We can certainly try though. We'd have to do the two stage plan
outlined in their letter to you. First we have to all enter the
Grammy's next year under other categories. Then the following year we
can request the new category. Will we have 30-50 releases to enter
for next year's awards?
Danny
--- In "Danny Meltzer"
<> wrote:
>
> Well their response is practical. How many nature soundscape [not
> including bird song guides] albums are commercially released each
> year? Very, very few. How many who release them would bother to go
> through the Grammy entry process? Even fewer. I'd bet not very close
> to the 30-50 they'd want to consider award winners from. If they have
> only 5 entries...they can't very well give an award from that.
>
> I am happy to support this endevour, but I can certainly see the point
> of view that says it's not really a valid award category. Remember,
> the Grammy's are 'commercial' awards given by an industry to itself to
> help promote their own products.
>
> Danny
>
>
> --- In Bernie Krause <chirp@> wrote:
> >
> > Here's the response, folks.
> >
> > Personally, I HATE New Age. Any thoughts how to answer?
> >
> > Bernie
> >
> > Begin forwarded message:
> >
> > > From: "Bill Freimuth" <BillF@>
> > > Date: December 6, 2007 2:14:10 PM PST
> > > To: "Bernie Krause" <chirp@>
> > > Subject: RE: New naturesound category question
> > >
> > > Hi Bernie,
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Interesting notions.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > As far as establishing a category for natural soundscape
> > > recordings, it=E2=80=99s not so much how many NARAS members are
affiliated
> > > with the field as how many entries we get that would be a better
> > > fit in that field (are an awkward fit in our current categories). =
> > > Generally, the folks who make such calls (our Awards & Nominations =
> > > Committee) require at least 25 such entries in one year before
> > > establishing the new category=E2=80"30-50 would be even better.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > I=E2=80=99m not aware of many of these entries being made in the curr=
ent
> > > year=E2=80=99s process. You may want to think of a strategy like thi=
s:
> > > encourage everyone you know who releases these recordings to enter =
> > > into the process for the 51st GRAMMY Awards. (The entry period is =
> > > late June-early September. Entries may be made by Recording
> > > Academy members or registered labels/media companies. Company
> > > registration is free and open from May-August through a link on
our
> > > website.) As you know, these recordings don=E2=80=99t really have a =
> > > proper genre home right now, though you may want to think about
> > > categories like Album of the Year, Best Engineered Album, Producer =
> > > of the Year, or maybe even New Age. Then you would have less of
an
> > > uphill battle in your pursuit the following year.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Of course, you=E2=80=99re welcome to make the proposal this year (due=
> > > March 15th) by filling out the attached form. Note, however,
that
> > > if a new category is rejected by A&N, then it may not be proposed =
> > > again for two years.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > I hope this helps. Give a call if you=E2=80=99d like to discuss.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > All the best,
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Bill
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Bill Freimuth
> > >
> > > Sr. Director, Awards
> > >
> > > National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, Inc.
> > >
> > > 3402 Pico Boulevard
> > >
> > > Santa Monica, CA 90405
> > >
> > > 310.581.8621
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > From: Bernie Krause
> > > Sent: Thursday, December 06, 2007 1:04 PM
> > > To: Bill Freimuth
> > > Subject: New naturesound category question
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Greetings Bill,
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > For many years, during my life as a professional musician (1963 - =
> > > 1991) I was a member of NARAS. In the early 1980s I got my PhD in =
> > > bioacoustics and began a new audio career recording soundscapes of =
> > > the natural world and have released over 40 titles in that
> > > category, alone. There are literally hundreds of fine, talented
> > > field recording artists now in the running who represent a growing =
> > > professional category yet to be recognized by the industry.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > In 1990 and several subsequent years, I submitted three different =
> > > proposals to the powers then at NARAS hoping to interest the
> > > Academy to include natural soundscape recordings (aka
environmental
> > > sound, nature sound, etc.) as a legit professional category, since =
> > > (1) it is a clearly established area of recording art, (2) it is a =
> > > science [bioacoustics], and (3) it represents a huge =E2=80" albeit
off
> > > the industry radar =E2=80" commercial success. At the time, we were =
> > > turned down for the reasons that there weren't enough
> > > representative members who knew either the difference between the =
> > > voice of a bird and a fish, or the difference between a well-
> > > recorded stereo field title and one that was otherwise. Despite my =
> > > sense that the NARAS authorities 17 years ago were selling their
> > > membership short, the response did not vary over time. Now, things =
> > > have changed and I'd like to give this one more shot.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > If we were able to produce enough members to justify a category,
> > > what, from your perspective (or that of the Board) would that
> > > number look like? Once part of the NARAS group what, then, would
be
> > > the next steps in the process?
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > All the best,
> > >
> > > Bernie Krause, PhD
> > >
> > > Wild Sanctuary
> > >
> > > POB 536
> > >
> > > Glen Ellen, CA 95442
> > >
> > > 707-996-6677
> > >
> > > http://www.wildsanctuary.com
> > >
> > > chirp@
> > >
> > > Google Earth zooms: Earth.WildSanctuary.com
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > =EF=BF=BC
> > Wild Sanctuary
> > POB 536
> > Glen Ellen, CA 95442
> > 707-996-6677
> > http://www.wildsanctuary.com
> > chirp@
> > Google Earth zooms: Earth.WildSanctuary.com
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
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