Workshop Presenters

Amy Eligh
After graduating from the MIA program at Fanshawe College, Amy started working in copyright and royalties at Casablanca Media Publishing. After a couple years learning the administration side of publishing Amy moved into the creative side and started pitching for film, TV and media in both the US and Canada. Amy works directly with Casablanca Media’s domestic roster to further develop their careers.

Barbara Sedun
EMI Music Publishing has been the home of Barbara Sedun for close to 20 years. She feels fortunate to work with the best songwriters in the world, alongside fellow staff members on a worldwide basis who have been, for the large part, working for EMI as long as she has. She helps represent arguably the largest catalogue of songs in the world and categorically, the best. A lifelong music fan, Barbara still gets a rush hearing a hit song for the first time and loves to spend her spare time seeing live music or hearing new songs in the studio. A strong believer in artist development, she is proud to have worked with Canada’s premiere songwriters including: Three Days Grace, Billy Talent, MOIST, City and Colour, Alexisonfire, LEN, Matthew Good Band, Gavin Brown and Esthero, to name but a few.

Dan Hill
How does one describe the creative force driving Dan Hill? Nominated for a Grammy for Best Male Vocal, winner of a Grammy (as co-producer of “Seduces Me” on Celine Dion’s 30 plus million-selling “Falling Into You” album), winner of five Juno Awards and the Harold Moon Award (Canadian Lifetime Songwriting Achievement Award), Dan has recorded and released multiple gold and platinum albums. His classic hits, such as “Sometimes When We Touch” (closing in on 5 million spins in America alone, and covered by hundreds of artists around the world), “Can’t We Try” (#1 Billboard AC Record of the Year), and “Never Thought (That I could Love)”, another #1 AC record, all remain staples of AC radio stations around the world. Dan has also enjoyed consistent success as a ‘behind the scenes’ songwriter, his compositions recorded by so many artists spanning so many musical genres that it’s, well, incredible. Pop singers Celine Dion, Britney Spears, 98 Degrees, The Backstreet Boys, Rod Stewart, Donny Osmond, Jennifer Rush and Michael Bolton, R&B singers Tina Turner, George Benson, and Jeffrey Osborne and country singers Tammy Wynette, Sammy Kershaw, Mark Wills, Reba, Alan Jackson, and Lorrie Morgan, to name a select few. www.danhill.com

Jodie Ferneyhough
As Managing Director for Universal Music Publishing Group Jodie was instrumental in the careers of Sam Roberts, K-OS, Mobile, Hedley, Stephan Moccio and Alex Cuba. He also worked with established Canadian superstars Tom Cochrane, Jann Arden, Shania Twain, Daniel Lavoie and Avril Lavigne. His artists have been nominated for or were awarded accolades from the Juno Awards, East Coast Music Awards, SOCAN Awards, Country Music Awards, Much Music Video Awards, Grammy Awards and Latin Grammy Awards. Jodie was responsible for the amalgamation of BMG Music Publishing Canada to UMPG Canada, and was instrumental in implementing a synchronization department into the Canadian UMPG offices.
Before joining UMPG Jodie was the General Manager for peermusic Canada.
Jodie is President of the Canadian Music Publishers Association (CMPA), where he is active in lobbying, copyright reform and media relations. He sits on the Board of Directors of SOCAN and the CMRRA. He was named Canadian Music Publisher of the Year three out of four years at the annual CCMA awards, as well as Publisher of the Year at the annual CMW Industry Awards. He is a founding patron to the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame and is the co-founder of the Unison Benevolent Fund. He has established the CCS Rights Management Company based in Toronto and continues to work for copyright reform.

Mary Simon
Mary Simon is the Canadian Radio Star Coordinator overseeing the New Songwriters Workshops. As well as an accomplished singer-songwriter, Mary has recorded three CD’s of original music and has been composing music for the past 12 years. As a past winner herself, of the Radio Star National Songwriting Competition, she has also toured across Canada and throughout the United States several times. Mary has written songs which she has licensed to ABC and the Lifetime Network.  Currently a consultant with Canadian Music Week, with both artistic and business-related experience, Mary brings great insight into the indie-artist realm. www.marysimon.com <http://www.marysimon.com>

Ralph Murphy
Ralph Murphy is the author of Murphy’s Laws of Songwriting (murphyslawsofsongwriting.com). He is a past president of the Nashville Songwriters Association, former Nashville chapter president and former national trustee of the Recording Academy (NARAS). He had his first hit in 1966 (“Call My Name”—James Royal) and has had chart success for five decades, the most recent being Cliff Richard’s No. 2 Christmas single in 2007 in England. He has produced platinum albums and written not only pop hits but scored number ones with Crystal Gayle (“Half The Way”) and Ronnie Milsap (“He Got You”). His songs have been recorded by Randy Travis, Don Williams, Shania Twain, Kathy Mattea, Ray Price, Cliff Richard and many more. Ralph currently serves as Vice President International and Domestic Membership Group of ASCAP and guest lectures at universities, music industry conventions, and sister P.R.Os SOCAN (Canada), APRA (Australia), and IMRO (Ireland).

Rodney Murphy
Rodney Murphy is the Education and Outreach Manager for SOCAN - the Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada. He spends most of his time attending shows, seminars, and industry events providing member education and public speaking on behalf of SOCAN. He is based in Toronto, ON.

Prior to his current role at SOCAN, Rodney spent 5 years managing the catalogues and performance royalties of SOCAN’s highest earning Country, Rock and Pop members. In this role, Rodney ensured that all SOCAN revenue streams such as concert, radio, TV and foreign performances and earnings had been maximized and distributed.

Before joining SOCAN, Rodney worked for CKCU FM, Sony Music Canada and BBC Radio One in the UK. In 2005, Rodney completed his Master’s Degree in Communications and Media Studies, focusing on the meaning, identity and political economy of popular music culture. Rodney’s Master’s Thesis on “Britpop” continues to collect dust on his record shelf, wedged between his duplicate copy of Never Mind the Bollocks and Music from Big Pink.

Stephanie Falco
A SOCAN employee since 2003, Stéphanie Falco is an Education and Outreach Specialist whose main responsibilities include education, member relations and events coordinator for the Montreal office. She is often seen representing SOCAN in such events as record release parties, shows, contests and festivals. She gets to travel around the province of Quebec and in other cities in Canada to meet SOCAN members and music industry representatives. A record sales representative with Archambault Musique for many years, Stéphanie was responsible for the francophone music section and got to further her knowledge of the Quebec music scene and artists. She has a passion for all music genres and is a devotee of new talents.

Steve Wilkinson
Steve Wilkinson has enjoyed a number of major music business nominations and awards. From Grammy's to ACM and CMA's to CCMA's and Junos. Over 35 nominations and 15+ major music awards.Gold Albums and a successful TV show notwithstanding it has been songwriting that has been Steve's first love.Writing or co-writing over 600 songs he has had international hits with his songs, with a number finding their way into TV shows. He continues to write and produce and as of late enjoyed the opportunities to pass along some of what he has learned at music business seminars and writers retreats.
Dear friend, Ralph Murphy referred to Steve as a “lifer” meaning that he is a writer for life, “till they lay flowers over me”and Steve will always be grateful for the friendship and encouragement extended by Ralph and many others.
Perhaps a late bloomer but definitely a “lifer.”

Terry O'Brien
Terry O'Brien is the Education and Outreach Manager for the West Coast Division of SOCAN - the Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada. He is based in Vancouver, BC.

Terry has over 30 years experience in various sectors of the music industry. Prior to joining SOCAN in 2000, he was Vice President and General Manager of BMG Music Publishing Canada Inc.

Terry is also a former Directors of Music BC and is a composer, recording artist and performer of ambient soundscape music.