Performances | Uptown Music Collective

Upcoming Musical Performances and Events

Overview:

The Uptown Music Collective’s Performance Program has been in operation since the founding of the school in 2000. It has grown from a series of yearly recitals to its current calendar of over thirty public and private events each year. With the exception of the teachers’ yearly fundraising concerts, every performance on the Collective’s calendar is organized and run by the students themselves, withinstructors and staff acting as coaches and mentors.

The performers, mostly third or fourth year students, perform solo or together in duos, trios, and larger groups. Each group specializes in a style of music such as Rock, Classic Rock, Blues, Jazz and Acoustic music.

The performers are supported by the Collective’s Music Technology students, as well as a group of first and second year students called Tech Monkeys. These two groups help transport, set up and run the sound system and other gear needed for each performance. The program is divided into three sections: recitals, major performances and general performances.

Recitals - Recitals are held three times a year, two during the fall and spring, and a third at the Collective’s annual Summer Music Festival. Recitals are geared toward first and second year students and are considered the training ground for future performances.

Major Performances – These occur twice a year—once in the fall and once in the spring. Held in larger venues, they are usually theatrical in nature and involve a large group of performers and crew. The Collective’s major performances have become popular community events.

Community Performances– are public and private events where Collective

students are hired or invited to perform. These performances give older students valuable “real world” performance experience, playing in a wide variety of situations and styles.

The Performance Program is the focal point against which all of the other school programs are measured. The staff and instructors of the Uptown Music Collective believe that performance is the best test of a student’s skill, mental focus and their ability to express themselves musically. Regular performances give focus and meaning to the hours of daily study and practice that students of music must endure. Knowing they will soon face a day of reckoning gives Collective students that extra bit of motivation to pick up their bass guitar instead of their Play Station 3 controller. The staff of the Uptown Music Collective also credits their high success and retention rate to the inspiration and dedication created by regular performance experiences.

PERFORMANCE PROGRAM: FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

WHAT IS THE PERFORMANCE PROGRAM?

WHAT DO I NEET TO DO TO BE ELIGIBLE TO TAKE PART?

WHY DO I HAVE TO TAKE PART IN THE TECH MONKEY WORKSHOP IF I WANT TO BE A PERFORMER?

DO STUDENTS ALWAYS HAVE TO MEET THE REQUIERMENTS?

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN I AM ELIGIBLE?

WHY DO YOU MAKE IT SO DIFFICULT FOR STUDENTS TO TAKE PART?

WHAT IS THE PERFORMANCE PROGRAM?

The performance program is a free program that is intended to give students high quality, high impact performance opportunities which will enhance their UMC educational experience. The program consists of recital performances which are open to all students, community performances for students who take part in performance workshops and major performances which are by invitation only.

WHAT DO I NEET TO DO TO BE ELIGIBLE TO TAKE PART?

To be eligible for consideration for the Major Performance Program Students must:

1. Have reached the intermediate level on their principle instrument 2. Taken the Tech Monkey Workshop and participated as a Tech Monkey in multiple performances.

3. Participate in multiple UMC recitals while showing a sense of responsibility and team spirit. Students demonstrate these qualities by being in attendance for all rehearsals and working well with other students and the UMC staff.

4. Demonstrate a high enough level of skill and strong desire to be on stage through the intensity and strength of their recital performance. (The staff is always watching for the kids that are ready to take the next step, in a way every recital performance is like an informal audition.

WHY DO I HAVE TO TAKE PART IN THE TECH MONKEY WORKSHOP IF I WANT TO BE A PERFORMER?

Students are all required to take part in the Tech Monkey Workshop (that's right, Dylan Rockoff, Tess Marshall, Collin Dennen and Shannon Cantor were all monkeys before they stepped on the CAC stage to perform), through this program students learn the ins and outs of setting up and tearing down the schools

performance equipment, while developing a team spirit and an understanding of how shows are put together. It also gives you common experience with those that will be supporting you when it's your turn to be the star performer.

DO STUDENTS ALWAYS

HAVE TO MEET THE REQUIERMENTS?

Students sometimes participate in Major Performances without having met all of the above requirements. This occurs when the student plays an instrument or has a skill that is needed for that particular performance. Also a student will occasionally come along who blows the staff away with their talent and is included in a performance. however this is rare and that student is usually asked to perform and to fulfill all requirements simultaneously.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN I AM ELIGIBLE?

Once you are eligible it's not automatic that you become part of the program. The Major Performance Program is a privilege not a right, it is for students who are team players, respectful, hard working, disciplined and who have reached a high level of proficiency on their instrument. The schools performances are well known in the community for their incredibly high quality and the discipline and professionalism of the student participants. The day you are asked to take part in one should be a confirmation of your success at learning your instrument and your ability to perform music.

WHY DO YOU MAKE IT SO DIFFICULT FOR STUDENTS TO TAKE PART?

REMEMBER! We, the staff and teachers of the UMC want every student to take part in this program. It is however a difficult, time consuming, challenging and demanding program where you will be expected to give your all onstage and off. Missing rehearsals, not knowing your music or demonstrating a bad attitude is not tolerated. Since this is a student driven program students are also expected to lead and organize much of the activity that surrounds these high intensity events.