Submit Songs Here
Submissions for Eventide’s New England Songwriting Competition will open on January 1st and will remain open through March 8, 2019!
Finalists will be notified by 8:00pm March 22, 2019.
*Winners will be notified and awarded their prize at the Showcase Contest.
All Finalists are invited and encouraged to perform at the Songfest Showcase Concert to be held on April 6, 2019 at the Cape Cod Community Media Center in Dennisport, MA. (please make sure you can attend before entering the contest) Sound will be provided, and nationally known bassist Jon Evans (jonevansmusic.com) and Jess Phaneuf will be our judges with Monica Rizzio hosting!
*You must be present to perform at the award’s ceremony to be eligible for prize money.
*Exceptions may be made on an individual basis by competition Director.
The songwriting entries are reviewed and judged by the songwriting merits alone. Production quality is not taken into consideration. We are looking for great songwriters, not great producers. A simple home or live recording of a song has the same chance of winning the songwriting contest as a professional recording has of winning. Many of the past winners have placed with simple vocal/guitar or vocal/piano recordings. Vocal ability is ‘not’ taken into consideration. Only the “songwriting” elements of the songs are considered when determining the winners.
Once all of the material is judged, there will be one winning song representing each of the categories. During the second round of judging, those top songs then compete against each other to determine the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and director’s choice place winners. It will be these winners who will be awarded the cash and prizes.
WMVY Choice (Jess Phaneuf) – opportunity to interview with Alison Hammond on mvyradio “Local MusiCafe” and the opportunity to play on “The Hot Seat” (go to WMVY studio and record an hour long program, with music of your choosing, to air on a Monday night at 9pm.)
Judge’s Choice (Jon Evans) – A day of recording at The Studio at Brick Hill with grammy nominated producer Jon Evans
Judge’s Choice (Sarah Swain) – opportunity to perform at Cape Cod Women’s Music Festival in May 2019 (*female songwriters only)
Director’s Choice (Monica Rizzio) – opportunity to perform at Vinegrass Music Festival in Sept/Oct, 2019.
Eventide Arts is a 501(c)3 independent organization that presents plays, concerts, lectures, and mixed media events to promote the understanding of social diversity, music, dance, and the art of playwriting and songwriting.
MEET OUR JUDGES AND DIRECTOR!
MONICA RIZZIO (Director) Every now and again you can pick up on the East Texas drawl in Monica Rizzio’s voice. Most people assume that she was raised in New England based on the melodic arrangements and harmonies she has produced as the former Tripping Lily front woman. She has left behind the acoustic, condenser mic style and has brought her East Texas roots up North for her debut album, fittingly named, “Washashore Cowgirl”. After leaving the band in 2013, she purchased a 1956 Martin O-18, named it Bo, and plugged in. Much of the album is like a stiff cocktail, deeply auto-biographical and mixed with a hint of fiction.
Monica has become one of the most reliable supporting acts as well, having shared the stage with Chris Botti, Boz Scaggs, Diana Krall, Joan Osborne, and Slaid Cleaves this past year. She has played the Main Stage at Strawberry Park Bluegrass festival the past two years and is a frequent collaborator with the Cape Cod Symphony Orchestra. In December of 2014, she performed as part of Tom Rush’s band at his annual show at Symphony Hall in Boston. She played fiddle, guitar, ukulele and sang backups as well as performing her originals “Luckier Than You” & “Willie Nelson” with Red Molly backing her up.
Rizzio is a founder and co-owner of the roots-based music school, West Bend Music, providing all-ages private instruction. In 2014 she founded and launched Vinegrass, a non-profit music production company, that raises money for scholarships, instruments, and grants through concerts and an annual roots-music festival. www.monicarizzio.com
JON EVANS (Judge) has been part of the bay area music scene since graduating from Berklee College of Music in 1991. Just coming off the Sarah McLachalan -Shine On Tour 2014, he has also recorded and toured with such notable performers as Tori Amos, Cher, Linda Perry, Third Eye Blind, Elton John, Vanessa Carleton, Paula Cole, and Alex Digrassi, he has established himself as a flexible and accomplished engineer/producer/arranger.
In winter 2000, Jon decided to build what is now San Pablo Recorders. From the ground up, it is an intimate space designed to make artist, local and national, feel focused. In 2012 he relocated his studio to Orleans, MA and continues to make records for a wide range of artists as well as compose music for national commercials, major video games and NPR. www.jonevansmusic.com
JESS PHANEUF (Judge)
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VINEGRASS ORGANIZATION (vinegrass.org) is a non-profit music company, that produces concerts, camps, and workshops, in order to raise money for our charitable mission. The mission is to provide scholarships to students pursuing Roots & Rhythm instruments in an accredited 4year music program. In addition to the scholarships, we will subsidize camps and instruments to younger students in need, and give an annual grant to an artist or band in the Rhythm & Roots genre.
Founded by Monica Rizzio (Frontwoman for the band Tripping Lily and Old Kings Highway) and her husband Pete Fasano in August of 2013, Vinegrass is a lifelong dream for Monica to give back to those who have helped her become a professional musician. Based on the shores of Cape Cod, Vinegrass is inviting the Roots & Rhythm world into our little mecca, full of artists, musicians, and fisherman.
CAPE COD WOMENS MUSIC FESTIVAL (capecodwomensmusicfestival.com) Proceeds from the Cape Cod Women’s Music Festival benefit the Cape Wellness Collaborative: A non-profit that connects people facing cancer with integrative therapies such as massage, nutritional counseling, reiki and energy work, acupuncture, yoga and chiropractic.
These therapies have been shown to go a long way in helping to reduce anxiety, provide comfort and improve the quality of life for those undergoing cancer treatment. The goal of the Collaborative is to make these services – and the wellness practitioners who provide them – more accessible to cancer patients in the local community.
WMVY RADIO (www.mvyradio.com) The mvyradio mission is to present new and well loved music in a distinctive sound, inspired by a love for Martha’s Vineyard and a worldwide community of uncommon enthusiasm for music artistry, intelligence, and independence. Drawn from rock, alternative, singer/songwriter, blues, and roots – their music is connected by substance and quality, accessibility and craftsmanship.
Reflections on 2018 Event
We had a full house and an amazing time Friday night at the Eventide Theatre Company Songwriters Winner’s Showcase held at the Cape Media Center!
Many thanks to Terry Duenas, Ivan Rambhadjan and all of the staff and volunteers at Cape Cod Media Center.
To our talented Director and Judges, Monica Rizzio, Jon Evans, Barbara Dacey & Sarah Swain.
The Eventide Board of Directors – for their donations of food & wine. Special mention to our Board Member Sue Martin for her involvement in the production of this event. Eldred’s, Truro Vineyards, Chapin’s, Main St. Muzic, Details, Harvest Gallery & Wine Bar, Chatham Filling Station, VERS, Mac’s Seafood, Optimist Cafe and The West End.
What a great year of songwriting! We had over 225 songs submitted this year, almost 100 in the Singer/Songwriter category alone! Thank you to everyone for making this such a success, and it continues to grow each year. Keep writing those songs and get ready for next year’s event!
Sue Martin
Eventide Songwriting Coordinator
2018 Grand Prize Winners:
1st Prize – Natalia Bonfini, “Before”
2nd Prize – Nadine Miller, “Where Her Heart Belongs”
3rd Prize – Kevin Hale, “Bless Your Soul”
Playlist with Performances from the Winner’s Showcase on Friday, April 6, 2018
