International Forum of 2023 WMFT
Dear Music Lover,
How have you been? Following the conclusion of the 2023 World Music Festival @ Taiwan, what stands out as your most memorable experience? Today, we will review the inaugural international forums that marked the commencement of this extraordinary event - 'Going Beyond Borders,' featuring presentations by two of 2023 WMFT delegates, Fabio Scopino from Italy and Jung Hun Lee (Lee) from South Korea. If you haven’t heard their names before, please visit the Fabio’s / Lee’s interview.
Debut Forum at 2023 WMFT
At the beginning of the presentation, Lee discussed his diverse range of ventures. He serves as the Founder and Director of the Seoul Music Week, the Ulsan Jazz Festival, and holds the position of Artistic Director for the Gwangju Busking World Cup. Notably, he also holds the Presidency of GloMMnet.
And Lee’s long-term partner, Fabio, is the CEO, Co-Founder, and Director of Italian World Beat. Fabio holds several significant roles in the music industry, including Founder of three jazz clubs in Naples, Art Director, Event Manager, Artist Manager, Booking Agent, and Vice President of GloMMnet.
Fabio and Lee at 2023 WMFT
What is GloMMnet?
GloMMnet stands for 'Global Music Market Network,' a non-profit organization comprised of artists and curators from around the world. Its primary objective is to facilitate the exchange of artists and the sharing of festival experiences among its members, who are connected through a strong network. Furthermore, GloMMnet is dedicated to advocating for underrepresented musical cultures and genres, aiming to build and expand their audiences.
- Q&A Session for Lee -
How to get through the challenges?
When asked about the challenges, Lee mentioned that he is, indeed, an optimistic person who can always confront various difficulties with an open heart. These challenges include applying for industry subsidies, securing sufficient resources, and identifying suitable artists worldwide…etc.
However, none of these challenges can diminish his positive outlook on the music industry, even if he has encountered setbacks, such as using his car and other assets as collateral. These setbacks do not waver his unwavering dedication to the music industry.
How to create a co-production show that matches well?
Two months ago, two singers completed their debut co-production show at Seoul Music Week. One is Ohelen (KR), and the other is Leaf Yeh (TW). At 2023 WMFT, they’ve presented a full one-hour performance, and the audience was highly enthralled by it.
When asked about how this collaboration started, Peiti Huang, the Head Programmer of 2023 WMFT, mentioned that when she suggested Leaf, Lee immediately thought of Ohelen. It was almost magical how these two singers, with similar yet distinct voices, created such a successful collaboration.
Furthermore, Lee emphasized that a collaboration should be viewed as a long-term project rather than just a one-time show for a festival. His words reflect the vision of building a stable network.
“If artists want to have a collaboration, they should establish a deep connection on a spiritual or personal level first. This connection is believed to be essential for creating work that resonates with the audience.“ — Jung Hun Lee
Lee at Speed Meeting / 2023 WMFT
- Q&A Session for Fabio -
How to build connections and expand network?
Fabio and Lee have successfully collaborated on two remarkable co-production shows at the 2023 Seoul Music Week. When discussing the initiation of new projects or connections, Fabio remarked, "Before you establish a 'relationship,' you should first build a 'friendship.'" He also expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to participate in 2023 WMFT, highlighting the strong and supportive friendship between GloMMnet and 2023 WMFT.
Yet, maintaining a robust network is precisely what GloMMnet excels at. The organization's mission is to create the largest world music professional network, discovering talented young artists worldwide, providing them with resources, and helping them go global.
How do you unearth these talented artists?
"What we do is scout for passionate young artists from all corners of the world." Thanks to GloMMnet's strong connections, they've already catapulted several artists to stardom. One band managed to complete 50 concerts around the world within a year of promotion.
This marked Fabio's first visit to Taiwan, and he expressed his hope of discovering new stars in Taiwan and taking them to international stages.
“When facing the largest pop music market, we create a large network and join our forces, skills and experiences, and we help each other, then we can fight with them.“ — Fabio Scopino
Fabio at Speed Meeting / 2023 WMFT
With years of experience in booking, curating, and management, both Lee and Fabio have not only demonstrated a strong and amicable professional relationship but also share a common and unwavering commitment to the music business.
Furthermore, WMFT holds a membership within GloMMnet, and we eagerly anticipate fostering and observing additional collaborations between Taiwanese talents and global artists.