Monday, July 6, 2009

Seeking Composers and Performers for new children’s DVD series

We are looking for songwriters and musicians who can write/perform jazz, blues, Hawaiian and Latin jazz styles. We are looking for upbeat original children’s songs. We are not looking for simple songs like “row row row your boat”. Because our program will be teaching specific words & concepts, you will be asked to use our lists of words to weave into your composition. For inspiration, we will provide you with some links to music types that we like & that have been used for similar projects. Please do not copy the music or the arrangements, it is only provided for reference & inspiration. Please read all the posts as we are attempting to provide you with as much information about the projects, our needs and your contributions as possible. You may contact us for questions. We will be happy to work with you through the whole composition process and provide feedback.

Compensation

Since we are small start-up company in the development of these new products, we will not be providing compensation at this time for the first round of songs composed/performed. However, if we like your style, you may be chosen to compose/perform the THEME SONG, for which you will be paid. If the product is successful and we move forward expanding our product line, you may also be asked to work on the new products and will be paid at that time on either a flat rate or a royalty basis. However, you (and your band) will be given full credit for the composition and performance of songs used on the DVDs. Additionally, once we have a collection of children's songs, we may also produce a sing-along CD, which you would be compensated for on either a flat rate or royalty basis. This opportunity is a resume builder with the possibility of future work (a chance to get in on the ground floor so to speak). But there are no guarantees.

About Us, Our Project & Your Contribution

Blossoming Little Minds is a small local company dedicated to providing quality educational products to babies and children. Our sister company, Lucid Publishing recently release The Complete Hawaiian Reef Fish Coloring Book, which is now being used as a textbook in classrooms around the state. We are now in the development stages of a children’s DVD series that will benefit mostly infants and toddlers but also children up to age 5. The DVDs will focus on sign language (so that infants can communicate before they develop speech) and other early language development and cognitive skills. We have found that some of the better educational children’s DVDs have incorporated complex upbeat jazzy, blues, latin beats and music that children can get up and move to or sing along with. No offense to Mozart, but we will have none of that. My child and many others won’t watch educational DVDs if they are boring. We want to engage children. So, we are looking for composers of original children’s songs that have more complex beats. We prefer jazz, latin jazz, jazzy rock and even some Hawaiian music. Our program will be teaching sets of words and their corresponding sign, so the composer will need to weave our word lists into the songs. We would also be willing to hear new arrangements of children’s songs like, “Happy and you Know it” and others. If you are sincerely interested in contributing, you may contact us for the word lists from which you may choose any or all sets to compose you songs. Certain word sets may dictate the music style, for example, jungle animals may be better with a calypso, Latin, Carribbean, or African beat, "my day at the beach" may lend itself to Hawaiian style music.

By contributing to this project, you will potentially be helping thousands of children build better bonds with their families, you will be helping to empower babies with the gift of communication, you will be helping to reduce illiteracy and you will be providing help to children with and without learning disabilities that may otherwise spend many years of their lives frustrated with trying to communicate and trying to learn through avenues that aren’t working. Our focus is on helping kids. We hope to inspire you to do the same. To learn a little more about baby sign language, please visit our website www.blossominglittleminds.com