journal.
CFRC is looking for artists from all different musical backgrounds, who have well thought out creative visions to represent the radio’s diverse musical passion.
Queen’s students getting involved at the station and through the new residence program. Jansen herself began as a radio volunteer during her undergrad in 2005.
“Queen’s students make the magic happen every day on our airwaves at CFRC, because they too are members of our community. We want to see more representation on our airwaves, and hopefully at future gigs in local venues and festivals, from the wealth of talent within the Queen’s student population,” Jansen said in a statement to The Journal.
Jansen says selected musicians may have the opportunity to participate in a live broadcasted concert at The Broom Factory in Autumn 2025 sponsored by the Kingston Music Office, though not confirmed yet.
Students can apply to the residence program through the application page on CFRC’s website by submitting an audio submission, a brief artist bio, a creative proposal pitch, and a resume.
The atmosphere of CFRC is diverse and doesn’t commit to only one genre, one of its strengths as a station. CFRC encourages creative variety and new musical explorations to be brought to their airwaves, and the Kingston music scene.
The new Airwave YGK Musicians-in-Residence Program is a fantastic opportunity catered to student musicians at Queen’s University. It offers new bands or musicians the chance and space to create art in an environment with technical advice and resources. The residence will jumpstart some lucky students’ local music careers.
Tags
CFRC, Music, radio, residency, Student musicians
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