About SPONY

After 17 years in LA, Joy Novie moved back to New York looking for a fresh start and new opportunities.  In searching for a place to pitch her own songs, Novie found that while there were workshops, song critiques, and other community-based groups aplenty, there was no place where a mid-level professional who was looking for opportunities specifically created to get heard by industry players, could go.  And, she found that there were plenty of other songwriters in New York, at the same level, looking for the same thing.  So, in April 2007, SPONY was born.

The support from the Performing Rights Organizations (ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC), the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame, and other industry professionals was instrumental to SPONY’s success.  In fact, BMI hosted the event for the first year, ASCAP the second, and as of January, 2010, SESAC the third.  SPONY’s mission statement is to not only provide a pitching opportunity, but to pull together the local songwriting community so as to offer the potential for collaborations, shared experience, and to hear what others are writing.  And, SPONY has plenty of success stories to share in all of those areas.  “The number of songwriting teams and new friendships which have grown out of the monthly events is almost more important to me than the number of deals which have been signed,” says Novie.  “But don’t get me wrong,” she adds, “I LOVE those deals!”

The list of past panelists is extraordinarily in that it includes most of the industry movers and shakers located in New York.  Novie won’t deviate from the criteria that the panelists all be music executives whose job description includes looking for songs and/or songwriting talent.

Since the beginning, calls and emails have been coming in from all over the world with songwriters wishing to participate.  SPONYonline fills that gap by offering “EDU-Pitch” events – live-streamed, real-time, part seminar/workshop, part pitch events where everyone can participate from the comfort of their home, and interact with the panelists through Q&A, and the other writers through the Chat Room.

At a time when the music industry is an ever-changing landscape with traditional opportunities shrinking, and non-traditional ones growing, SPONY’s mission is to continue to provide songwriters with outlets to get heard, and venues to unite them.

(BTW, Novie still has no place to pitch her songs.  Considering it a conflict of interest, she never presents her own material.  “I’ve been in this business for more than 20 years.  I know the heartbreak and damage caused by scams and scam artists.  I won’t even come close to anything which might give rise to someone thinking that about me.”)