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| Inside Juilliard
Since I was a young girl I always dreamed of attending Juilliard. I believed that this was the most magical place ever... On Wednesday March 20th I had the privilege to not only admire Juilliard from the outside, but walk in and explore as if I were a student!
One of our tasks for this trip was to network with people in New York City. Our mission was to seek out people that we were interested in interviewing on our trip, and finding a way to contact them. For weeks I sent what seemed to be a million emails to anyone and everyone in New York City! I used my best friend Google to help in the search process. Originally, my plan was to find someone that played piano in hotel lobbies, or for dance classes. I never had any luck with the lobby pianists. None of them emailed me back, which was disappointing. I found a young man that played at a dance studio but he was leaving the city when I would be arriving.
This trip date was approaching and I felt that I was making slow progress networking. After weeks of attempting to contact people, I was not having any luck. I did not have anyone to interview yet... I remember sitting in my practice room at school, brainstorming what I could possibly do next. Then it dawned on me!!!
Why not use Facebook to find people!!! I then decided that rather then just seek out people that already have established careers, why not contact students around my age! I quickly got on Facebook and started clicking away. I had one friend on Facebook that was a successful musician and a Juiliard graduate. I used his profile as my gateway. I went through his friends and clicked so far into a pool of connections, that before I knew it I had an entire page of all of the pianists at Juilliard before my eyes. With all the 'add friends' icons, I couldn't resist.... I went through and "added" up a storm! Within 10 minutes I was already getting notifications of new friends. Not just any friends.... but FRIENDS THAT ATTEND JUILLIARD! The next step was to send these kind people messages explaining what I had just done. There were two students that I decided looked pretty cool and I wanted to meet! So I focused on getting them to meet with me. I sent two very thorough messages explaining that I was going on this trip and I would love to meet them... The guy responded within an hour. The girl responded that weekend. To my surprise they agreed to meet with me! I was astonished that that all happened so quick! It is amazing what you can accomplish with technology now...
When we arrived in NYC I messaged the two Juilliard students and told them I was there! Unfortunately the guy could no longer meet with me, but the girl was still planning on meeting me. A couple weeks before I got there I had emailed her and asked her if she was playing in any recitals while I would be there. She replied, "No I am not, but I would be happy to play for you regardless." I was looking forward to this!! It was confirmed, Wednesday morning I would go to Juilliard. She would get me at the security desk, show me around the school then play for me in a practice room!!!
Wednesday morning approached and I was on my way to Juilliard!!!!!!!! I had gone to the Today show that morning with Kelly and Laura, and then they dropped me off at Juilliard! I texted Leann and she came to get me at the security desk. It was funny when she approached me, she exclaimed, "I have that scarf too!" I thought wow, this girl is just like me!
I was surprised at how plain Juilliard is inside. it is very white, clean, and there is not much going on. But CLEARLY inside all the practice rooms there is a TON going on. My tour was brief but by the quick glance I got at the library, I can tell you that Juilliard has a GORGEOUS library!!!
The practice room that Leann took me to was similar to one of UWEC's music classrooms. It was similar in size and had two Steinways. There were two large windows with an amazing view of the city! After chatting for a bit she played for me! It was amazing. Her playing helped clarify one thing for me... It is perfectly realistic to go to Juilliard. HOWEVER, you must practice VERY hard!!! She was proof. Talking to her, I quickly realized she is a PERSON! A normal person! I think over the years I made myself believe that it was impossible to go to Juilliard... I didn't think an ordinary person could go there. But like I said, with hard work, and dedication, anything is possible! That is what Leann kept saying to me too. I told her my goals and dreams. She encouraged me and said that my goals are realistic and I just need to keep working towards them. She also said that the most important thing is to keep a positive self image! She stressed the importance of professionalism and being personable.
Having this amazing opportunity to meet this wonderful person, she opened my eyes and pushed me to want to fight even harder for my dreams! From this experience I made that decision that I will go audition at Juilliard for grad school just as a personal goal, to know that I did it. She told me that you should try for everything you want. There is nothing to lose.
That day I reflected on my possible future and turned the tables so that instead of being in Eau Claire, Wisconsin dreaming about Juilliard.... I was in the moment, inside Juilliard looking out to the world and thinking, "I will do this when I am ready!"
I can do this.
Sincerely,
Kayla Shoemaker
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Monday, April 15, 2013
From the Inside Looking Out
Impact at it's Finest
As I sit here and try to
think of a clever way to begin this blog all I can think about is the concept
of time. We never know how much time we have, and in the moments we take time
to appreciate, they are gone faster than we ever could have imagined. Time is
valuable, and time is something not to be wasted. I have hit back space
entirely too many times while coming up with the beginning of this blog. The
moral of the story, is that if you ever have time to meet a choreographer from
New York City -- do it.
My personal interview
for the week was with choreographer John Dietrich on our 4th day of the trip.
He was the director and choreographer for the Radio City Rockettes for 17
years and I couldn't believe that I had the opportunity to meet with him! His
nephew goes to UWEC and I just so happened to bring him home for Christmas
break / made small talk on the ride back / talked about NYC and he was able to
connect me with his uncle! I was nervous to be meeting someone from the city
for the first time, and no matter how many preparations I had tried to make or
deep breaths I took, it was a bit hard to stifle my onset of emotions.
HOWEVER, almost
immediately after John introduced himself I felt better. He was an extremely
nice man who was happy to be able to meet me on my trip, and gave me such an
insight to the world of dance and choreography in America! He has lived in both
Los Angeles and NYC, as well as working on cruise ships and travelling with his
career! In his opinion, New York was the place to be, and his attitude of “just
go for it” continues to stick with me even as we approach a month since we have
been there already.
Time. It works in the weirdest
ways, and has gone by TOO fast this year! In the time we spent in New York, it taught me how to face my
fears, substitute patience in times of panic, and I learned that if I “just go for
it”, amazing opportunities can fall into my lap. Networking
is incredible. New York is incredible. Finding out what life has in store for
me -- will be incredible.
Katherine
"The only thing to do with good advice is pass it on. It is never of any use to oneself." - Oscar Wilde
I'm very glad I got the chance to let my thoughts marinate since we came back from New York. Looking back on my notes, I feel like I really understand more about everything we learned throughout the trip.
Specifically, my interview was one of the times that I learned the most "practical" advice about the opera world. Kelly, Laura, and I had lunch with Joanna Dionis, a dramatic mezzo-soprano, and it was really informative about some of the day-to-day life of a singer. Joanna's at the point in her career when she's just looking for a manager, so it was helpful to be able to talk to someone who's still in the unmanaged stages of performing. That's where I'll be soon.
She talked to us mostly about auditioning (she'd just come from an audition when we met). I've heard before this trip that you really only audition in the fall and then again in the spring, that they're not spread out like musical theatre. However, Joanna said she usually auditions twice a week (not just for opera opportunities, for competitions and other solo performances). That was really comforting to hear - knowing that I wouldn't have to stress out twice a year to try and get every audition because there wouldn't be any other chances. She also said that competitions are a great way to become more well-known. I'd never thought of that, but it makes sense: the opera world is pretty small, and so sooner or later you eventually meet up with everyone.
Random audition discoveries upon talking to Joanna:
Specifically, my interview was one of the times that I learned the most "practical" advice about the opera world. Kelly, Laura, and I had lunch with Joanna Dionis, a dramatic mezzo-soprano, and it was really informative about some of the day-to-day life of a singer. Joanna's at the point in her career when she's just looking for a manager, so it was helpful to be able to talk to someone who's still in the unmanaged stages of performing. That's where I'll be soon.
She talked to us mostly about auditioning (she'd just come from an audition when we met). I've heard before this trip that you really only audition in the fall and then again in the spring, that they're not spread out like musical theatre. However, Joanna said she usually auditions twice a week (not just for opera opportunities, for competitions and other solo performances). That was really comforting to hear - knowing that I wouldn't have to stress out twice a year to try and get every audition because there wouldn't be any other chances. She also said that competitions are a great way to become more well-known. I'd never thought of that, but it makes sense: the opera world is pretty small, and so sooner or later you eventually meet up with everyone.
Random audition discoveries upon talking to Joanna:
- People often want to hear oratorio works
- The professionals are wearing black dresses (so wearing a red dress to stand out might make the audition panel focus on your clothing more than your voice.)
We also talked a bit about how she figured out her social network upon moving to the city. She actually got a master's in fiction writing at Sarah Lawrence College before she started singing, so she became friends with her classmates there first. (Yes, one of my questions was about how you find friends in a huge city - but I feel more confident meeting and talking to people I don't really know now. One of the last nights in the city a group of us - Marie, Andy, Sam, and I - went out for food and we ended up striking up a conversation with our server. He's a young actor trying to make it in the city, and I feel like we probably would have met up with him again if we had more time.)
One other random professional thought she gave me:
- The first few rehearsals (of a professional engagement), sing with full voice, and only then mark. I'd never heard that before, but it makes sense. Whoever hires you wants to feel confident about their choice. :)
We also talked about what it's like growing into your voice, and trying to be patient to wait while it changes. As of now, I'm definitely not a dramatic soprano, but I'm headed towards full lyric/maybe spinto-land. So it's a lot of "hurry-up-and-wait," which is sometimes frustrating, especially since the majority of my classmates have lighter voices than me and can start playing with the roles that will likely stay in their repertoire. It was refreshing to be able to talk to someone who understands what it's like, vocally.
I'm starting to feel confident about my voice, and now I am so grateful that I have my fifth year to focus on gaining more of my professional skills, as well as prepare for graduate school.
Jordyn Beranek
NYC interview: My questions answered!
Not a day goes by that I don't think about my trip to NYC that happened less than a month ago! It was truly a special and exciting time.
During my time in New York, I had an interview with my good friend Daniel Hoeft, who is at AMDA studying musical theatre. He is now in the cast of "Hairspray" as a chorus member and will be graduating in June. He is extremely talented and I learned lots of information during this interview.
I first asked him to let me tour AMDA. At the time, the school was under lock-down for security reasons, but the security guard let me in after a few suspicious glances and taking my ID.
Dan showed me the practice rooms, the dance rooms, his dorm- basically everything there was to see! It was SO much different than I expected it to be. Everything was small and cramped-although cool to still be in New York- and I realized how good we have it here! Every floor only had one shower, so that means 30+ people to one bathroom every day, which would be crazy at this school.
Another question I had was about safety. Being in New York means being in a large city, with many kinds of people. I wanted to know how safe he felt going to AMDA. His answer was exactly what I wanted to hear; he said that the safety of the school is high. He feels like its a small community, and everyone looks out for each other. He even talked about how he feels safe at night walking back alone!
Of course, hearing about how at the time he was auditioning for "Hairspray" made me want to know all about the audition process! What was required? Is it super intimidating? Are people generally supportive? Dan said that generally auditions are very intimidating if you get nervous easily, however he finds it easy to focus his energy on not thinking about other auditions, but just by thinking about what he can do better. He says that it is a cattle call audition, and that most times casting directors are mostly interested in what you look like, and if your personality fits the character you are auditioning for. This is one of the most important things they are looking for, so it's important to be yourself! This way, you can get a role thats perfect for YOU. He said that in most auditions, its a 16 bar selection is required, and to put it neatly in a binder for the accompanist. Also, the more you prepare, the better you will feel. So be prepared! Dan says that to prepare for an audition he practices in front of as many people as he can, but only chooses a select few people to ask for criticism, because everyone will have a different opinion.
I also had questions about the social life around NYC. How does one be smart with money when you're in such an exciting place? He says to have extra money set aside when you move to New York, so that when you get here and splurge on something, (it happens) you won't be fresh out of money that you actually needed. Eventually, the initial buzz feeling of the city wears off, and you can settle down and start enjoying the free things New York has to offer.
I was also curious about how many times he has seen his family, and if it is hard for him. He's very close with his parents and he says that its important to set aside time to talk on the phone, or Skype. Doing so will really help with being homesick.
All in all, I got the impression that Dan absolutely loves where he's at, and he loves the feeling of being in such a great place with so many opportunities.
Oh and I still want to go back.
Laura Schachner
During my time in New York, I had an interview with my good friend Daniel Hoeft, who is at AMDA studying musical theatre. He is now in the cast of "Hairspray" as a chorus member and will be graduating in June. He is extremely talented and I learned lots of information during this interview.
I first asked him to let me tour AMDA. At the time, the school was under lock-down for security reasons, but the security guard let me in after a few suspicious glances and taking my ID.
Dan showed me the practice rooms, the dance rooms, his dorm- basically everything there was to see! It was SO much different than I expected it to be. Everything was small and cramped-although cool to still be in New York- and I realized how good we have it here! Every floor only had one shower, so that means 30+ people to one bathroom every day, which would be crazy at this school.
Another question I had was about safety. Being in New York means being in a large city, with many kinds of people. I wanted to know how safe he felt going to AMDA. His answer was exactly what I wanted to hear; he said that the safety of the school is high. He feels like its a small community, and everyone looks out for each other. He even talked about how he feels safe at night walking back alone!
Of course, hearing about how at the time he was auditioning for "Hairspray" made me want to know all about the audition process! What was required? Is it super intimidating? Are people generally supportive? Dan said that generally auditions are very intimidating if you get nervous easily, however he finds it easy to focus his energy on not thinking about other auditions, but just by thinking about what he can do better. He says that it is a cattle call audition, and that most times casting directors are mostly interested in what you look like, and if your personality fits the character you are auditioning for. This is one of the most important things they are looking for, so it's important to be yourself! This way, you can get a role thats perfect for YOU. He said that in most auditions, its a 16 bar selection is required, and to put it neatly in a binder for the accompanist. Also, the more you prepare, the better you will feel. So be prepared! Dan says that to prepare for an audition he practices in front of as many people as he can, but only chooses a select few people to ask for criticism, because everyone will have a different opinion.
I also had questions about the social life around NYC. How does one be smart with money when you're in such an exciting place? He says to have extra money set aside when you move to New York, so that when you get here and splurge on something, (it happens) you won't be fresh out of money that you actually needed. Eventually, the initial buzz feeling of the city wears off, and you can settle down and start enjoying the free things New York has to offer.
I was also curious about how many times he has seen his family, and if it is hard for him. He's very close with his parents and he says that its important to set aside time to talk on the phone, or Skype. Doing so will really help with being homesick.
All in all, I got the impression that Dan absolutely loves where he's at, and he loves the feeling of being in such a great place with so many opportunities.
Oh and I still want to go back.
Laura Schachner
Sunday, April 14, 2013
Interview and coaching with David
In New York, I had an interview and a coaching with David Sytkowski who is a vocal coach and an accompanist. I was really looking forward to this interview and coaching because I had never had a coaching before, and because David had just moved there this summer and knows first hand what it's like to make the big move to the city.
For my interview, Jordyn and Andy came along. We took the subway to his apartment We got there early so we had a chance to walk around and get a feel of the neighborhood since this would be like the neighborhood I would be moving to if I were to move to NYC. Once we got to David's apartment we had to call in through two gates which made it seem a little more safe. I noted this to myself for if I ever went to get an apartment there. I was surprised to see how big and nice his apartment was, and the walls are thick so he can hold his coachings there. We then all went to an Italian restaurant near by for the interview.
At the interview I learned more about living in NYC. I learned that you need to be personable. Networking is extremely important and will help you out a lot when you first get there. I learned that everyone's paths are different and you don't have to do something one way just because that's the way someone else did it. I also learned that the goal is not to be perfect. It's the ones that are able to express there love and are able to communicate what they are trying to say that make it. You need to separate yourself from that little voice inside your head and not to take criticisms personally. I also learned that you need to put yourself out there and be your own light and to always have card with you. You need to be open minded in the work you get because the more you can do, the more marketable you are.
I then went back to his apartment for a coaching. In the coaching we worked on "Lascia ch'io pianga" by Handel. He had me speak the recitative to feel the natural rhythm and word stresses of the language. This taught me that the pacing is not in a meter but rather in the speech. We also worked on the difference between silence and breathing in the recitative. Just because there is a rest doesn't mean you breath, the phrase is still moving you breath for grammar. We worked a lot on word stresses and making it on 1 and 3. I learned a lot more about the function of the language Italian moves fast but it does not mean you minimize the sounds. I learned to speak the Italian with stresses being longer and then add pitches later. We then worked on staying in the initial instinct more because my initial instinct is correct, but then I will add more to it. We worked on this by getting me to think more tall slender and heady. We worked on having vowels being consistent and pure by keeping a consistent shape in my mouth and not changing the vowel until the syllable changes. We also worked on not digging the notes before the high note by expanding in all directions, maintaining length and height, and breathing for the highest note of the phrase because one you breath all you are doing is expelling air. You need to start released and keep releasing. I learned a lot about preparation for aria's and how you need to know everything that is going on in the score, the instrumentation, the other characters, if there are others involved in it, etc.
After the coaching, we talked some more about fach and how you don't need to know it right now but just sing what feels right at the moment and trust your teacher to guide you. We also talked about picking the right school and teacher for graduate school. I learned that you need to try out the teacher before hand and pick the school with the teacher you feel will work best with you.
I learned so much in such a small amount of time and I feel so lucky to have gotten this opportunity.
Kelly
For my interview, Jordyn and Andy came along. We took the subway to his apartment We got there early so we had a chance to walk around and get a feel of the neighborhood since this would be like the neighborhood I would be moving to if I were to move to NYC. Once we got to David's apartment we had to call in through two gates which made it seem a little more safe. I noted this to myself for if I ever went to get an apartment there. I was surprised to see how big and nice his apartment was, and the walls are thick so he can hold his coachings there. We then all went to an Italian restaurant near by for the interview.
At the interview I learned more about living in NYC. I learned that you need to be personable. Networking is extremely important and will help you out a lot when you first get there. I learned that everyone's paths are different and you don't have to do something one way just because that's the way someone else did it. I also learned that the goal is not to be perfect. It's the ones that are able to express there love and are able to communicate what they are trying to say that make it. You need to separate yourself from that little voice inside your head and not to take criticisms personally. I also learned that you need to put yourself out there and be your own light and to always have card with you. You need to be open minded in the work you get because the more you can do, the more marketable you are.
I then went back to his apartment for a coaching. In the coaching we worked on "Lascia ch'io pianga" by Handel. He had me speak the recitative to feel the natural rhythm and word stresses of the language. This taught me that the pacing is not in a meter but rather in the speech. We also worked on the difference between silence and breathing in the recitative. Just because there is a rest doesn't mean you breath, the phrase is still moving you breath for grammar. We worked a lot on word stresses and making it on 1 and 3. I learned a lot more about the function of the language Italian moves fast but it does not mean you minimize the sounds. I learned to speak the Italian with stresses being longer and then add pitches later. We then worked on staying in the initial instinct more because my initial instinct is correct, but then I will add more to it. We worked on this by getting me to think more tall slender and heady. We worked on having vowels being consistent and pure by keeping a consistent shape in my mouth and not changing the vowel until the syllable changes. We also worked on not digging the notes before the high note by expanding in all directions, maintaining length and height, and breathing for the highest note of the phrase because one you breath all you are doing is expelling air. You need to start released and keep releasing. I learned a lot about preparation for aria's and how you need to know everything that is going on in the score, the instrumentation, the other characters, if there are others involved in it, etc.
After the coaching, we talked some more about fach and how you don't need to know it right now but just sing what feels right at the moment and trust your teacher to guide you. We also talked about picking the right school and teacher for graduate school. I learned that you need to try out the teacher before hand and pick the school with the teacher you feel will work best with you.
I learned so much in such a small amount of time and I feel so lucky to have gotten this opportunity.
Kelly
Sam's Meeting With Tina Swanberg, Prop Shop Manager at The Public Theater and Native of Minnesota
Less than one month ago on our wonderful cultural immersion trip to New York City, we all had the opportunity to meet with one person who we had personally set up a one-on-one meeting with.
In early February, when I was thinking about who might be a good person to meet with, I remembered that a precious coworker of mine had mentioned that her sister works in New York doing theatre. I asked my coworker if she would put me in touch with her sister, and she was happy to do so. I emailed her and found out that she is the Prop Shop Manager at The Public Theater, -the unique and storied theater that does everything from new original work, to the famous Shakespeare in the Park.
She was really great about communicating with me and setting up a plan to meet in New York. Soon, we had plans to have Tina lead our entire group on a tour of the entire Public building the 3rd day we were there, and she would also introduce us to a number of other professionals that shared their unique perspectives with us. The tour was great, and it left me ready to ask Tina quite a few questions when we went to get coffee a few days later.
One thing that I was especially excited to ask her about was the potential opportunities for young people to be interns at The Public. She told me that they hire many interns. A good portion are in the administrative department of the theater company, and there aren't acting internships, however, there are also a number of internship positions available for people interested in stage and production management. I learned that generally people apply to be summer interns who do a variety of jobs relating to producing the Shakespeare in the Park. I was a little dismayed that while about 200 people apply, only about 20 are usually selected. But Tina, a former intern, encouraged me in saying that she thought somebody with my interest and experience in stage management, as well as my people skills, would be an ideal candidate for a position. She said that many applicants don't have any technically experience and are just actors looking to get into New York any way they can. While sometimes those people can be good interns, they often aren't quite as competent, skilled, and hardworking as people with a more genuine interest in other areas of theatre. To be sure, I am interested in acting, but I also not only appreciate technical theatre, I see it as a potential career. Later, in Seth's interview, which I was lucky to be able to attend, I learned that many people look to support acting careers with careers in stage management. This can be very effective, but it requires a tactful balance between being good at both, and not becoming known as "a stage manager who wants to act.
Right now, I am very interested in applying for a summer internship, and I have my sights set on the Summer of 2014, which Tina told me means I should look at submitting an application sometime next March. Between now and then I will have stage managed the upcoming musical here at the university, and right now I'm hoping I will be hired for a job with Event Production Crew after I interview next week! These will be good experiences leading up to an internship.
Another thing that I learned from Tina, which I am very interested in, is that if after completing a summer internship, if one has done a good job, it is likely they could move forward and become an intern at the theatre building working on various shows their over the fall, winter and spring. This would be awesome! The internship job does not pay nearly enough to support living in New York, but I would have time to get another job, and hopefully develop myself in other ways too. Thankfully, it seems like The Public is flexible and understanding of the fact that they cannot be the sole focus of their interns.
I can't count on landing an internship for next summer, but I can shoot for it. I feel like I have a chance, and I think it will be a good thing to work towards. If I can't do it next summer, perhaps I can try again in the future, or perhaps something even better will come along. It does seem like a great opportunity to gain work experience, and work with some really cool people on some really cool theatre projects.
If I hadn't been encouraged to do so by being part of this amazing adventure, I would most likely have never contacted Tina Swanberg or learned about internship opportunities at The Public. Now, I can work towards hopefully making that a part of my future.
Getting coffee with Tina was just one of the many great experiences I had in New York, but it is definitely one of the most imminently impacting ones in terms of influencing the next steps I take.
Thanks for reading!
-Sam Sirianni
In early February, when I was thinking about who might be a good person to meet with, I remembered that a precious coworker of mine had mentioned that her sister works in New York doing theatre. I asked my coworker if she would put me in touch with her sister, and she was happy to do so. I emailed her and found out that she is the Prop Shop Manager at The Public Theater, -the unique and storied theater that does everything from new original work, to the famous Shakespeare in the Park.
She was really great about communicating with me and setting up a plan to meet in New York. Soon, we had plans to have Tina lead our entire group on a tour of the entire Public building the 3rd day we were there, and she would also introduce us to a number of other professionals that shared their unique perspectives with us. The tour was great, and it left me ready to ask Tina quite a few questions when we went to get coffee a few days later.
One thing that I was especially excited to ask her about was the potential opportunities for young people to be interns at The Public. She told me that they hire many interns. A good portion are in the administrative department of the theater company, and there aren't acting internships, however, there are also a number of internship positions available for people interested in stage and production management. I learned that generally people apply to be summer interns who do a variety of jobs relating to producing the Shakespeare in the Park. I was a little dismayed that while about 200 people apply, only about 20 are usually selected. But Tina, a former intern, encouraged me in saying that she thought somebody with my interest and experience in stage management, as well as my people skills, would be an ideal candidate for a position. She said that many applicants don't have any technically experience and are just actors looking to get into New York any way they can. While sometimes those people can be good interns, they often aren't quite as competent, skilled, and hardworking as people with a more genuine interest in other areas of theatre. To be sure, I am interested in acting, but I also not only appreciate technical theatre, I see it as a potential career. Later, in Seth's interview, which I was lucky to be able to attend, I learned that many people look to support acting careers with careers in stage management. This can be very effective, but it requires a tactful balance between being good at both, and not becoming known as "a stage manager who wants to act.
Right now, I am very interested in applying for a summer internship, and I have my sights set on the Summer of 2014, which Tina told me means I should look at submitting an application sometime next March. Between now and then I will have stage managed the upcoming musical here at the university, and right now I'm hoping I will be hired for a job with Event Production Crew after I interview next week! These will be good experiences leading up to an internship.
Another thing that I learned from Tina, which I am very interested in, is that if after completing a summer internship, if one has done a good job, it is likely they could move forward and become an intern at the theatre building working on various shows their over the fall, winter and spring. This would be awesome! The internship job does not pay nearly enough to support living in New York, but I would have time to get another job, and hopefully develop myself in other ways too. Thankfully, it seems like The Public is flexible and understanding of the fact that they cannot be the sole focus of their interns.
I can't count on landing an internship for next summer, but I can shoot for it. I feel like I have a chance, and I think it will be a good thing to work towards. If I can't do it next summer, perhaps I can try again in the future, or perhaps something even better will come along. It does seem like a great opportunity to gain work experience, and work with some really cool people on some really cool theatre projects.
If I hadn't been encouraged to do so by being part of this amazing adventure, I would most likely have never contacted Tina Swanberg or learned about internship opportunities at The Public. Now, I can work towards hopefully making that a part of my future.
Getting coffee with Tina was just one of the many great experiences I had in New York, but it is definitely one of the most imminently impacting ones in terms of influencing the next steps I take.
Thanks for reading!
-Sam Sirianni
Finale: Act I
It is amazing to think
about all the things that we did. It is truly astounding. For about $300, I got to see nine performances in seven days. Not
only were these performances diverse in content, but their quality was just
superb. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that many performances that were that
good, in one week, and, on top of that, I don’t know if I ever will again. I
mean, c’mon! When are you ever going to see Sigourney Weaver and David Hyde
Pierce in a play one night, and then Matthew Broderick and Kelli O’Hara the
next night? Never. I definitely won’t be seeing as much as I did for $300
dollars ever again. On top of these performances I got to see professionals at
work, doing what they love. I got to learn an exorbitant amount of information
from performers, clinicians, agents, and so much more. I was truly immersed in
the place that I want to be.
There are many things that surprised me however. The
first thing that comes to my mind is the fact that I want to go to graduate
school now. I might want to go somewhere else, other than New York, but I
definitely want to go to Grad school on the East coast. After talking with many
of the people there, it seems like a good idea. I like studying music in an
environment where everyone enjoys studying music, and as of right now I’d like
to do that for more than just four years. I’d like to hone my craft so that it
is the best that it possibly can be. I know that we are always learning in
life, and that every day is a new adventure or whatever you’d like to say, but
I think that Grad school would be an enriching environment to be in. It would
be even more enriching in such a culturally diverse environment like New York.
The next thing that surprised me is that I’ve found that New York may not be
the place I want to be right away. Before the trip I had thought that New York
was the place for me after my undergrad. But after talking with many of the
people there I have begun to question whether I would want to be a starving
artist there right away. I say because becoming a Broadway musician is a hard
thing to do. The best of the best do it, and I’m not going to be anywhere close
to the best of the best when I get out of undergraduate school. That is why I
plan on going to grad school. Also, from the conductors, performers, and
musicians that I talked to I found out that sometimes it’s almost easier to
start in a smaller city doing shows and gaining rep or experience before moving
to New York City. Like I said, I’d like to hone my craft. Another thing that
surprised me, unfortunately, is the amount of time it takes to get around the
city. It takes so much longer than you’d think. Take your estimated travel time
and add thirty minutes to it. That is the time that you need to arrive at your
destination to be on time. There were many times where I was very stressed
because I knew I was going to be late because I had not compensated for travel
delays because of construction, accidents, the amount of people, etc. Fact:
WALKING IS OFTEN TIMES FASTER. It’s hard to motivate yourself to walk though
when your feet are hurting. But it is well worth it. Also, don’t ever expect to
take the 1 train downtown from 168th Street to 42nd
Street in 30 minutes. You will never, ever, ever arrive to your show on time.
Take it from me. If you must know, if I wanted to get to my play on time I
would have needed to take...yep, the A train. Finally, it surprised me that I
learned the subway system so quickly. It is not so complicated; you just need
to know where you are going. I thought that I was going to be lost most of the
time in the city, but I wasn’t! (Mostly thanks to Mitra, Andy, and Sam, Thanks
guys!)
Besides learning the subway quickly, I felt that I fit in
to the hustle and bustle attitude of the city pretty well. I did not look up
all the time and I certainly acted as if I knew what I was doing, even when I
didn’t. I crossed the streets even when cars were coming; I love that you can
do that. I even haggled for my shirts in China town like a pro! What I thought
I did even better though, is keep my cool and not get upset about anything. I
was in New York! I wasn’t going to let anyone stop me from having the time of
my life. Actually all of the guys were exceptionally good at that. Let me tell
you, Sam, Andy, and Seth are some of the coolest guys I know and I am so glad I
got to room with all of them. When things got heated in the group I stayed
calm, when people felt bad or uncomfortable about things I tried to help them.
I did this because I feel we were a family. If I had been feeling uncomfortable
in a strange town I would definitely want someone around me. I feel as though I
did a swell job of having a swell time.
So what would I do
differently next time? Gosh, there are so many things. I definitely tried to
take advantage of as many things as I possibly could, but I think I could do
even more. There were three more people that I wanted to interview that I
didn’t get to because I didn’t think I had enough time. But in reality I did.
I’ve been to New York in my life many times before, so why would I go and see
things I’d seen before instead of learn information that could help me for the
rest of my life? That’s what my hindsight is telling me right now. But now I
know I could take even more out of this trip than I already did. Another huge
thing that I think I could have done better for myself is to go see more jazz
related events or talk to jazz musicians. I love the classical world, but there
is a different mindset, different customs, and let’s face it a whole different
culture than that of the classical musician. There just is. I wish I could have
had a one on one conversation with a jazz pianist to really find out what their
life is like in New York City. It is an avenue that I didn’t explore which I
wish I would have. I am so grateful though that we got to see The New York
Voices. One last thing, I think I could have tried harder to meet up with
Stephen Sondheim. I know it is a lofty dream, but after going to New York, I
know that some dreams are closer than you’d think. I probably should have
written him again. If I were to go on a class trip like this again I would be a
total creep and try and contact him personally. All I want to do is shake his
hand!
I know it may sound
odd, but I think the coolest aspect of diversity on this trip was within the
group itself. I loved seeing ten students coming from a similar region, with
similar customs, and similar accents, and throwing them (myself included) into
one of the most diverse places on earth and seeing how they reacted to it. I
realized that we are all so different. We all have hugely different beliefs and
opinions that it was almost as if we were our own little town. So my
understanding was expanded because now I understand that you don’t have to go
to a huge town (however wonderful and magical it may be) to get a completely
different diverse group of people in their thoughts and beliefs. Social
diversity on the other hand, is a completely different story. I think that it
is amazing that there are so many different cultures in the city that coexist
together as if it were some kind of multi-cultural organism. Every time I go to
New York I am astounded by the number of different ethnic groups living in the
area. It’s amazing that so many people live in one place together, but to have
that many differences between people in terms of religion, race, food, clothing
etc. and have them deal with each other every day is pretty cool. Maybe their
forced to, but people can truly coexist with each other.
I had a multilayer
question coming into this trip. I went to New York to find out if I have what
it takes to become a Broadway conductor and then find out what I would need to
do with my time at UWEC to ensure that I have the skills to become a Broadway
conductor. I can say now that I think that I do have what it takes to do my
dream job, but it will take a lot of hard work, persistence and dedication
until I actually get to land a job on Broadway. To find out about the first
part of the question I had an interview with David Holcenberg, the conductor
for the Broadway musical Matilda. We talked for about 45 minutes about his life
and what he did to get there. I found out that the job takes practice,
knowledge, and experience. You can read more about this in the Blog I wrote entitled I Know Things Now.
While I was in New York
I did add some new questions. After seeing every performance I would say to
myself “Gosh, I want to ----------“, fill in the blank with, act, sing, play
jazz, conduct, dance (yeah right) etc. I
really felt inspired to learn about the performing arts as a whole which got me
thinking. What if conducting Broadway musicals isn’t for me? What if I start to
conduct Broadway musicals and I absolutely hate the atmosphere, or the people,
or the music, or just the job in general? After all, I’ve only ever played
eight shows of a single show in a row. I’ve never done 100 shows or even 2,000
shows. What if I hate it? I need a back-up plan, which led me to my next
question. Should I go to Grad school? I figured out yes, I would like to attend
Grad school because it will help me develop my well-roundedness by giving me
opportunities to enhance my technique and play with a variety of musicians.
With this education I can learn more about opera and dance and theater as well.
If I go to Grad school in a big city I can also get the cultural influence that
I want with the education that I want. I’m just trying to keep my options open. I see it as a Win-Win situation.
After all was said and done, this was a once in a life time experience. The diversity of the people, of the performances, and the average way of life in New York was one of the most enjoyable things I have gotten to experience in a long time. I know now that what I want to do is not out of my reach. I know that I want to go to grad school to hone my craft. I need to work hard to make sure that I can get the job that I want and that involves transcribing, studying, and a whole ton of practicing. But with a little luck, some persistence, and a smile I think I will be able to do what I want to do someday.
After all was said and done, this was a once in a life time experience. The diversity of the people, of the performances, and the average way of life in New York was one of the most enjoyable things I have gotten to experience in a long time. I know now that what I want to do is not out of my reach. I know that I want to go to grad school to hone my craft. I need to work hard to make sure that I can get the job that I want and that involves transcribing, studying, and a whole ton of practicing. But with a little luck, some persistence, and a smile I think I will be able to do what I want to do someday.
I will hold this trip in
my heart for the rest of my life.
Thank you Mitra and Dr.
Rieck
Miles Plant
Miles Plant
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