Abbey Road ‘Equalise’ festival returns for 5th year

22 February 2024 - Press release

FREE WORKSHOPS, RECORDING SESSIONS & MENTORING DESIGNED TO INFORM & INSPIRE YOUNG WOMEN EXPLORING A CAREER IN MUSIC

HELD AT ABBEY ROAD, PLUS FREE LIVE STREAM

GUESTS INCLUDE ENGLISH TEACHER, PICTURE PARLOUR, ANNE NIKITIN, JORDAN RAKEI, RESISTER 515, FIONA CRUICKSHANK & DANI BENNETT SPRAGG

Abbey Road Studios is proud to announce the return of its annual Abbey Road Equalise festival on Friday 8 March to coincide with International Women’s Day. This year’s programme includes a series of workshops, masterclasses and panel talks featuring leading female figures from across the music industry. The event is free to attend with tickets available via a ballot and will also be live streamed for free on Abbey Road’s YouTube channel and website.

Since its inception in early 2020, Abbey Road Equalise has been committed to raising awareness and understanding of production and engineering as a viable career path for underrepresented groups, recognising that less than 5% of producers and engineers are female. Over the last four years, Equalise has extended its remit to provide insight and advice across a wider set of careers in music, as well as special events and films to coincide with Pride and Trans Day of Visibility, furthering its mission to promote diversity.

The event includes headline talks with TV & film composer Anne Nikitin, engineers Fiona Cruickshank, Marcela Rada and Dani Bennett Spragg, and award-winning composer collective Resister 515.

New for 2024 is a set of special recording sessions with rising stars and Independent Venue Week ambassadors, English Teacher and Picture Parlour as part of the ongoing Abbey Road Lock-In series. Over three days, these unique workshops will allow aspiring female engineers to take part in a live recording session guided by Abbey Road’s female engineering team. Access is via online application with five places on offer each day.

Also new for 2024 is the Mentor Centre, a series of focused one-to-one career conversations with leading talent across the music industry, running throughout March. Access is via ballot, with options including GRAMMY-award nominated multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, producer, and songwriter Jordan Rakei, Rachel Holmberg (Director of A&R, Decca), Sally Davies (Managing Director, Abbey Road Studios), Ange Pattico (Chief People Officer, Universal Music UK), Sarah Henderson (Managing Director, Murray Chalmers PR), Dom Dronska (General Manager, Audiomovers), Fiona Gillott (Head of Studios, Abbey Road) and Lucy Launder (Head of Mastering, Abbey Road). There will be an additional competition to win a mentoring lunch with Emmy and Ivor Novello nominated composer Anne Nikitin and MPG Award winning producer Fiona Cruickshank.

Other highlights include:
Mixing Essentials: An essential session on the fundamentals of mixing with experts including acclaimed engineers Dani Bennett Spragg and Marcela Rada, with more to be announced

Behind the Console: Anne Nikitin & Fiona Cruickshank discuss The Moonwalkers:
Exclusive access to the creative minds of composer Anne Nikitin and multi award winning engineer Fiona Cruickshank as they dissect their collaboration with Tom Hanks on The Moonwalkers score, hosted by Composer Magazine’s Loren Sunderland.

Resister 515: Breaking Barriers & Building Paths:
Hosted by composer agent Emily Richardson, this session will explore the personal journeys and compelling experiences of Resiter 515 members including multi-platinum, award-winning songwriter Shelly McErlaine, composer and performer Charlotte Raven, music supervisor Hannah Charman and composer, musician, vocalist & producer Adina Nelu.

An Engineer’s Diary: A Day in the Life of A Female Engineer:
A panel of Abbey Road and external engineers provide an overview of a typical day in the studio and how to get started. Panel led by Hannah Fitzgerald from Abbey Road Institute.

Sally Davies, Managing Director at Abbey Road says: “Initiatives like Abbey Road Equalise hold immense significance for me. In an industry where representation matters, this event has always been a catalyst for change and paved the way for a more inclusive future. It’s important to me that we ensure that everyone, regardless of gender, ethnicity or background, has the chance to thrive and contribute their unique voice to the world of music production.”

Mark Robertson, Head of Brand & Communications at Abbey Road says: “Thanks to the participation of friends across the industry, Equalise gets bigger and more ambitious each year. And for 2024 we are expanding things with the addition of one-to-one mentoring and practical studio sessions with some of the brightest rising stars in British music. The real reward is witnessing the impact on our attendees, whether they’re learning new skills, connecting with their peers or capturing essential advice to elevate their craft and fuel their career.”

The full schedule for Abbey Road Equalise 2024 is here: www.abbeyroad.com/equalise