Musical Chairs: May 4

Image: JoshGroban joins smoothfm

Embassy Music appoints Denise Sharp as CD

Music publishing licensing professional Denise Sharp has joined Embassy Music Publishing / Music Sales Australia as Creative Director. She will work alongside Adriana Bakovic to expand Music Sales and its local catalogues of Embassy and G. Schirmer. Rob Scott has left the company to focus on his own music publishing business Source Music.

Sharp began her career at Dirty Pool Agency (Cold Chisel, The Angels, Icehouse). She went on to spend the last two decades managing the Licensing Department of MCA Music Publishing, which morphed into Universal Music Publishing. Recently she launched her own boutique Music Licensing business, D-sharp Music.

Embassy/Music Sales Sydney-based Managing Director Jane English, says, “I’ve known Denise since her Dirty Pool days when I was the GM of Rondor Music, then publisher of Chisel’s Don Walker, Jimmy Barnes and Ian Moss.

“I have maintained enormous respect for Denise’s role in the Australian music industry ever since. She has reached the pinnacle of synchronisation licensing in this territory and I am over the moon she has agreed to work with me to build this company into a significant rights based company.”

Niki Koevska, Jules Natoli, host new music show

Australian Radio Network’s The Edge96.ONE has launched a new weekly show, Niki & Jules, hosted by Niki Koevska and Jules Natoli. Broadcast on Sundays from 5 pm (and streamed on iHeartRadio), it features the latest Australian and international releases to find the next big thing.

“We finally have an opportunity to play all of the music we want to play without any boundaries,” says Koevska, a daytime announcer and breakfast show producer for The Edge 96.ONE (in 2014 she was selected from 600 applications to land the on-air spot) and also co-hosts the iHeartRadio Countdown.

Adds Natoli, who previously worked at Channel [V] sourcing and curating thousands of hours of playlists, “It’s great to have a platform to feature artists we believe are going to be the next big thing. We’re not going to play anything we don’t love.”

New host for 98five’s drive show

New Zealand’s Jeziel Andersen began as the new Drive host at 98five Perth this week, replacing Christine Layton who now has an Albany-based role at ABC Great Southern’s mornings show.

Adelaide Festival CEO resigns

Adelaide Festival CEO of four years, Karen Bryant, has resigned her post, effective May 13. She is moving to Melbourne for family reasons. Bryant has worked in South Australia’s arts sector for 25 years. Before joining the festival, she was Associate Director and Programming Manager at the Adelaide Festival Centre.

“I have enjoyed my time with the Festival and worked with one of the most amazing and dedicated teams,” she said in an email to colleagues. Bryant leaves as core ticket sales for the festival were the highest for 13 years. But in February, the SA Government advised that it should expect a $1 million funding cut for the 2016-17 year.

Groban on smoothfm

Los Angeles singer songwriter Josh Groban will present To Mum With Love on Mother’s Day (Sunday May 8) from 10am, playlisting a mum-friendly show. Groban’s Stages Live album peaked at #2 on the ARIA chart and has gone gold.

Jason Pellegrino to head Google in ANZ

Jason Pellegrino is the new Managing Director of Google Australia and New Zealand. He has been with the company for seven years, most recently its Director of Asia Pacific Sales Operations and Strategy since 2014.

New role for Brian Lowe

Grant Broadcasters has appointed Brian Lowe as News Director at 2ST/Power FM in Nowra. Lowe was with 4BC Brisbane until last year. After that he went to the US as part of the Rugby League International Federation (RLIF) global broadcast team and covered the US region qualifying heats for RugbyLeaguePlanet.com.

Entertainment One Music announces international role

Canadian-based global film and TV production company Entertainment One which has offices in Australia and New Zealand – as well as the US, the UK, Ireland, Spain, the Benelux, France, Germany, Scandinavia, and South Africa – is expanding its international activity and its music rights catalogue which currently has 45,000 tracks.

It has appointed Meg Symsyk to the newly-created role of Vice President, International Marketing & Management. Symsyk, one time Universal Music Canada marketing executive, has been the past eight years in artist management at Toronto’s SRO Management/Anthem Entertainment Group managing Australian-born Brody Dalle and handling global media for the powerhouse trio Rush.

In her new role, Symsyk will oversee artist brand marketing efforts on a global basis for eOne Music, whose various labels have The Game and Michelle Williams. This year it acquired Americana label Dualtone Records (The Lumineers) and Canada’s Last Gang empire (MSTRKRFT, Death From Above 1979).

Les Perrin leaves radio for politics

1041 Territory FM Darwin breakfast presenter and Content Manager Les Perrin is now a Ministerial Communications Adviser remaining based in the NT capital.

Universal Music UK to push its acts internationally

To promote its UK signings across its 60 global affiliates, Universal Music UK has created a new role of EVP, Head of International. Filling the job is Brian Celler, a veteran of international marketing and artist management who as MD of Principle/Maverick Management, worked closely with U2 for seven years. Universal UK acts with global presence include Sam Smith, Ellie Goulding, Mumford & Sons, 5 Seconds Of Summer, Florence + The Machine, Lana Del Rey and Years & Years.

From Boom to hill

Ophelia Standley Thompson, who was Program Director and Drive host on North Metropolitans (Leederville)’s college station Boom Radio, now has a commercial gig with an on-air and production role 2BH and Hill FM in Broken Hill. Thompson is the daughter of country performer Justin Standley but one of her previous roles was to host a heavy rock show.

SBS appoints Community Engagement Manager

SBS Radio appointed Dr Eman Sharobeem to Community Engagement Manager to expand the network’s cultural inclusion and fostering stronger ties with various communities. Egyptian born Sharobeem was CEO of the Immigrant Women’s Health Service and has held various posts with the United Nations.

Claire Askew promoted

Bauer Media promoted Cosmopolitan Deputy Editor of two years, Claire Askew, to Editor, replacing Bronwyn McCahon who exited in February.

BMI ups Frost

Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI) promoted Jessica Frost to the newly expand role of Executive Director of Industry Relations, based in Nashville.

Finding the target

Former CEO of Target Australia Dene Rogers has joined American electronics chain RadioShack as President and CEO.

New directors for MTC

Melbourne Theatre Company’s appointments for directors for 2017 are current Sydney Theatre Company Resident Director, Sarah Goodes, and Helpmanns-winning leading freelance director Dean Bryant.

Select loses MD

UK-based classical music distributor Select Music’s MD Anthony Anderson is leaving after serving in the role since 1997.