Students prepare for ‘Local’

It wasn’t until a week before the spring semester started that junior Stephanie Demar found out she would be responsible for creating a concert out of thin air.

“Music Industry I isn’t required as part of my major, but it sounded very interesting,” Demar said. “I admit I was a little intimidated by the project at first, but I was also very excited.”

For six years, Monika Herzig has been teaching A236: Music Industry I through the School of Public and Environmental Affairs. Every semester she challenges her students to organize a concert on their own from scratch and
without a budget.

“Some classes I have taught had trouble organizing and taking charge,” Herzig said. “In previous years I have even ended up dropping the project all together.”

But staying true to the sink-or-swim reality of the music industry, Demar and her classmates have managed to pull together what they said they hope will be an event
unlike any other.
“Local Vocals” will take place 8 p.m. Monday at Max’s Place. Admission is $3 and 50 percent of profits will benefit the Indianapolis-based charity “Music for All.”

Set up as a singer/songwriter coffeehouse show with a competitive twist, “Local Vocals” will feature eight artists who will perform both original and cover songs.

The audience will then be able to vote for their favorite, and the winner will receive a cash prize.

Out of 16 who auditioned, Demar was one of the performers chosen after posting a video covering Adele’s “Someone Like You” to the event’s Facebook page.

“I actually didn’t audition at first because I was in the class,” Demar said.

But with the encouragement of Herzig, Demar posted her video and was selected as a finalist. However, many other pieces had to fall into place before “Local Vocals” was able to audition talent.

The students of Music Industry I had to book a venue and find creative ways to generate interest in the show.

“Everyone in the class decided to split into separate committees to delegate the work load,” junior Patrick Andrews said.

Frequently communicating via Oncourse and in class twice a week, the planning committee decided to have the event at Max’s Place because booking is free if personal equipment is used.

The tech committee then focused on obtaining sound equipment. And the callout
committee was responsible for gaining interest from potential performers.

Another performer chosen to sing for “Local Vocals” is freshman Molly Crawford.
Though she was involved in music and theater in high school, this will be her first public performance since moving to Bloomington.

“I have to admit I’m pretty nervous,” Crawford said. “A friend who is in the class told me I should audition, so I just went for it.”

Though Crawford is still deciding on which song to cover, she is excited to play her original song. She will accompany herself on the ukulele.

While the night of the event will be about the artists, Music Industry I student and freshman Jamie Phipps said everything else leading up to it has been an amazing learning experience.

“This experience has taught me to work with a lot of different people at once and to delegate responsibility,” Phipps said.