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Value of the band critique

January 25, 2017 by youngperf


Everyone benefits from critiques, but not enough artists receive them. The Young Performers Club show competitors top input from our showcase series is that they want to receive both live and written performance critiques. We have provided written critiques from the judging panel in a few of our showcases, but the hardest part is that we sometimes get asked questions on specific comments which we can’t answer since we were not involved in the judging process. Setting up a consistent critique structure is highly recommended.
Many performers receive feedback from their teachers, family and industry professionals, but they don’t as often receive feedback from their own band members or peer musicians.

In a coaching session with a band in our development program, Catching Arrows, the national touring band, The House on Cliff, commented on how important their critique sessions are to the development and success of the band. They will review band footage after their shows and openly discuss weaknesses, strengths and opportunities for improvement. Many times they were unaware of the observations made, so they feel seeing the performance footage is super helpful. The videos also provide them information on the crowd’s engagement and interaction with the band and their music.

The Catching Arrows Band has set up a collaborative practice with another peer band, Far Reach, for the purpose of doing a stage presence clinic and critiquing each other’s performances. This is an easy session to set up, and it can prove to be very beneficial for all participants.

Critiques don’t always need to focus on the band’s weaknesses, but should also focus on the areas they are strong so they can make sure they incorporate those strengths into each and every gig.

What to look for in your critiques:

•Is the band having fun?
•Does the band look happy to be performing at the event?
•Do the band members connect and engage with the audience and fans?
•Do the band members see and look out at the audience or could they just as well be performing in a basement?
•Are the band members connecting with each other?
•Does the band use the stage space well?
•Is the band relating to the music and rhythm of the songs?
•Are there any recognized technical mistakes?
•Do the vocalists connect well on harmonies and with their stage presence?
•Does the band look confident throughout their performance?
•Are the band members paying attention to each other so they are in sync?
•Does the band show their personalities?
•Are there too many unnecessary guitar or drum fills?
•Does the band feel the music?
•Is the set well balanced and does it keep everyone’s attention?
•Are the band dynamics recognizable?

Some of the most valuable feedback can come from your bandmates, and making this a routine exercise will strengthen the overall band relationships. It is exciting to see the band make progress, and the critiques will only contribute to the progress made. The critique process can also help band members demonstrate the respect they have for each other, and being open with each other will help the band be tighter both on and off the stage. Play hard and critique harder!

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Filed Under: Performance Tips & Updates

Band drama kills all the fun

January 19, 2017 by youngperf

The Young Performers Club receives calls from bands all over the country regarding band challenges that get in the way of band success. It is difficult to escape band drama completely, so there needs to be a system in place for managing it. Allowing discord to get out of control will most definitely take the fun out of the process and ultimately could result in the band members parting ways.

Below are some of the issues that can ignite band drama along with some suggested solutions.

  • Lack of commitment by all band members. When one band member is not serious and shows up late, and misses gigs and other important events, it impacts the whole band.
  • Parents exercising control over every move the band makes. It is difficult to get a consensus when you have 15 or so individuals involved. We recommend that the bands work out as much of the decisions on their own. This is great for social development and negotiating skills
  • Disagreement over song choices. Everyone wants their song choices to make the set list, but the set list is always evolving and with patience everyone will see their chosen songs performed live and make it on the set list. We suggest making a master set list and listing all the songs under consideration, along with a timeline for when they will be tested out with the band.
  • Lack of agreement on the practice schedule. If you have no consistent practice plan, you will see little progress made in the band’s development, so it is advisable the band establish a schedule for at least three months, so everyone understands the overall commitment and can plan their calendars accordingly.
  • Differences of opinion over performing covers versus originals, and how the time will be allocated to each. This is typically be a hot issue will all band members and it determines the type of band you want to be. Having a discussion on these plans before the band begins to practice is a good idea.
  • Jealousy when some band members get more stage time or attention than others. Sometimes this is driven by the specific role the band member has in the band. It is best to select songs that allow each band members to have the spotlight on specific songs.
  • Band members outside commitments. Many young musicians are in multiple bands so they need to prioritize their commitments. If a band member misses a gig due to having another gig with another band that will not be easily accepted by the bandmates. Knowing about these commitments early on will help, and having a backup plan in place is strongly recommended.
  • Parents being overly aggressive and booking events without discussing it with the band and parents who invite specific band members to do other music events without letting all band members know. This can cause major unrest and havoc within the band. Feeling left out can result in challenging relationship issues and uneasy emotions. When these cases evolve, the parents need to have a parent meeting so there are no lingering hard feelings.
  • Not being on the same page on gigs, financial commitments, training, song choices, recording, etc. Managing a band is similar to managing a corporation so you need an infrastructure in place for managing the process.

Having been in the management/development process with bands for over fourteen years, our number one recommendation has always been to address issues as they happen, and be consistent with parent meetings. Coda Sky has been managed for five years, and our newest band, Catching Arrows, has been together for seven months. These two bands have a great group of parents and the performers and parents all respect each other. Both bands operate by a detailed Communications Agreement which addresses day to day band management and future decision making processes.

The band members know when there is band drama, even if the parents try to keep it quiet. This causes silent stress and can get to the point where the band members don’t want to continue with the band. All it takes is for one parent or band member to make a comment about another member, and have it get back to the band. This creates trust issues, causes major insecurities and overall paranoia. Bands need to focus on the positives and let that energy drive the band forward.

Parent meetings and band member only meetings are critical to the band’s success. It provides a great forum for discussing the band’s progress and addressing any issues that could cause unneeded band drama.

It is about having fun, getting recognition, celebrating success and establishing powerful relationships. Band drama eats away at progress and stalls the band’s success. Avoiding drama will be challenging, and it requires focus and open communications every step of the way.

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Filed Under: Performance Tips & Updates

The All You Got Tour gives it all its got

January 16, 2017 by youngperf

“Youth musicians need greater exposure, and to be seen and heard loud and clear. These hard working young performers deserve much more support and attention than they are getting.”-Founding partners of All You Got Tour

Our performers, sponsors and All You Got Tour Team will give it all they’ve got to make the debut All You Got Tour tour a standout, one-of-a-kind entertainment extravaganza. We are empowering teens and young adults about the value of giving back to society. Being able to inspire and entertain thousands of young adults, benefits all who participate. Music education and participation is known to have positive effect on academic performance, sense of community, confidence and self-esteem. Collaboration with other artists and audiences, inspires creativity and emotional commitment.

Patty Duffey, President of the Young Performers Club, and Jackie LoGiudice, President of Next Generations Concerts, created the tour based on their dedication to showcase talented and hard-working 21 and under youth musicians to provide them unique opportunities to demonstrate their love of music and performing to engaging audiences. The tour shows will be a powerful mix of the arts along with influential speakers passionate about important social issues; anti-bullying and youth drug prevention.

The All You Got Tour’s name was inspired by the following tour objectives.

  • Motivate, inspire and educate young musicians
  • Present impressive high achieving musicians/artists to all types of audiences and events
  • Support music charities focused in the arts
  • Obtain sponsors to support young musicians participation in the tour
  • Expand awareness on important social issues facing our youth
  • Improve the visibility and opportunities in the young performer market
  • Change the future direction and resume content of every tour artist that participates
  • Provide artists supportive services to strengthen their brand
  • Make every artist feel like proud tour stars
  • Enhance communities with a diverse mix of the arts

Patty and Jackie recognize the ongoing struggle to locate quality performance opportunities for young musicians ages 21 and under. There are few all ages’ venues and most large festival stages are filled by older well-known artists. For almost ten years we have been calling venues, clubs and event managers to find performance spots for talented young performers, only to not be taken seriously or be told definitively “no, we don’t don’t do all ages shows”. With our mission to keep the performers motivated and happy, we have been fortunate to locate a few venues, that have welcomed our performers and provided them unique opportunities. Our universal love for music, passion for seeing young performers advance their careers, and commitment to showcase outstanding talent to our communities and give back to society, has gotten us excited to build the tour into a well sought after entertainment event.

Positive Message

Because the team at All You Got Tour understands the power of music combined with a captive audience, we are dedicated to present performances with a positive message. We build relationships with organizations that promote healthy lifestyle choices and educate on topics such as, addiction, bullying and positive support. We will be placing some speakers, artists and community leaders in between the sets of our youth bands. All the time is filled all the while embracing the opportunity to teach something. We only maintain sponsorship relationships with companies and products that are held high in moral standard.

The Tour’s Mission

  • Offer a successful youth music tour for 21 and under artists and bands that offers quality performance opportunities, career enhancement, artist development growth and exposure to important social issues.
  • Inspire, motivate and educate young artists and tour audiences by combining music and positive messages shared by community speakers and role models.
  • Offer a unique career changing experience for young performers, and inspire them to make healthy decisions by embracing the art of imagination and creativity.
  • Present spokespeople for anti-bullying, drug prevention and education, and healthy lifestyles. Tour artists will connect with their audience in a fun, positive way.

The All You Got Tour has many tour stops booked with new stops being added each week at camps, venues, festivals, schools and more. Tour performer auditions will take place in Boston in April 2017, and all genres are welcome. On March 19th the tour will have its Pre-Tour Kickoff Show at Breakaway in Danvers, MA. The show will include musicians, bands, singers, artists and special speakers.

We are confident everyone who sees our tour will recognize the power of the arts. This excitement will provide us great momentum and growing opportunities for young performers and artists.

We will give it all we’ve got to make the 2017 All You Got Tour an experience which will change the careers of young musicians and excite audiences with talent from musicians and artists that will give it all they’ve got to entertain audiences throughout New England and beyond.-Patty and Jackie

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Filed Under: Performance Tips & Updates

Why do a showcase or competition music event?

October 17, 2016 by youngperf

qualifier-finalists

We are asked all the time what the advantages are to participating in a showcase or competition event. Here are some of the reasons we feel you would benefit from the experience.

  • It helps you establish goals for your music development and performing.
  • It provides you confidence, as you will spend more time on the preparing the songs for the showcase than you otherwise would.
  • It helps expand your network of peer musicians which you can collaborate with.
  • It enables you to see and hear other musicians in your age group which can help generate ideas for new music endeavors.
  • It will motivate you to work harder on your music and overall performance
  • It will expose you to more people, potential fans and industry professionals.
  • It is a fun experience, and you will leave with new ideas for your music
  • It is a great addition to your resume as a “Finalist” or special award recipient in a showcase event.
  • It can open the door to new performance opportunities.
  • It is a huge accomplishment being selected for a showcase event given the high level of competitiveness.
  • It is helpful in getting your marketing and online platforms updated, as the application requests a review of a YouTube or Vimeo video, along with other information.
  • It provides you an opportunity to improve your performance and technical skills
  • It provides feedback based on your placement in the show, and on the judge’s comments and critiques.
  • It gets your name good visibility with all the PR that is done for the showcase.
  • It gives you an opportunity to invite friends and family that may not have many opportunities to see you performing live.

There are no risks in pursuing these opportunities. Many of our finalists started in showcases when they were only 12 years old, and many are still doing showcases today. It is a competitive application process, but we have many different types of shows and competitive events you can submit for. We encourage our finalists to contact us with any questions they have on how best to prepare for the showcase events. Many of our finalists are enjoying successful careers in music, and we love inviting them back to perform in our showcase events. At the next 21 and under Grand Finale Showcase on October 30th, the band, The House on Cliff, the 2014 Grand Finale winner, will be performing as the guest performer at the end of the showcase. The band has toured the country, opened for major artists, and has produced some amazing original music. Being able to see these successful artists performing is inspirational and can motivate you to work harder on your music and establish a committed pathway for success.

Keep your goals in focus every day, and do all that you can to build new confidence, originality, and technical proficiency in your music performances.

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Filed Under: Performance Tips & Updates

Artists who reciprocate are winners

September 30, 2016 by youngperf

reciprocate2

It is a surprise bonus when you receive a call from another performer or industry contact regarding a performance opportunity. These types of performances don’t require upfront marketing and negotiations, and are usually welcomed by all musicians that view gig opportunities as essential for career development and advancement. It is common for young performers to experience the challenges of finding quality performance opportunities. It requires cold calling, presentation of press kits, and negotiations on income and performance structure. As a result, each and every gig confirmed can require a significant time investment on the part of the band/performer. When performers see other performers headlining and participating in well-recognized events, they are often envious and hopeful they will find the same quality gigs themselves.

If you provide a performance opportunity to a fellow musician, you should expect the musician to reciprocate and invite you to perform at an event they are involved with. Additionally, sending a thank-you note and follow-up on how the gig went is respectful and demonstrates your appreciation. Do not make promises and say that you will invite the performer to do future events with you if you have no intention of following up. It is understood some performers are more active than others, so some have more opportunities available.

If you repeatedly invite the same group of musicians to your events, and they don’t reciprocate, it is a relationship that is one-sided. This behavior is self-serving and these situations should be avoided.

One summer the Young Performers Club band, Coda Sky, had a strong reciprocal relationship with the band As We Know It. We were invited to perform in several events they were involved with and we reciprocated by inviting them to many of our events. We shared the backline and As We Know It managed the sound. It was a win-win relationship that resulted in both bands being able to perform in some great summer gigs and events.

How can you best manage this process?

  • Being aware of what performers are active and keeping a journal of all performers who invite you to events.
  • Establishing a list of performers you work well with that you can contact when opportunities are presented.
  • Having a system in place for thanking the referring performer.
  • Being active and asking the gig contact if there is room for other performers.
  • Developing strong relationships with other performers and industry professionals.

Beyond inviting other performers to your events, you can also get involved in volunteering your services to industry professionals, as this is another great way to obtain exposure. Two young singer-songwriters from Boston, Cassie Wise and Amanda McCarthy, contact our organization before every show to see if they can help in any way. They have been stage managers, emcees, and guest performers at our showcase events. Establishing these relationships is helpful as it enables us to develop strong working relationships with performers and exposes them to great opportunities.

Performers who routinely accept new gig opportunities with no follow-up reciprocation may find themselves positioned further down the call list.

Reciprocal relationships with other musicians are valuable to your future success in the industry, and every relationship matters. Be a winner rather than a follower. Be an advocate for your fellow musicians rather than a stranger.

 

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Filed Under: Performance Tips & Updates, Uncategorized

Young Performers Club new band program

September 23, 2016 by youngperf

little-big-shots1

We have developed an exciting new tiered band program for young talented performers ages 11-13 years old. The most challenging issue in working with young performers is finding dates that work for everyone for practices and gigs due to busy family, social and school schedules. Due to these conflicts, bands can miss out on quality performance opportunities, as having one member not able to make it to events, could result in the cancellation of some great gigs. This can cause band breakups and other relationship issues. With a mission to avoid these conflicts, the Young Performers Club has structured a new program with a unique concept which will have specific band tiers. Tier 1 will be the core band group of permanent band members, and Tier 2 will be the understudy performers who will be involved when band members can’t make specific gigs. The band currently has four committed Tier 1 members with plans to add the Tier 2 performers in the near future. Over the coming weeks the band name will be announced. The genre will initially be a combination of classic rock, old school rock and pop. The Tier 1 band members were all selected by the Young Performers Club based on video and live performance review assessments. Their debut performance was as a headliner at the Little Big Shots of New England Showcase at the Seashell Stage at Hampton Beach, NH.

Immediately, we will be auditioning for a tier 1 keyboard player and will also hold an audition for the tier 2 musicians. This will provide a good entrance into live performing, will enhance resume development, and enable newer performers to network with other musicians with similar interests. The overall concept will be to provide excellent quality performance opportunities for all participants, and enable the band to be able to cover scheduling conflicts and perform in more quality gigs.

The Tier 2 performers commit will be as follows:

  • Performers will be responsible for learning a performance set list of approximately six songs.
  • Performers will be required to attend one practice each month and additional practices prior to a live performance
  • Performers’ financial responsibility will include paying a portion of the practice space, any required ticket sales for events participating in, and other gig related fees.
  • A management fee will be assessed which will cover the communications, band development, coaching fees and other fees associated with performance training and coaching.
  • Continued training with existing music coaches and teachers.

Program benefits are as follows.

  • The commitment is manageable and flexible
  • The performers gets exposed to new gigs
  • The performers expand their network of music industry contacts and peer contacts
  • The program is affordable
  • The program will be motivational and educational
  • The performers develop new peer relationships they can bond with
  • The performers have the opportunity to enhance their resume
  • Great exposure and PR

Please email duffey@musiconandup.com if you are interested in this exciting opportunity. Having managed young performers for over 12 years, we are confident this tiered structure will work effectively, and that all participants will benefit from their involvement.

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Filed Under: Artists

What is a stage parent?

September 13, 2016 by youngperf

stage-parent

What is a stage parent?

We hear the term “stage parent” every day. Usually it is in the following context:

  • That mom is a total stage parent!
  • Stay away from that performer. You won’t want to deal with the kid’s stage parents.
  • The kid’s stage parents think their kid is going to be the next Justin Bieber.
  • The kid’s stage parents think they can do everything on their own, and better than anyone else can.
  • The kid’s stage parents think their kid is going to make millions and get signed by a major label.
  • The kid’s stage parents don’t recognize the value you add to their kid’s artist development.
  • The kid’s stage parents put themselves and their young performer first more often than not, with little consideration or respect for others involved.

But what does the term “stage parent” really mean? Here is the Wikipedia definition.

“The mother will often drive her child to auditions, make sure he or she is on the set on time, etc. The term stage mother sometimes has a negative connotation, suggesting that the individual is prone to obnoxiously demanding special treatment for her child, or suggesting that the individual has placed inappropriate pressure on her child to succeed. Some believe that a ‘stage mom’ is vicariously living out her own dreams through her children.”

Every parent with a young musician is seriously involved in managing their child’s performance, practice, and engagement activities, so in this sense all parents are stage parents. There are, however, wide ranging classifications for stage parents with some considered accommodating and respectful, while others are considered high maintenance, burdensome, abusive, and self-serving. One entertainment lawyer indicated that she had to fly to LA for a parent meeting since the manager could not meet alone with the parents due to their obnoxious behavior. Another prominent artist management group out of NYC informed us they were dropping a young artist due to the fact the mother was a bully and outrageously abusive. The mother wouldn’t take “no” for an answer and expected the young performer to get booked with every interview or showcase presentation. In this case, she interfered with the management company so much that they couldn’t move in a positive direction. Nothing was considered acceptable and every gig booked required over a hundred pieces of correspondence. The scrutiny was on every level, from the smallest of details like photo cropping to the show production details. It required a team of managers to address all issues. With one issue, the mother saw a friend of the performer get her music on a local TV station, so the mother contacted us and demanded we have her child on the show that same day. This stage mom’s reputation carried with her and her young performer on both a regional and national level. Once the reputation is established, it is very difficult to reverse the damage. This young performer has not achieved the level of stardom they were after, but maybe once she is an adult and can work independently that will change.

In the Young Performer Showcase events, we have had parents push and swear at other parents in line waiting to get into shows, speak inappropriately to judges and show staff, and demonstrate poor sportsmanship openly by speaking unfavorably about other performers. It is shocking behavior that is not forgotten.

The stage parent stories continue on a daily basis and many are hard to hear. We hear from band parents across the country and, in some cases, have counseled them on the best way to manage tough situations. It is important to help anyone that is trying to help your child succeed. Being supportive, respectful, and realistic of the team you are working with will make it easier to achieve success. There are artists who simply are not contacted for gigs based on their parent’s reputations.

As Patricia Duffey, President of the Young Performers Club states, “managing a band is like managing a major corporation.” You have up to five sets of parents plus band members, and everyone has their own opinions and agendas. Arriving at a consensus on simple decisions can be a taxing and frustrating process. With twelve years’ experience in managing artists, we have experienced both highs and lows along the way with each and every decision requiring careful management. Bands break up because everyone wants to control and dominate the decision making and band development process. Below are some examples of this behavior.

  • Band member wants to make all the gig and practice decisions.
  • Band member feels he/she contributed the most to the project and deserves to be compensated more for it.
  • Band member feels he/she is above needing to practice and attend all band sessions.
  • Band members refuse to comply with management requests and are disrespectful in the process.
  • Band parent feels the gig is not big enough for the band to do.
  • Band members dominate decision making and don’t listen to other band member ideas and views.
  • Band parent feels their young performer is better and wants to move more aggressively.
  • Band member feels he/she can direct the band on the song choices and genre direction.
  • Band member’s ego takes over and his/her vision is not in alignment with the band.

Without a manager overseeing the band development process, emotions and relationship challenges can interfere with progress. Bands should work together, and all that they do should be a collaborative effort. Band agreements are helpful in defining the expectations, management process, and overall relationships of the band.

People will promise you stardom for their own financial benefit, but all opportunities need to be thoroughly researched. If a management company tells you your child will get signed with a record label if you leave the group you are with and join their new group, you better have an agreement executed. This scenario happened with a young artist we worked with years ago, and five years later the young artist is still not signed. This happens all the time and you need to be very cautious. A new band we formed five years ago had band members approached directly by industry contacts after just one gig. While this is exciting, your excitement needs to be tamed and proper research needs to be done.

The Young Performers Club works with amazing parents. Some advice to avoid being classified as a “stage parent” that people will not want to work with follows.

  • Be respectful and appreciative of each and every opportunity.
  • Be open-minded and listen to all opinions, plans and ideas.
  • Be helpful in any way you can, without interfering with committed plans.
  • Be supportive of all other artists and refrain from showing jealousy over another’s success.
  • Be considerate of all band members and others you engage with in the development of your young artist.
  • Be professional and mature, and avoid showing emotion over insignificant details.
  • Be low maintenance and well organized, having all important information maintained in an easy to find location.
  • Be careful to not verbally attack other artists or artist development professionals.
  • Be realistic and if the present situation is not meeting your expectations communicate your reasons directly to management. Gossiping with other sources versus providing direct feedback is very unprofessional and disrespectful.
  • Be open with your opinions, ideas, and suggestions for ways to support the band or young artist.
  • Be aware of the various artist management roles and don’t step on others’ toes.
  • Be interested and responsive to management and others involved in the development process.

Industry professionals work with challenges every day, but if they can avoid working with a confrontational and difficult to manage stage parent, they will pass on working with some outstanding talent. Talent is only part of the equation for achieving success in the music industry as parent manageability is just as important. Supporting the artist development team is key in maintaining positive momentum, and negative interference will only delay progress and stir up emotions. Time is valuable and needs to be used productively at all times.

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Filed Under: Uncategorized

Not responding to gig opportunities will be remembered

September 12, 2016 by youngperf

concert-1149805_1280

The Young Performers Club has been booking shows for almost ten years, and we continue to be stunned by the lack of seriousness and effort in responding to gig opportunities. Of the 700+ shows we have participated in, there have been commitment issues more frequently than not. It is better to respond you are not available than to not respond at all? People have taken the time to consider you for their show or event, so it is entirely disrespectful and unprofessional to ignore these calls and emails. Why is this important?

  • There are so many connections in this industry and you don’t know who is connected to who
  • You don’t know what other future opportunities this contact may have for you
  • By not responding, you drop down or get deleted on that contact’s prospective performer list
  • You create an unfavorable reputation for yourself as a performer and can appear as arrogant, unprofessional, uncommitted and not serious enough
  • You create the reputation you are already too busy so people will think twice before they call again
  • This type of behavior will not go unrecognized and will be remembered!

It takes minutes to provide a timely professional response either through text, email or leaving a message. An example follows:

Thank you for inviting us to perform at your event. We unfortunately have other commitments on that date, but would love to hear about other performance opportunities you may have in the near future. It sounds like an exciting event to be a part of. Thank you for your interest in having us perform, and we hope your event is successful.  I have provided my direct contact information for future reference.

Not showing up for commitments is behavior that is remembered. We have no shows or cancellations moments before show time at many of our competitive showcases, which is very disturbing since it is a spot another performer would have loved to have had.

We get calls frequently for performance opportunities, and contact the performers who we are confident will respond and follow through with their commitments. Many of the gigs are paid gigs and are gigs that will enhance your resume.

We recommend all performers respond within 24 hours, and preferably 12 hours of receiving a call on a performance opportunity. Showing your appreciation for each and every call is extremely important.

At the end of our recent showcase one band, came up and thanked me for doing the show and then all members shook my hand and showed how appreciative they were to have been a part of the event. Believe it or not, this is not a common occurrence. It really made the day that much more special knowing how much it meant to them to be a part of the showcase.

Every call you make, and text or email you send matter. Put some thought into them and say “thank you” any opportunity you get.

Once you get on the back of the list, you will have to battle your way back to the front of the list. Many artists, decline all unpaid gigs and so much as tell you they only do paid gigs. This is very narrow thinking as some of the biggest gigs you can do can be unpaid. Those types of gigs can have a significant impact on your resume and could result in other referral opportunities.

Don’t be one of the “he/she is hard to get a hold of” type performers! How you manage your engagement opportunities is as important as your talent itself.

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Filed Under: Performance Tips & Updates

Young artist won’t quit on his dream to make it

March 7, 2016 by youngperf

skyler photo

It all started with songwriting for this talented young performer, and it was well before he knew how to read a note. Skyler Clark-Hamel, known as “Skyler” to his fans and friends, has been writing music since he was just five years old. He credits his mom for his passion for music after introducing him to the Beatles when they were driving around in the family station wagon when he was in grade school. “I was a total fan, and I loved watching a Hard Day’s Night and seeing all the screaming girls going berserk in Liverpool”, he stated. It looked like so much fun and at that young age he decided he wanted others to love his music the way the Beatles music was loved. Training on drums, guitar, bass and piano kept him busy through middle school. Since then Skyler has written over 100 songs, and produced several albums and EPs (Long Gone, Take You Away, Restless Heart, and One Voice).

He has worked with professional producers in Boston, LA and Nashville, and has also self-produced many albums. Skyler is a committed artist who won’t let obstacles and challenges interfere with his vision. After a year at Berklee College of Music, Skyler set out with his band to travel the country and perform and produce new music. Many times, he felt he had the right attitude and commitment from his bandmates, only to discover they were not on the same page and wanted something very different. One became a missionary, one couldn’t manage all the traveling and one wanted to be closer to home. It was so much tougher than he thought, and was a lot of starting and stopping. It was something he couldn’t control no matter how much confidence he had that the bandmates were in alignment. He soon realized the one thing he could control was himself.

After being in several bands, Skyler recently packed up his car and headed from his apartment in Concord, MA to Nashville. He will follow through with his commitments with his current bandmate in the duo, Skyler and the Brit, but at the same time will be focused on his solo career. Finding another artist that is aligned with his intentions is the top challenge, he explains. The duo is traveling the US performing at college shows which he said provide great financial security and national exposure. This month they will be in Washington, CA, OH and UT, and you can tell he just thrives on a busy gig calendar.

Skyler loves to tell a story with his music which captivates audiences. He has performed in many Young Performer Club events and has been a guest performer at our showcase competitions. What makes him unique is his natural audience connection and effortless smooth vocals. You feel like you are the only one in the audience and can feel his passion and love for performing. He is also a professional, following up right away on phone calls and emails as he knows every opportunity gets him one step closer to making it.

In 2014 he was awarded “Best Small Venue Artist” by Campus Activities Magazine. Whether solo or with his many bands, Skyler has performed over 500 shows in venues of all sizes and has shared the stage with the Goo Goo Dolls, The Band Perry, and Daughtry (to name a few). In 2012, he appeared on the X Factor, was the national spokesperson for Safe Teen Driving for the AllState Foundation, and had his song, “Stephanie,” used in a Supercuts commercial.

When asked what his advice to young performers is, he responded, “to be fearless and determined. You need to make sure you have the drive and that what you are doing with your music you really love. You will need to make compromises in life for your music so make sure you love it. Don’t try to fit into molds that don’t work for you. After making so many compromises it takes away the fun. So you need to focus on keeping it fun!”

Skyler feels you need to pay attention to being happy first and then success will follow. At first he had his priorities backwards he admits. He will continue to be fearless and learn through each engagement, music relationship, challenge and accomplishment. While he describes his past experiences with bandmate relationships as devastating, he now recognizes there are other positive directions to go in and that being dependent on himself will only continue to strengthen his quest to become a well-recognized career artist with screaming fans.

There are not many artists who can escape the challenges present in relationship dynamics, so stay focused on your mission and career goals, and keep your goals in clear view at all times.

Skyler’s website

 

 

 

 

 

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Filed Under: Artists

Top 10 advantages of participating in our Showcase competitions

March 7, 2016 by youngperf

qualifier-fullgrouupwinners

  • Meet another 30+ performers to learn from, and network and collaborate with
  • Meet and get exposed to industry professionals and accomplished VIP guest performers
  • Add performance awards and qualifier information to your resume, website and social media sites
  • Utilize the Young Performers Club as a reference for other opportunities
  • Helps to establish goals, and it is a motivational and career development experience
  • Obtain experience performing to a large crowd at a top quality venue
  • Get exposure for other performance opportunities (we contact finalists first for performance opportunities)
  • Winner will perform at the Young Performers Club  summer concert event and Beach Jam
  • Receive live performance critiques from industry VIPs
  • The venue is excellent for photos and videos, which helps boost your online exposure and image
  • Get to perform with other talented finalists who are serious about having a career in music
  • Perform with a top caliber sound system run by a professional sound engineer
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Filed Under: Performance Tips & Updates

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