Patio Performances at the Alchemist and Barrister: Part One

I’ve been employed by The Alchemist & Barrister for almost a year, but it took me until just this past Thursday to experience their music scene.  Apparently it just so happens that I seem to work on all the nights that there isn’t live music…so I did not know what I was missing out on!

My first visit was on Thursday, April 3rd.  I arrived at approximately 10:00 PM, and the band was setting up (testing sound, moving things, etc).  I took a seat at one of the tables in the covered patio, where the band was going to be.  As I looked around, I saw that 6 out of the 12 tables in the patio were being occupied by customers.  The bar had much more activity, and I wondered if people in the bar area could hear the music as well.  The crowd in the patio was on average, mid-20s-30s.  It seemed like mostly  groups of friends, a few dates here and there.  Most of the tables only had alcohol on their tables.  Perhaps they had finished dinner and were enjoying each other’s company over one more beer before heading back out into the rain.  Or, maybe they solely came for drinks…or to hear the band!  Who knows.

The band looks about ready to start at just around quarter after.  This band is comprised of two men, both middle-aged.  One has an electric guitar, and the other is sporting an electric bass.  There are two microphones.  I heard a harmonica…but it didn’t make an appearance during the set (at least while I was there).  The band begins without announcing who they are or interacting with the guests at all.  As the music starts, I notice that each song is primarily guitar/bass with a few vocals here and there.  The songs I heard were all covers.  I would classify the genre as “soft rock” but they also played country hits like “Margaritaville.”

The band members seemed very “into” what they were doing.  You  could tell that they really enjoyed playing and singing and were in the zone.  From a customer point of view, their presence was not distracting — to me at least.  The other customers seemed to go about their conversations, laughing and talking.  They didn’t seem affected by the music in anyway.  It’s as if the customers are characters in a movie and the background music isn’t actually playing in real life, but it’s heard by the movie watchers….

After leaving, I wondered if the crowd would have been bigger if the weather was nicer…or if the people at the bar were enjoying the music (or could even hear it..)  I decided that on my next visit I would sit at the bar and hopefully answer that question.

Let’s be real, it’s all about the Bacon-Wrapped Dates…

Mediterra’s Taverna (http://www.mediterrarestaurant.com/mediterra_photo_gallery)

Mediterra is known to be one of the best restaurants in Princeton. I was super excited to use it as my venue for the Music in Princeton fieldwork project when I found out they had Latin Jazz on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I was all set to go and eat paella and drink sangria while I did my “research,” when I decided to look at the menu online before I left. What did I find? $2 Tapas. No, you did not misread that. I’m talking about bacon-wrapped dates for just TWO LITTLE DOLLARS. Screw the paella!

So I rounded up a few friends and we headed out to Mediterra around 9 on a Tuesday night. When we got there, the restaurant wasn’t particularly busy, but wasn’t empty either. The Taverna, (…also know as Mediterra’s bar section. Could they just call it the bar? Sure, but it’s so much more fun to be exotic and dangerous!) however, was PACKED. I went with two other people, and we awkwardly stood for at least five minutes trying to find a group that was leaving so we could sit together. Luckily we were able to pounce on a group of three stools together at the bar. I was excited for the food. Also for the music, but mostly for the bacon-wrapped dates.

We sat and it got even better. They had wine specials too! Spanish wine! No wonder it was so crowded in the Taverna! We ordered some wine and several tapas to share and the wait began. Then I remembered why I was even there in the first place…

Oh yeah, the Latin Jazz band! Wait, where are they? The hostess on the phone earlier said they usually start around 8 or 8:30. *Looks at watch* It’s after nine. Hmm. *Looks around* Oh, well I see some instruments over by the wine. Maybe they’re on a little break or something.

Nearly fifteen minutes go by and I see a group of three men go back up to the wine wall. I reassure myself that it must be the band. Almost instantaneously, our tapas are served to us. Victory on all fronts! A glass of Spanish Red, Falafel, bacon-wrapped dates, and empanadas… This girl was content.

The band started playing and it was groovy. It was the most perfect accompaniment for the food we had just begun to enjoy. The music sounded like traditional Spanish music, although I was not very familiar with this type of music. It was just loud enough where we could focus on the music if we chose to, but could easily have a conversation over the music as well. The band featured a drummer, a guitar player, and…wait, is that a flute?

The flute player started to play and he was fantastic! (Not to mention handsome ;]) It was all improvisation. The whole Taverna listened as he laid it down. It was exciting and different! When he was done playing, he received a lot of well-deserved applause. The rest of the band continued and the drummer and flute player joined in with some singing (in Spanish, of course). Who knew they could sing too! I was more and more impressed as they played on.

Little did I know, they wouldn’t play on for very much longer. They took another long break (exactly 30 minutes), and then continued with only one more set. Less people had stuck around for this set, but the crowd that remained was entertained and engaged. I found it very strange that they played for such little time.

It was obvious that the people in the Taverna were there primarily for the food (hello, bacon-wrapped dates for two bucks!) and drink, but it was also obvious that the Latin Jazz enhanced their experience. The music didn’t annoy a single person in the Taverna, and most of the crowd was bobbing their heads or tapping their feet to the music. One couple seated close to the band actually turned their bar stools around to face the band. No dancing, though. I guess there just wasn’t a place for it even if the diners were so inclined.

So, my first fieldwork experience was a smashing success. I was left looking forward to my next trip to Mediterra for some more bacon-wrapped “research.”

And the Dessert Takes 25 Minutes to Prepare…

Just to give you an idea of what kind of place Salt Creek Grille is…

The average dinner item is about $25, all the drinks are around $12, and the special dessert takes 25 minutes to prepare.

Maybe this is your typical night out… but my wallet is usually more suited for Wendy’s. Ya feel me?

The restaurant itself is beautiful. From the parking lot you can see that the restaurant is surrounded by cozy fireside couches. This outdoor seating must be luxurious in the warmer months, but as it was quite cold in mid-March, we opted to sit inside. The large, high-ceiling space is divided in two by the bar. Closer to the entrance is bar seating, and high table fitting snug in the smaller space. Just beyond the bar seating is a fire place and comfortable chairs providing a great view of the live band. Tonight the music of Mikey Jr. fills the room. Behind the bar the room opens up into a large dining area where I sat.

From across the restaurant the music was pretty loud but the sound fit the setting very well. The lead singer (who also played harmonica) led his band (bass guitar, upright bass, and drums) in a performance of originals and covers. Even from where I sat I felt the groove and loved listening to their music.

I went to get a closer look over by the fireplace and was surprised to see that aside from one drunk guy, no one else was really paying attention. The bar tables were full of preoccupied diners. They chatted, ate, and drank, but rarely did anyone tap a toe, bop their head, or glance over at the band. The band had a jazzy sound with a bit of a country flare. The music was loud but well balanced, and the genre was well-suited for the wide range of customers.

While the band took a break we went up and had a word with the lead singer. Based on his speech and mannerisms it was pretty clear… he was more than tipsy. He was selling CDs and gave us his card. He urged us to visit his website and sign up for his email list. Even a little drunk he was a businessman. After sitting and listening to the band for a while, our 25 minute dessert was ready.

I enjoyed listening the band. I thought it was well-suited for the restaurant but I was really surprised that none of the other patrons seemed to be actively listening. I think next time I’ll sit by the bar and get a feel for what that section is like.

Trying New Things at Cafe 44

On February 19th, I had the wonderful pleasure of attending Cafe 44’s very first open mic night, as part of my research project on music venues in the Princeton area. The whole venue lasted for about two hours, starting at 7pm, and ending right around 9pm, when people started to leave. There were quite a few performers there, who performed all types of music, from popular music, to original works, to well known folk songs. Because this event was sponsored by Westminster students, all of the performers were students themselves. I was very surprised at how successful the event was, seeing as it was quite a small cafe, and that the only people who really knew about it were the students of Westminster Choir College. It was nice seeing how such a small little cafe could hold such a wide array of talent.

When I walked in, initially, the place was packed with people and performers from front to back. Most of the people I saw there were friends and people I knew from school, but there were a few Princeton residents spread out amongst the crowd, as well. I was lucky enough to get a seat right in front, so I could see all of the action right in front of my face. They were promoting their new dinner service, so people were sampling things from their new menu while the show was going on. The atmosphere of the event was very relaxed and casual. People would chatter amongst themselves as performers would sing or play. There was even some interaction between the audience and the performer at times, which was very nice to see. I even saw the manager out and openly interacting with the rest of the people there, which was something that I’m not really used to seeing myself. It gave the venue a very comforting feeling to me, and I felt like I was right at home. There were small groups who performed popular tunes by Mumford and Sons and Bon Iver, and even an a cappella group from Westminster called the “Deaftones” there performing. They mostly performed popular tunes from Florence and the Machine, and David Guetta. There were a few students there performing original songs, as well. Overall, it was very successful first showing of the open mic night, and it inspired them to put on another one, which took place on March 12th. I cannot wait to go back and see what the next mic night has to offer for the Princeton community!

From Graduation to the Classroom

On November 4^th I interviewed a good friend of mine, and Westminster Choir College Alumni, Sarah Mae Lagasca. Sarah Mae recently graduated from Westminster, not even a year ago in 2013, and is now working as a K-8 music teacher in Freehold. NJ. Before Westminster Sarah Mae attended the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts in New York City. At Westminster Sarah Mae majored in Music Education with a vocal primary. Now almost halfway through her fist year of teaching she is being able to put her skills as an educator to the test as well as deal with this new found territory of being out of school and in the real world.

As a future educator getting to talk to Sarah Mae was a dream come true. I brought this thought up to her multiple times but the process we go through in school is kind of the “perfect process.” While going through this “perfect process” one of the things I fear is that it is not like what will be encountered in the real world. During the interview Sarah Mae expressed that, yes, Westminster does offer the perfect road to music education and that in the real world you don’t have your co-op to guide you. But, the best part about the real world is that it is the real world. You now have real students, and real experiences where you are in charge.

I ask Sarah Mae a lot of questions on what it was like in her first year of teaching. She expressed to me that she had two main struggles while going through her first year of teaching. The first is age. She told me that being a new teacher as well as being a young teacher is intimidating. While her colleagues are great, supportive, and understanding it is very scary to be the new kid on the block, so to speak. The second challenge she had might actually surprise you. If you were going to guess being a female or woman or color you’re wrong. Sarah Mae said that her biggest struggle is actually her height. “If I don’t wear heels to school I get mistaken for a student.” Yes, we had a very long a good laugh about this.

Getting to talk to Sarah Mae was such a treat! She is an extremely bubbly and personable person. Our conversations didn’t feel forced or awkward at all; on the contrary everything seemed to roll from one topic to the next. I came to the interview prepared with a list of questions that I didn’t really get to touch. Sarah Mae was extremely intuitive and answered half of my questions before I had the chance to ask them. I found myself laughing through most of the interview and time flew by so quickly. It was such a fun interview and I would do it all over in a heartbeat if I could.

Music in the Community

In the small, South Jersey town of Washington Township, NJ, lies a tiny, yet promising community of young musicians who are willing to show there talents to their small community of people who are generally interested in the arts, particularly the performing arts. Each year, Martha Frampton, who co-operates, and is currently president of this society of musicians called “Music at Bunker Hill,” calls upon musicians in the South Jersey, New York, and Philadelphia area to come and perform at a small church in Washington Township, to help expose the community to music and the arts, as a whole. Each season, this small musical community rounds up about 5 to 6 performances, each with a different soloist with a different musical background. From violinists, to singing soloists, Music at Bunker Hill features them all, and features them in a way that the community can easily relate to and understand. This season, artists such as Arnaud Sussmann, Barbara Dever, William Frampton, who is actually Martha Frampton’s son, Soovin Kim, Jessica Lee, The Conwell Wind Quartet, and Ran Dank will be featured in this exciting and elaborate program of the 2013-2014 season. This group was founded in 2008, and was founded on the basis of preserving classical music while still observing other musical genres. The goal of this organization is to make great music both affordable and accessible to everyone in the community.

This community of musicians means a lot to me as a musician. Growing up in the South Jersey area, it was always hard to find performance opportunities to attend or to be a part of. The community in which I live is very rural and cut off from the regular world, to put it lightly. I would always have to travel to either Philadelphia or New York City in order see or be a part of a performance, besides my high school performances. So to have a community of musicians who regularly perform classical and new music near my town was a big deal for me, because I was still able to be exposed to that type of music and be educated about it. Being able to have this plethora of musicians around me has ultimately made me a better musician, as a whole, because I have been able to learn from trained professionals how to perform in a small setting. It was a great tool for me to dip into performing, in general, and really got me into my own career path. Seeing those people on stage bringing life to music really inspired me to pursue my own profession, for the simple fact that I felt the strong desire to create beautiful works of art that would touch people emotionally and physically. I’m very proud to say that I come from such a thriving musical town, and that even though it can be difficult to promote such an atmosphere in a cut-off place, this town has done just that, and so much more.

Late to the Game: Discovering Musical Passions

The New Jersey Women’s History Website is gathering Oral Histories on prominent female musicians centered in New Jersey. Mika Godbole is a percussionist and teacher who works at the Westminster Conservatory, The Cambridge School, and a variety of other endeavors such as the Summer Music Festival at Aspen. What struck me about Godbole is that she started taking formal lessons at the age of 17. She was accepted into a studio based on four months of solid practice, on the premise that she would continue to catch up to students who had been playing for years.

She certainly caught up, and has done much more. Godbole now teaches individual percussion lessons as well as a group drum circle at The Cambridge School. For someone who was so late to the game, the amount of success she has achieved is astounding. In under two decades she went from not playing percussion, to being a respected leader in the field of performance and education!

My name is Jonny DeHart, and I was a percussionist at first, before dedicating myself to vocal and choral studies. I was 19 when I decided that I wanted to go down the path I’m on. I often don’t take time to look back during the shuffle of life, but it’s pretty remarkable that I was able to discover and pursue my passion when I was that age. We certainly hear of child prodigies, but it is also interesting to consider individuals who had a delayed start, and made up ground. For example, golfer K.J Choi, who first picked up a golf club at age 16, has won 20 PGA events by the age of 43. It’s fascinating to find individuals who can uncover a hidden passion and talent after years of allowing it to lie dormant.

Today, many professional musicians rely on teaching as their primary income. This practice can be good and bad, as teachers are often extremely gifted musically, but it is rarer to find a teacher who is musically exceptional, and pedagogically exceptional. I think we will be able to brainstorm about some of the similarities and differences between performing and teaching.

Godbole is a female percussionist, which is awesome, and empowering as an example to all young women who wish to follow their paths. As a male, it is hard to get an actual perception of what it is like to be a woman living in 21^st century America. Hopefully, when talking with Ms. Godbole, we will be able to share experiences of being percussionists, educators, and human beings from the lens of both genders.

This interview will be of value to anyone who entertains thoughts of maintaing a performance career while actively teaching in multiple situations. This interview will be of value to anyone who is considering picking up and developing a new skill. I hope this interview will be an inspiration to anyone who is struggling to gain, or retain passion, in their music lives. I hope this interview helps people think about the power that a creative spark can have when given fuel by work ethic. I hope this interview can help us discover that we’re always teaching, and that we’re always learning.

Building a Foundation for a Music Career

For many people, the idea of pursuing a full-time career in music is considered laughable. Due to the economic upheavals being suffered by our current generation, and the lack of support for paid and unionized musicians, the average American is bound to look at a music performance education tentatively, if not suspiciously. Basically thinking, why pay so much money for an education that cannot guarantee a secure job or other typical employment benefits?

Fortunately some students are not so easily convinced of promised failure and the myth of the starving artist. Many decide that pursuing a liberal arts or performance degree in a university environment is quite worth the financial commitment. Besides the obvious academic advantages, these environments allow students to combine their passion and skill for their chosen instrument while simultaneously cultivating their overall musical ability. The undergraduate and graduate level of a musical education are also designed to hone the professional skills needed for their specialized field post-college. They also provide an introduction and specific study of private teaching, choral conducting, accompanying for solo and choral performances, as well as composing and arranging.

One of these former students is a young woman by the name of Nicole Cochran. Growing up in the town of McKeesport, Pennsylvania, Nicole played many different instruments from a young age. This ranged from clarinet lessons in middle school, to the viola and bassoon, and her main focus: the pipe organ. Deciding in high school that her passion could be pursued seriously at the Juilliard School of Music, Nicole auditioned and was accepted into the undergraduate program for Organ Performance. After completing the program, Nicole decided to pursue a Master’s Degree for Organ Performance in order to raise her marketability as a musician which she completed in 2012 at Westminster Choir College in Princeton.

Now living in the Princeton area, Nicole has been working steadily to create a musical resume that will give her the foundation she needs to acquire any job she wants. This includes accompanying for several high school choirs in New Jersey, including Princeton High School. She also teaches piano and bassoon privately, and plays keyboard and sings back-up vocals for a local Princeton cover band. Her schedule can be hectic at times, as she must drive to different towns and homes for rehearsals and lessons. She is also required to juggle lots of repertoire, and simultaneously learn and perform many pieces of music widely ranging in style and genre.

So how can such a magical career be achieved? Well there is really no specific insider secret to Nicole’s success in these early stages of her musical career. Not only are her skills varied over many styles of playing, but her flexibility and adaptability allow her to approach any musical task as an opportunity to learn and to teach. Generally, the musician’s adaptability is what allows them an honest confidence when applying for jobs that they have not necessarily studied or been specifically trained for. As with many careers, the musicians must balance between many factors when taking on any job. The music degree, however, is what gets the proverbial foot in the door.

The Casual Musician

I describe the casual musician as a person who likes to do music. They may not be a professional musician, and may not ever make money from doing music. They make music simply for the joy of it.  The casual musician may have discovered other nonmusical incentives for doing music; maybe they have met new people through a music group, or have found music to be an essential part of a well-balanced life. The definition of a casual musician includes a broad range of musicians. A casual musician might be part of a weekly community band, be part of a monthly music guitar ensemble, go to concerts regularly, or even just listen to the radio.

Why am I so fascinated by the casual musician? Firstly, I am not a casual musician. I eat, sleep, and breathe music. My profession is music; I will be doing music professionally for the rest of my life, through performing, conducting, or teaching. I will never be a casual musician. However, I will be working with thousands of casual musicians, which leads to my second point. As a music educator, my main objective is to create casual musicians or musical people. I may have some students that go on to become professional musicians. The rest of my students though, will go on to be business professionals, doctors, parents, teachers, cashiers, counselors, etc. I truly believe that all people can benefit from music. I hope that all of my students will become casual musicians and find a way to include music in their lives.

This idea of creating casual musicians or musical people has formed the basis of my teaching philosophy. Let me take a moment to explain. I want to teach children at the elementary level in the music classroom. I want to teach children. I do not teach music, rather I teach children. I hope to teach my students something about music, of course. However, I want to teach the students first. If my students learn one thing from me, I want it to be that music can be an enjoyable part of the rest of their lives. You can see how this has shaped my teaching philosophy.

I was given the task of interviewing a woman musician in New Jersey. I decided to interview a casual musician. You may be thinking that I could feasibly pull any woman off the streets of New Jersey and ask for an interview about music. I did something similar. I went to the Craigslist of Central New Jersey website. Under the musicians section, I found the title “Female Singer seeking Guitarist/Piano Accompaniment.” This woman explained that she had been given a great opportunity to record some demos, ranging from classic rock to rap. She then wrote that she has 18 years of singing experience, 5 years of classical voice training, and 7 years of performing experience. I emailed immediately, asking if she was interested in an interview. I have since gathered that this is a 23 year old woman named Jade. She studied at Rutgers and has been involved as a human rights activist.

I want to know why Jade has included music in her life. I want to know what her favorite part of music is. I want to know if other aspects of her life have kept her from doing music. I want to know how music has enhanced her life. I want to know how she has found the time to include music in her life. I want to know why she does music.

I am looking forward to the interview, and to learning more about the life of a casual musician.

Saving Music in Schools

It would be overkill to give a huge long statement about the cutting of funding from arts programs in schools. We all know that this de-funding happens more often than not, and we all just sit and accept it. Well, personally I am not one of those people to lie idly around. Music has always brought me a strange joy, a beautiful outlet, and a yearning desire to always be around it. For someone to not be exposed to this joy and beauty like I was is simply heart-breaking to me.

This de-funding started happening when I was in high school, and it nearly destroyed our musical theatre program with the budget cuts. With fundraising we were able to put on a show, and it showed me that people out there cared about what we did on that stage. So that got me thinking about how else I could bring music out into the world and show people what we can do, and maybe even expose them to something they’ve never been exposed to before. At the time, I was a part of an organization that raised money for building schools in a small African country called Uganda. I began thinking about programs that would raise money for this organization that played on my own strengths. The only thing I knew anything about was music, so I started a choir called “Generation Choir.” We rehearsed twice a week for a total of 3 hours, exploring choral repertoire far out of a normal high schooler’s skill level. It was hard, frustrating and nearly tragic getting everyone together every week and working on these extremely difficult pieces, but we all pulled through. We all had a common goal: to raise money for those less fortunate, and to share our gifts with the our community.

We traveled to churches, synagogues, and other public spaces singing our program. The amount of positive response we got was unbelievable. We raised thousands of dollars for the children of Uganda. Of equal importance, we enlightened many of the audience members in the beauty and dedication of music. They saw and heard the difficulty and complexity of the music we performed, and really appreciated what we had to offer. Generation Choir will always be one of my proudest achievements. Not only was I able to help kids in need, but also spread the beauty of music all around my hometown and promote the arts programs.

My interviewee is Melanie Clarke, the executive director of the Princeton Symphony Orchestra and the founder of BRAVO!. BRAVO! is a program that brings music to schools all around the Princeton area and tries to inspire young kids to participate in their school’s music programs. I believe that this is so important, and I am really looking forward to learning more about where this idea came from. She is also a mother of four kids, one of whom is the age I am now. I am interested in learning how she balances family life, personal time, BRAVO!, and her job as executive director.

Programs like BRAVO! are the reason that music is not completely cut out of schools. I hope to start a program myself one day to promote the arts, and I am ready to learn as much as I can about running one. We cannot let the arts die in our schooling system. After all, “the earth without art is just ‘eh’.”