<p>I have been out of the loop for a few weeks…just wondered what your daughter decided on college?</p>
<p>My daughter found a record producer who is working with her to create a demo with original songs…They just started so it will be awhile but its GREAT for her! And of course she is performing every chance she gets.</p>
<p>Susan, it’s amazing how people perceive your user name - soviet, vietnamese, and so on. Did you EVER think it would cause confusion?</p>
<p>Angst, sorry to intrude on the question.</p>
<p>Angstridden, I wish I COULD say where she decided to go to college but no such luck. She has a long way to go. She applied to 8 schools and then has to audition at all 8 of them. We are in the midst of this audition process and they all are this winter and we are coming and going constantly. She has been to two so far, six to go (two more later this week). I don’t know that she will have a choice and it might just be who picks her. Each program has an acceptance rate of about 5% give or take one or two percent for some. So, it’s a jungle out there, lol. In April, I’ll let ya know. Fingers crossed. Daunting process. </p>
<p>Good luck on your D’s demo recording. And glad to hear she is continuing finding performance opportunities, as well as training. My D was just cast in another show. And so it continues. </p>
<p>Digmedia…the topic of the spelling of my user name here was discussed on another thread. My posting name SHOULD read SoozieVT. My husband made it up when I first got the internet in 1997 and I just could not think of anything right away. My name is Susan but my family calls me Susie (as do others from my childhood in Phila.) and my husband calls me Suzy, so that is the “Soozie” part of my posting name. VT stands for Vermont, the state I have lived in since 1981. However, when I registered for CC, for some reason, all the letters in my posting name came out as all lower case even though I entered it my usual way of SoozieVT. Thus, it reads quite differently and not as intended. I have seen many people spell it wrong and as their eye seems to see it when it says “soozievt”. Some see “viet” in it, like vietnamese (which I am not and in fact am Caucasian, Jewish!). Some see “vet” like vetenarian. Some see “soviet” like the Soviet Union…nyet. So, what can I say? The way CC shows it as soozievt is not really how I wish it appeared but yeah, I have realized now that people do not see it as SoozieVT like I had meant. Luckily, this is the least of my “problems” in life!</p>
<p>Susan, who is not a vet, not vietnamese, nor from the Soviet Union!</p>
<p>Is the show your daughter in local?</p>
<p>We are preparing a demo packet now and the work has been daunting. The good thing though is even though she is only a 10th grader they are allowing her to count it as her senior project. I will spare you the details on the demo packet…but it has taken hours and hours and hours and that does NOT include the actual demo CD…this is just the prep work…the photos, resume, business card etc.
But it looks really wonderful…so now we need the music!</p>
<p>And they are working on that…
Very involved I had no idea.</p>
<p>PS PLEASE LET US KNOW what your daughter decides…I am really interested as we have been following her progress. What did she tell Emerson?</p>
<p>Angst, well, it sounds like the “project” with your D is moving along. Having resumes and headshots and things like that are stuff we have had to have all along. My D does not have a promotional CD as you are doing though. She recorded a CD last year but as a project “in house” for a Music Technology class as our high school has a recording studio. The music dept. also puts out a CD and chose to include a cut off her demo onto their CD recently. But none of that is what you are doing to promote your child to get work. My child did nothing with her CD. </p>
<p>This past fall my D was in a regional musical theater production (with adults), then created/produced/directed a Broadway musical cabaret revue that is over (though this past weekend was asked at another venue to reprise an excerpt of that show) and now is cast in her high school musical which starts rehearsing today. Right now we are traveling to college auditions every other week though and have two later this week. </p>
<p>You asked what she told Emerson. She did not have to tell them anything. She was accepted to the college and would have until May 1 to make that decision as with any college. She is waiting to hear if she gets into their BFA program in Musical Theater. I suppose she could and would likely send some followup to them on that count but has not yet. We are in the midst of so many auditions. She has mentioned the idea of sending a CD or DVD to them regarding deferral on the BFA until they are done auditioning all kids (something like 1200 kids for 25 slots or so in BFA for MT and not sure number of slots for acting BFA). Right now, the focus is on the remaining six auditions. One requires bringing own CD accompaniment as they do not provide a live pianist and so she has to record that CD this week as well. And of course, on top of a heavy duty extracurricular involvement. There is never a dull moment, that is for sure. Let me know how the CD is going and what other performances your daughter has on tap. I still think your D should be thinking of looking into Berkelee for summer or college as a possibility. Ironically, my D will be performing at Berkelee later this winter as vocalist in her school’s jazz band at some competition thing there. </p>
<p>Susan</p>
<p>I never let her go with an agent. I talked to alot of folks about it and at the time did not feel it was the right option for our family. So shows and performances she did were all very low key and local and did not require head shots or resumes. Recently I did feel (since other daughter is off to college) that she could get an agent but the ones I chatted with wanted 5 year contracts. Since we are very close to having a demo I think its best we wait and see if we can get an agent with strong music contacts, instead of a general - modeling, acting, place. I dont want to lock her up for 5 years at this stage in the game. We will know so much more this summer, I think.</p>
<p>The photos we had taken were amazing…10 pages with tons and tons of tiny shots to sort through…zero in on the face…decide which is best…plus we did a composite of like 5 shots and it took hours…Then we spent hours designing the business cards etc.
But its all is coming together and looks great! </p>
<p>She has already told me that if she attends college she is going to New York or CA…and thats that. She feels that she will at least have opportunities to explore the cities and also possibly look for work. Since she does want to be a pop artist and truly is already trained as far as that profession goes…I am fine with those choices.
As far as Berklee…we thought about the summer program. I did read a book from one of the instructors there and was not impressed it was very dated even though its a current one! But of course it is probably a fantastic place but not what she wants.
My thoughts are she will spend the summer trying to do what she can with her demo and performing.
It should be ready by then, if not before…and the response she receives will help guide her future choices.</p>
<p>She has also given thought to early graduation…but our school system offers Advanced Music Studies for 11th and 12th graders and she has been told she will get in if she auditions…Even though its classically oriented…it would be good for her I think.</p>
<p>On the downside…she started guitar lessons and has not been practising much at all. Has to be reminded. She seems to enjoy it when she does.
I am not sure if I should encourage this activity or not. A musical instrument is great of course but I dont see her going places with it or I think she would be doing stuff with it now. Thoughts?</p>
<p>Angst, I don’t really have much thoughts/advice for you that I have not expressed in the past. Going into pop music is not anything I have had experience with. </p>
<p>Commenting on a few things you mentioned. Not all NYC agents require a five year contract. Are you talking agent or manager? You know this IS a difference. My daughter’s agent, a top one for youth in theater and related areas, does not require any contract to be represented. My daughter has been offered contracts by others, including managers in NYC, again a couple well regarded ones and these were not five year contracts. In any case, I am not sure how you are going to be promoting your daughter but I imagine it will be via an agent who will be submitting her demo to the powers that be in the music industry. </p>
<p>I know you said your daughter is “already trained” but training is an ongoing process. There is always more to learn and ways to improve. While my own daughter has been training for years in her area of the performing arts, I don’t considered her already trained. I consider her well trained for her age of 16 years but I do think she will benefit greatly from further study in a college professional degree program, though some make it in this field without that. She also wants (and we want) to be educated. Even after she graduates (she should only get in!), she will constantly have to continue training, I think. </p>
<p>I know you mentioned this Advanced Music Studies program at your HS and that sounds like a very good thing for your daughter. We do not have such a program in our school. And yes, classical voice training will help any singer’s technique. My daughter can sing classical but her passion lies in the musical theater repertoire and would not like to focus solely on classical. I don’t even know how she won a state scholarship award for classical given that is not her forte but she did. Her first love is musical theater. She also performs jazz. She enjoys performing contemporary music too. In fact, tonight in the car she was talking of wanting to put together a performance gig to do at a local venue where she would sing and accompany herself on piano and on guitar and some with a band, but not musical theater stuff. As if she does not have enough to do but she says she likes that stuff too. </p>
<p>That leads me to your question about the instruments. While my D did not learn her instruments for musical theater purposes, I must say that the fact that she plays instruments has been beneficial to her work in musical theater. She has a very solid background in music and it really helps in any kind of performing arts career. Cause of this, she can sight read music very well. Just last week, she was asked on the spot, no prior notice, to accompany on piano every student at their singing audition for the school musical (when they could sing ANY song they chose) and she did. This was not a first time doing such a thing, but it was a useful skill to have. Once she was asked to stand in as the pianist for the school choral concert when they did not have one hired at the last moment and she had to play the entire Les Mis medley and even had a solo in it and so she had to sing that from the piano at the same time. She can musically direct a musical as she did quite recently, writing all the harmonies, teaching the 27 songs she put together for the show. Sight reading comes in handy in other ways. At her recent UMich audition for musical theater, it was the only school that had a piano placement audition for BFA in MT, and she placed out of the requirements (if she only were to get INTO the program!) and would be in the fifth college course level, and this was due in part to the professor giving her more and more difficult music to sight read. The program is not to be a pianist but they value that all singers have the ability to play piano and to sight read and have a music theory background. I recall when she was cast in NYC once, that the audition involved being taught part of a musical opera score on the spot and then having to sing it and the fact that she could read music, truly helped, and she was cast. Being able to play piano or any instrument, really is helpful to a singer. </p>
<p>Also the fact that my D’s two instruments of piano and guitar are ones where you can play and sing at the same time (not like when she used to play flute!), lends another possibility and this one, I think, really pertains to your daughter. I think someone who sings pop, as your D does, might have more versatility if they can accompany themselves on an instrument like piano or guitar. When my D has sung contemporary music, she has accompanied herself on piano and has worked up to getting good enough on guitar to sing at the same time (has played guitar less years than piano). I think your D might want to have that skill but if she is not into playing instruments, then that is a different story. But with that skill, there are more possibilities, I would think, for performing pop. </p>
<p>I know you have discussed that your D wants to go to college only in NYC or LA but it sounds to me that she wants to do that mostly so she can maybe find work. But my feeling is that when you are a college student, you are not going to be able to pound the pavement and audition for work. It is more like you have those four college years, and you might work in the summers in the field, and then you pound the pavement for work afterwards. While my D will end up in NYC as that is where it is at with her field, she does not need to go to college in NYC really because she won’t be able to pursue work at the same time (except in summers). That is how I see that. Only one of her colleges is in NYC…NYU. She loves NYC, don’t get me wrong, but going to college and getting work are two different things that may not be possible simultaneously. In fact, I don’t think that Tisch at NYU allows kids to hit the audition circuit while in college (not counting summers). </p>
<p>What sort of performance stuff is your daughter doing now and what sort of training is she immersed in at the moment? Those are two things that I think must be ongoing and balanced. Does your D do gigs anywhere with pop? What sort of lessons is she taking? Voice I presume? Also in the pop world, I imagine if she took dance, such as jazz and hip hop, it would be another useful skill. </p>
<p>Susan</p>
<p>Your daughter is very talented. I called several managers and they wanted 5 year contracts. I just called the other week…We have never looked for an agent or manager before. As I said I wanted her to wait till she was mature enough to handle different situations ie rejection etc. AND I wanted it to be the least disruptive for the rest of the family. BUT the time is right now</p>
<p>Yes my daughter can sight read. She takes jazz dance and private voice (has been in voice since kindergarten) She took piano when she was younger but the instruments - she just doesnt seem to get into playing. Also she takes guitar lessons. Is in the process of doing her demo and trying out for a show this week.</p>
<p>Of course training is ongoing…I just feel that she has all the skills she needs for what she wants to do. She is really good.
She did a benefit the other night and she was phenomenal. She has had a LOT of classical training…at some point though it seems you make a choice for your voice or you can end up with a sound you dont want. She has been sight reading for many years.</p>
<p>Am curious with your agent…is it one of those things where you get a call and have to drop everything and audtion? What types of things does he/she send her on.
We have in mind finding someone to shop her demo…someone with contacts either an entertainment lawyer or agent. Have been compiling a list of names but not ready to submit yet. Waiting on demo. </p>
<p>Yes I understand your feelings on where to go to school…but she sees it differently so thats how that is.</p>
<p>I’ve known a few families who signed with ‘agents’ and had great success with their daughter’s performing. It seems to take a lot of money and/or sacrifice. There is one girl locally who started acting young and her mom registered her with a N.Y. agent. She got a job on a soap opera and was homeschooled. I believe she is still on the soap opera and in her 20’s. She has been at it at least 10 yrs.</p>
<p>I’ve known a few families who signed with ‘agents’ and had great success with their daughter’s performing. It seems to take a lot of money and/or sacrifice. There is one girl locally who started acting young and her mom registered her with a N.Y. agent. She got a job on a soap opera and was homeschooled. I believe she is still on the soap opera and in her 20’s. She has been at it at least 10 yrs.
The other family is well off. After the girl was a success in a major local production the mother signed her in N.Y.C. and the girl would spend her vacations traveling with productions. This family made a real effort to have her graduate with her private school class.They went out to L.A. and established an apartment there while the girl ‘did the rounds’ beforwe she had graduated h.s… And what happened? She did a pilot for tv, a couple bit pieces on Boston Public. When I look at all the traveling and effort (and money) this girl’s family put into it, I guess some would say it wasn’t worth it. So now the girl is at Princeton . I sincerely wish ou luck in this area.</p>
<p>First off, Susan, I find it amusing that what caught my attention with this thread was your name!! You have given me great advice on another thread.</p>
<p>I guess I’d like to add my two cents here. Angst, I believe that it is you that mentioned your daughter is not even sure that she wants to go to college and considers herself trained. I would like to offer some realistic concerns here that I am sure you, as a parent, have already considered.</p>
<p>First, let me give you some background. My daughter has taken voice lessons from a young age. She recently had a callback to a Broadway show (she was sent there initially via an agent who we met because she was almost cast in an offBroadway show last year). My daughter also has maintained her love for classical music and decided to major in it. I am proud to say that she has some realistic goals.</p>
<p>Let’s face it…a career in show business is not an easy one. At best, it may be rather shortlived. Think about how many that pursue their dreams really do make it and for how long. If my daughter does get cast in this Broadway show prior to college next year, she knows that she has to go to college as soon as her run is over. Her ultimate goal is to be self sufficient!</p>
<p>I have encouraged my daughter to pursue her vocal talents and to make sure she gets an undergraduate degree in something she loves…I want her to finish it! She has had some exposure to law because of my work and her part time employment. She feels that ultimately she may pursue a law degree.</p>
<p>As much as I believe in helping our children pursue their dreams, the importance of at least an undergraduate degree is one that has become a necessity in today’s day and age.</p>
<p>Just my two cents…I hope it helps.</p>
<p>angst, susan and divamommy have given you some excellent advice here. I echo them. I also haven’t heard of any reputable agent requiring a five year contract. It’s a parent’s job to support and encourage artistic passion if a child has it, I know, I’ve been doing it for many years with D2. However, it’s also a parent’s responsibility to be realistic and to set goals for that artistic child, in addition to the hope for success and, for some, stardom. Your D sounds set on being a popstar, you’ve mentioned that several times. I applaud you for doing what you can to help her achieve that but I think you also need to help her realize the vagaries of this business and the very very slim chances of success. Musical theatre is difficult enough, both college admissions and being successful in a career whether on Broadway or community theatre. Success in the music business is even more fickle, thus making an education and support even more important.</p>
<p>Continued training, as Susan says, is essential, regardless of how long someone has trained. Even professionals continue voice training. The mastering of musical instruments is as close to essential as you can get in the music world today. If you look at most recording stars who have been successful longterm, you will see that all are successful musicians as well. Alicia Keys, Sarah McLachlan, Cheryl Crow, Elton John, Billy Joey, Bruce Springsteen, Jann Arden, Barenaked Ladies, Gloria Estefan, Bono, and more recently John Mayer, Jason Mraz, Usher, Avril Lavigne. Another common denominator is that these individuals all write their own songs, lyrics and music. This is key to a longterm career in music and it is not possible without the ability to play either piano or guitar at a top level, preferably both. If your D is not interested in learning to master guitar or piano, that is going to make reaching her goal even more unlikely. At this point in her young life, she should be forming a band with musically inclined friends, and performing at school dances, and at local events, entering contests, hiring themselves out to parties, etc.</p>
<p>I think a lot of people look at performers like Britney Spears and the Simpson girls, Lindsay Lohan and Hilary Duff and think that THAT is what a music career is all about. It isn’t. Those girls, in the grand scheme of the music world, have very little talent. What they’ve been successful at is promotion and as a result they’ve had a fair share of success. The friends I have in the music part of the industry don’t think it will be longterm. This isn’t to say that they haven’t achieved what they hoped for, I’m sure they have. It’s just that THEY are not the type of individuals that young performers should be emulating, if they truly want a career in music.</p>
<p>I hope I don’t sound harsh here, that isn’t my intention. I think it’s important for all of us to share the information and experiences we’ve had, here on these forums. That’s why we’re all here, right? 
I wish you luck with your D and I hope that you will seriously consider all of the advice that we’ve given you here.</p>
<p>This is all GREAT advise. First please note…when I say she is trained…I do NOT by any means think she should not continue taking lessons, etc. I simply mean she has the skills and the performance ability to do what she wants now without taking more classes - without going to college. That does not mean she wont improve with lessons etc but she can do what she loves now.</p>
<p>That said…if youth is valued in the pop world…why not take a year or two prior to college and try to bust in and see what happens. If she goes to college right away then that is 4 years of getting wiser but also older…odds lessen as you get older. However, My thought is get the demo out and see the reaction…we are going to be doing the college aps all along…if something major happens…go for it! If not head directly to college and continue trying to break in…which is the plan right now…but we will have the demo ready in a few months.</p>
<p>YES I agree there are musicians and there are promoters…I guess she is a hybrid. She wants the acting, singing, career that Jlo, Britney and Lindsay have. And YES she has a VOICE where many of these folks do not.</p>
<p>AND we had a BIGGGGG discussion one day over what she wanted. Did she want to be a true muscian or a “performing star” and she wants to be a “performing star”. Sorry that may not be a great goal to many of you…but its an honest one. She wants to sing, has to sing…wants to perform…
But many musicians are content to just make a living at what they do and create music…she wants to be out there making a splash…performing in front of many…
SO YES she has to sing…she lives to sing BUT its not only about the creation of the music. Its about performing it. She is happy to perform other peoples music too.</p>
<p>She would LOVE a career like Britney has had however she would certainly make wiser choices in her personal life. But that is exactly the kind of career she wants. And if you all think its a shame that she doesnt want a more “musician” career…well maybe so…but this is what she wants.</p>
<p>AND its not like all young girls who want that type of thing… We watch other kids who say that and they really dont. They dont make it the priority…have the training , do the work etc. She does.</p>
<p>BTW what instrument does Estefan play?</p>
<p>Daughter is writing her own lyrics and music in fact she says she hears the whole thing in her head.</p>
<p>I was surprised when we started working with the record producer…she bought out a slew of songs she had been working on that I knew nothing about.</p>
<p>BTW backhandgrip …that is one reason we did not start earlier with the agent thing…we did not want to get into traveling, last minute auditions etc…BUT also because I wanted her to be mature enough emotionally to handle many circumstances which she wasnt then. She had the talent but was not ready…ie she would get upset when this or that happened …but now she is ready. BUT we still dont want to go that route…have something else in mind.</p>
<p>We had a big discussion about singers who play instruments and there are plenty who dont…Kelly Clarkson (unless I missed something), Aretha Franklin, Celine Dion…
I also talk about flashinthepans…remember how David Cassidy was so huge…but then when I bring up Britney as a flash in the pan…well actually she has been around awhile…Does Christina A play an instrument?</p>
<p>I am not disagreeing with you all in terms of odds …BUT if this is the type of career she wants and there is such a thin time line of youth …now if she wanted a different type of music career it would not be in question…</p>
<p>We also had a talk with the producer about her forming a band…He told me that it depended on her goals. Bands and individual singers were promoted and sold differently.</p>
<p>Angst, Gloria is accomplished on guitar, Spanish guitar, keyboards, percussion, and violin. If you’ve seen any of her ‘unplugged’ performances, you’ll have seen her demonstrate her ability on several instruments.</p>
<p>I have never watched Gloria so dont know what she does. Does Usher play when he performs? What does he play? I have never heard him though my daughter has mentioned him.</p>
<p>Why should folks not want to emulate the Britney and Christina A. type of career? Do you consider this not REAL music because its catchy and pop?
Ok a lot of it is promotion but thats all part of the game. But pop music is music thats enjoyed by a lot of people.</p>
<p>Aretha and Celine are also both accomplished pianists. It looks like your mind is made up on this so I wish you well and hope things work out for your D. :)</p>