Aspiring DJs, producers and musicians hoping to attend the Red Bull Music Academy sessions in Toronto need to get their skates on for this year's event.

Now in its ninth year, the Academy offers successful applicants a two-week placement working with some of the music industries top producers. Previous locations for the ground-breaking sessions have been Seattle, Melbourne, Sao Paulo and Cape Town.

The idea is to bring together like-minded people with a diverse musical knowledge from around the globe in an exchange of ideas. Each year two groups of thirty participants are accepted into the Academy and are joined by a broad spectrum of music professionals each for a fortnight term. Topics cover everything from music history to technology, interspersed with the incredible and inspirational tales of the guest lectures. Workshops take place in fully equipped studios and in the evening participants play out their gigs in the best clubs around town.

And Birmingham will be hosting an 'Info Sessions' day this week to give hopefuls the opportunity to sample a typical day at the Academy.

The sessions, at the Custard Factory, in Digbeth, will feature workshops with a guest lecturer artist.

There's more details at http://www.redbullmusicacademy.com.

 Applications for the Toronto Academy, which takes place between September 23 and October 26, need to be received by May 4 and application forms are available from the same website.