Don't Fret

Music Legends From Austin, TX

By Catherine Beckett

From Garage to Entourage

By Rachel Cox

Preservation of Education

By Jules Hays

Distribution Revolution

By Ethan Oroshiba

Music Mastery

By Aaron Gostein

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DON’T FRET

Graphic by Aaron Gostein

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WHAT’S INSIDE 4

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Letter From the Editor

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Contributor’s Page

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Music Legends From Austin, Texas

The meaning behind three monuments to incredible musicians from the live music capital of the world.

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Musical Firsts of the Twentieth Century

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From Garage to Entourage

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Top Venues for Young Artists

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Preservation of Education

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On a Different Note

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Distribution Revolution

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Where’s the Money?

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Music Mastery

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Music Stats

A timeline of important events from the 1900’s.

A guide for young musicians who want to make it big.

A map of the best places for young musicians to form.

The impact that budget cuts have on music programs in schools.

The benefits of involvement in a music program.

How new technology is shaping the music industry.

Where revenues for recording musicians and record companies come from.

Tips from experts on how to learn music best.

Statistics about music.

Photo by Nev Brown

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Letter from the Editor

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Dear Reader,

M

usic has a powerful ability to impact everybody’s lives. Whether it’s performing in the streets, playing in a professional orchestra, or even singing in the shower, every person has the ability to become a musician. When I was younger, I did not have the great love for music that I do now. I would usually just listen to music playing in the background, or whatever my parents and friends listened to. But this turned around in 6th grade, when I decided to try something new and join my school orchestra as a violist. I have never been happier with a decision in my life. Music started to inhibit my soul and gradually take over my life. I do not know where I would be without my viola, my school orchestra, and the countless hours of songs I listen to every day.

I would like to pass on my love for music, and welcome you to our very first edition of Don’t Fret, a magazine designed especially for professional musicians, aspiring musicians, or any person who loves music the way we do. We’ve worked hard to bring you the very best, and we hope you enjoy reading it. To me, music is more than just something that can be heard or played; it’s something to be felt and experienced, and I hope that Don’t Fret allows you to feel the exact same way.

Sincerely, Jules Hays

The LBJ Chamber Orchestra prepares to play at a UIL competition. Photo by Laura Hays.

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Meet Our

C NTRIBUT RS

Graphic by Petr Kratochvil

Photo by Salma Bora

Catherine Beckett

Catherine plays outside midfield in soccer. She loves music, from Beyonce to the Grateful Dead. Her first real concert was the Black Keys in seventh grade.

If she could she could see any band live she would see Twenty One Pilots.

Photo by Rachel Cox

Rachel Cox

Rachel is an Austinite born and raised. She has always been enamored by Austin’s vibrant culture and diverse music scene. Rachel participates in volleyball and ultimate frisbee both in and out of school. She listens to music and dances constantly. Her favorite music genres are classic rock, indie, and rap. If she could see any band perform live, it would be the Black Keys.

Photo by Catherine Beckett

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Photo by Anirudh Koul

Aaron Gostein

Aaron has studied piano for ten years, and has a love of music beyond comprehension. He enjoys music, math, playing baseball,and is a proud member of the LBJ High School Band in Austin, Texas. Aaron aspires to be a teacher in the future, and if he could see any band live he would see Billy Joel.

Photo by Rachel Cox

Jules Hays

Jules is an avid swimmer and violist. She enjoys racing the 200 butterfly and performing with her friends in her school orchestra. She is working to make a state cut in swimming over the summer and aspires to get into the All Region Orchestra next year. If she could see any band live, she would want to see Coldplay or Taylor Swift.

Photo by Rachel Cox

Ethan Oroshiba

Ethan plays the piano, cello, guitar, drums, and bass. He loves music as well and hopes to attend the Eastman School of Music or the Boston Conservatory. His hobbies include composing, mountain biking, and listening to Muse. If he could see any band live it would be AC/DC.

Photo by Rachel Cox

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Music Legends From Austin, Texas

Where to find the remnants of Austin music’s past and present.

A

ustin, the so called “live music capital of the world,” has long had a rich history of music. And the physical monuments of musicians, gone or still alive, can tell a lot about Austin’s past and present.

The larger than life Stevie Ray Vaughan statue looks out over the town lake in Downtown Austin. Head over to Threadgill’s and see the restaurant where Janis Joplin played before she became a household name. Or go to East Seventh Street and see a mural of Willie Nelson, one of many tributes to the Austin country singer. Threadgill’s manager and acquaintance of Janis Joplin, Eddie Wilson, sculptor of the Stevie Ray Vaughan monument Ralph Helmick, and the artist behind the Willie Nelson mural talk about the legacies of these musicians.

Anyone who lived in Austin in the

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by: Catherine Beckett

70’s knew about the Armadillo World Headquarters, founded by Eddie Wilson.

“I was never qualified to have a job so I had to invent one. That’s pretty much the story of the Armadillo,” said Wilson.

There’s much more to the Armadillo than simply a startup job however. The Armadillo was the concert hall that is credited with establishing the Austin music scene. Artists from Van Halen to Willie Nelson played at the Armadillo during the ten years it was open. “The Armadillo contributed to the scene developing here simply because when I started the Armadillo there was just very very little in the way of venue availability for people playing original music,” explains Wilson.

The Armadillo closed down in 1980, ten years after it opened. “Armadillo World Headquarters was a considered a huge influence and a major player in the

starting of the music scene, but it never made any money. It was behind the eight ball and underneath the debt ceiling from the day it opened, and it was open for ten years,” Wilson says.

Before the Armadillo existed, there was Threadgill’s. This wasn’t the southern food serving restaurant it is today though; it used to be what was essentially a beer joint. One of the most famous and influential artists to come out of Austin, Janis Joplin, played at Threadgill’s frequently during her short career. “Threadgill’s didn’t really help her achieve fame so much as give her some place that she first started singing in public. And there was instant adoration among the crowd because she was just bigger voiced than any of us has ever heard. So you might say Threadgill’s was the place where she first started growing her big persona,” Wilson

The Stevie Ray Vaughan statue on Lady Bird lake. Photo by Katie Haugland Bowen.

Photo by LoneStarMike.

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said.

Wilson got to know Janis over several years. He describes the first time he met her: “The first time I was down at the University, right along the Coop, where there were big crowds going across the street back and forth. I was going through there one time and all of a sudden the light changed and the crowd just washed over me like a wave on the beach. And I just had to stop. As it started to thin a little bit I started easing forward and somebody kicked the side of my car, back around the left back tire. Just kicked the side of my car. So I looked in the rear view mirror and Janis was looking in. Guess she thought that I wasn’t being respectful of the pedestrians.”

Although Janis passed away nearly 50 years ago, evidence of her Austin roots remain.

Most prominently is, of course, Threadgill’s, where photos of Janis and Mr. and Mrs. Threadgill line the walls.

Wilson remembers a concert she played at the restaurant; “Janis just sang louder and louder, in just a great booming voice.”

Flash forward a decade, and another prominent artist has risen out of Austin. Born in Dallas, Stevie Ray Vaughan moved to Austin in 1972. The larger than life statue of Vaughan located on Town Lake is well known and loved by Austinites all over the city.

Ralph Helmick, the sculptor of the statue, created the monument after Vaughan’s untimely death in 1990. Helmick recalls, “When I was selected, it was probably just a year or so after

Stevie’s death. So things were still pretty raw.”

Helmick is more than the sculptor of the statue.

He’s also a fan of Vaughan’s music. “My younger brother [said]... ‘there’s this guyout of Texas The A you should check out’, so I 1976 rmadillo . Pho W did, and fell in love with his to by orld He adq Steve music. It’s aparticular honor,” Hop uarters son. in says Helmick.

The statue depicts Vaughan standing with his guitar at his side. Helmick explains why he chose this pose: “I think it was a surprise maybe so people who first saw my design, especially to the family, that I would not be showing Stevie playing the guitar. And my thinking was that we already have his recordings to document a testimony to his musical prowess. You know, Stevie the person.

So that’s why he’s got the guitar by his side.”

Helmick applies this concept to the

“I wanted to make Stevie’s memorial more about Stevie himself. “ -Ralph Helmick

The Willie Nelson mural at 6th street, painted by Wiley Ross. Photo by Rachel Elis.

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“Striking Texas Gold” by Dianne Sonnenberg. ©2006 Dianne Sonnenberg Mosaics.

A photo of Janis Joplin in the Threadgill’s north location. Photo by Looking for Janis.

License: https://creativecommons.org/ licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/legalcode

rest of his work. “Figurative sculpture works best when it’s not in an action pose, [when] it seems like you can correspond to it for at least an inhale and an exhale,” he explains.

The statue includes a bronze shadow of the figure. The shadow, however, shows Vaughan playing the guitar. Interpret this how you will, but one thing’s for sure: the monument portrays an Austin legend.

Differing from the blues and rock sounds of Janis Joplin and Stevie Ray Vaughan is one musician that comes up in any discussion of Austin music.

Country singer Willie Nelson “embodies the idea of Austin,” according to Wiley Ross.

Ross is the artist behind the mural of Willie Nelson on East Seventh Street. The huge 60 foot by 20 foot mural portrays a cross armed Willie Nelson superimposed on tie-dye-like waves of red and yellow. “I feel like he’s [the mural] kinda looking out over Austin, in a way,” says Ross.

The complicated process of painting a mural this large involves several steps. Priming the wall and gridding it out must be done before painting it. To Ross however, the end result made up for the time consuming task. “Painting it was tripped out you

know, and the homeless cats are cool, they even gave me some artwork,” Ross explained.

Originally from Missouri, Ross moved to Austin after college. When describing what Ross loved most about Austin, he said, “The cat sitting next to me is probably a lot weirder than I am, so it’s great.”

Of course, this mural isn’t the only tribute to Willie Nelson that can be found around Austin.

There’s a statue, a street and even another mural. Willie Nelson may have left the most physical remnants of his career, but he’s certainly not the only one. The legacies of Janis Joplin, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Willie Nelson can be found all around Austin, whether it’s in a restaurant, on town lake, or on the side of a building. “I get a lot of credit that I probably don’t deserve but then again I did a lot of stuff that I don’t get credit for, so you know, you just take it when you can get it. You don’t pick and choose. You’re just lucky if anybody remembers,” said Wilson.

Right, Stevie Ray Vaughan play3s guitar. Photo by Scott Newton.

This south Austin mural is a tribute to dozens of local Austin musicians. Photo

by Scott Beale / Laughing Squid at laughingsquid.com.

Below, Willie Nelson pictured in concert in 2009. Photo by Bob Jagendorf.

Janis Joplin in 1968. Photo by Winston Vargas.

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Musical Firsts of the by: Catherine Beckett

Chubby Checker releases his cover of “The Twist,” which becomes the top single of all time (according to Billboard.) The song created the twist dance craze of the 1960’s.

Photo from the Library of Congress.

1960

1917-1930 Jazz music emerges from New Orleans and spreads around the country.

Photo by State Library of New South Wales.

The bluegrass group Old and In the Way releases it’s self titled album. Because Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead was the lead member of the group, the album reached a much larger audience and became the bestselling bluegrass album of all time.

Ph

oto

1981 Photo by Jacob Whittaker

1975

The first music video on MTV, “Video Killed the Radio Star” by the Buggles, is aired. This marks the beginning of the music video’s prevailing popularity.

Photo by Kristine.

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by

Wa yn

eR

oge

rs.

1987

Aretha Franklin becomes the first female inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Women are underrepresented Graphic by Catherine Beckett in the Hall, making up only 15% of performer inductees (shown in the graph to the right.)

Twentieth Century

Phot

1962

o by

Phot

o by

1963

EMI.

The Beatles release their first album, My Bonnie.

Fran

cesco

.

Bob Marley’s band, the Wailers, form.

They were some of the earliest and most influential players of reggae music, making the genre known around the globe.

The first song to be performed in space was “Jingle Bells.” The tune was played on the spacecraft Gemini 6A using a harmonica and bells.

1965

The Gem

ini 6A- ph

oto by NA

SA.

Astronauts Thomas P. Stafford (left) and Walter M. Schirra of the Gemini 6A. Photo by NASA.

Photo by Michel Linssen/R edferns

1991

Sources: https://www.nps.gov/jazz/learn/historyculture/history_early.htm http://www.billboard.com/charts/greatest-hot-100-singles http://www.roots-reggae-library.com/2013/03/the-wailers.html http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20130429-thirteen-space-music-firsts http://www.businessinsider.com/video-killed-the-radio-star-34th-anniversary-of-music-video-on-mtv-2015-7 http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/rock-and-roll-hall-of-fame-inducts-first-woman

“Smells Like Teen Spirit,” the lead single on Nirvana’s second album, is released. As Nirvana’s greatest hit, the song popularized Kurt Cobain’s style of grunge and brought the Seattle sound into mainstream culture.

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From Garage to Entourage A guide to becoming legitimate for young, Austin musicians by: Rachel Cox

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Photo courtesy of Plismo

I

magine standing on a stage, with bright lights glaring down, and hundreds of people gathering below to watch the performance. The music begins and the crowd roars with elation.

Next thing you know, you’re awake, hearing the alarm go off. You rush out the door just in time to catch the school bus.

As the music capital of the world, Austin has produced some of the most distinguished musicians on Earth, but an even larger array of young artists seek to perform their music on a public scale.

Unfortunately, the road to legitimacy1717 travels rougher than expected. For many, the process to perform at a venue, get exposure, and perfect the creative process all impact the journey.

A music career remains possible whether you have played music your whole life, or just begun. “About a year ago I got interested in music,” Nathan Carlson states, a freshman at the Liberal Arts and Science Academy in Austin.

Carlson, an aspiring musician and band member of First Thursday, a local, indie band in Austin started playing drums with a drum teacher at the start of 2016.

“I felt like that wasn’t really enough for me, felt like I couldn’t really create music. I could play along, I could make a beat for other musicians, but I couldn’t create my own melody,” Carlson said.

In early 2016, he decided to transition to guitar; something a little more expressive. “[Guitar] was kind of like this gateway for me into this world of making music and I got really into it”.

While looking for ways to get their music viewed by a wider audience, First Thursday found some online distribution services. “We originally just started using Bandcamp,” Carlson says.

BandCamp acts as a free online distribution service that publishes music directly onto the website where anyone can view and purchase it. “We just uploaded stuff there, and in the process of doing that, we found this website called DistroKid,” Carlson adds.

DistroKid, another online distribution service, uploads music onto public streaming services such as iTunes and Spotify for $19.99 a year. “[Distro Kid] gets your music out there,” Carlson says.

But First Thursday hasn’t just produced music online. They have worked with KOOP radio, a cooperative radio station in Austin dedicated to creating quality music for the community. KOOP has a program with the Griffin School in Austin called YouthSpin. YouthSpin Radio broadcasts every Friday on the KOOP station where they spin, talk about issues and DJ. First Thursday had the opportunity to play on KOOP through a friend’s invitation and the performance ended as a success.

However, their path to legitimacy has had some roadblocks. “Exposure has been the hardest part. Mostly our exposure has been word of mouth.

Friends telling other friends. Recently we’ve been trying to spread out more and get our stuff out there, play more gigs, live shows, radio, stuff like that.”

Carlson explains.

First Thursday started investing more

“[Music’s] been really big for me” -Nathan Carlson

First Thursday’s first album, More Than Friends, Less Than Lovers was released in 2016. Album cover illustration by Jamie Corum and Nathan Carlson.

Carlson adds.

Zoe Czarnecki, a Junior at the Liberal Arts and Science Academy, plays bass and double bass. She has performed at several Austin venues with two different bands: Charlie Belle and her current band MiSimplicity. She started playing as part of a group in the 7th grade. “It’s cool to play at the big venues because it feels official,” Czarnecki says.

Cactus Cafe hosted MiSimplicity’s EP release party in the fall of 2016. “Cactus Cafe is interesting because it’s more of a listening room, so everyone is seated, and it’s really dark in there. It’s a really interesting vibe, very different from

time and money after committing to their music production. “You should create what you want to, for you. Invest before you buy equipment,” Carlson says.

Jamie Corum, the lead singer of First Thursday, Carlson’s fellow band member and friend, has had great experiences with music as well.

The band’s advice to aspiring musicians is simple. “If you want to become a musician you really just have to dive in. Make ten crappy songs, and then you’ll make ten better ones!” Corum suggests. “Only do it, if you enjoy it. When it goes past the point Jamie Corum and Nathan Carlson sing and play their music of enjoyment, don’t near Austin Java in central Austin. Photo courtesy of Rachel do it anymore,” Cox.

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Nathan Carlson and Jamie Corum play their music in a secluded spot in North Austin. Photo courtesy of Ronan Rolston.

Misimplicity’s EP (Extended Play) original playlist came out in September of 2016. Illustration courtesy of Eva Matulewski. other venues. But Czarnecki hasn’t just performed live, she has also had the chance to play on KOOP radio with her former band Charlie Belle. “Playing on the radio is scary, I don’t like it very much because recordings catch more than you catch when they’re live. It’s way more exposed and performance isn’t an aspect, so it’s the worst if you’re playing live on the radio, and they’re filming you because it’s awkward in two different ways.” Czarnecki says. KOOP radio operates as a nonprofit organization that plays music on a cooperative platform, so Czarnecki could book a spot.

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Czarnecki’s advice to aspiring artists really hits home. “Try and play as much as you can because the more you play with different situations with different people, the better you’ll get at it,” Czarnecki advises.

As someone experienced in the business, Czarnecki says that “Networking and self promotion are really important things and also the most intensely uncomfortable and hard to do. You should just relinquish any awkward feelings. Try and get over it because we all have to do it.”

Steve Sternschein owns and manages the Empire Control Room, a live music venue in downtown Austin. He has participated in the booking process for several years and also played bass in the band Shinobi Ninja. “You really have to be so passionate about music that you can’t do anything else.” Sternschein says.

Sternschein has loved music for as long as he can remember. He knows that the road to success remains long, but prosperous. Sternschein reveals that, “The biggest thing you need to do if you want to be a successful artist, was be able to sell tickets to your fans. The ones that are successful are the ones who are able to translate the great music into selling tickets and packing a room.”

It all started in 2012 when Sternschein bought the club with two of his band mates. Ever since, the business has flourished and become a more popular venue for aspiring artists. “That’s what Empire is, it’s a giant sandbox for musicians to figure out how to make money for themselves so they can do that for a living.” explains Sternschein.

Empire has three stages, two outdoor and one indoor, ranging from smallest to biggest that cater to however many tickets your band can sell. The smallest stage can fit 100 people, the next 300 to 500 and the biggest outdoor stage can fit up to 1000. Sternschein says this setup resembles “an incubator for growing artists”.

Sternschein has also worked with Sony Records and knows the difference between the recorded and live music industries. “The difference between focusing on live performance and focusing on recorded music is, you end up not really being in control of

your own career. So, you have to make a decision whether you want to be independent and make your own thing, or sell yourself and work for somebody else as an artist,” Sternschein says.

Sternschein has admired live music since he can remember. “That’s the heart of the music experience. When you have an artist on stage engaging with an audience of people in front of them, you have an experience, you have a moment. It can change your life, it changed my life,” Sternschein affirms.

To build a career around music, Sternschein suggests playing on a more acknowledged platform. “There is a time and a place for free shows, but it’s limited. You want to be selling tickets.

It’s just a question of valuing yourself,” Sternschein states.

The advancement towards exposure consists of a three step process. “Number one is have your social media presence together. Number two is have properly, professionally recorded music, and

“Music is not for the faint of heart” -Steve Sternschein release it regularly, if you want to be relevant. Make videos and do things visually. People listen with their eyes today. There has to be something visual that you tie your music to because that’s how people consume it. Organize your local audience around your performance,” Sternschein recommends.

Social media makes a great platform for sharing music and an easy way to gain publicity. “Once you have your music up in a professional way on the internet, the next step is to look around and find a place to play your music in front of people,” Sternschein states.

Sternschein does not receive calls from high school bands very often because Empire acts as a bar as well as a venue.

The main source of income for Empire comes from the concessions, including alcoholic beverages. Since high school shows do not distribute drinks, Empire’s profit does not reach its full potential.

Luckily, Sternschein has found a solution. “I can book all-ages shows early in the evening, which works for a high school audience, and not worry so much about whether or not we make a whole bunch of money at the bar because we’ll book something afterwards that does that,” Sternschein explains.

The booking process at venues uses simple tactics. Most people send an email to their desired venue asking for an opening in the schedule. Sternschein says that “The more information that’s in that email, the better I’m able to find something. You want to have links to all your music. Another big thing is if you’ve played shows before, where were those shows and how did they do? That really helps me to figure out what I can do for the band.”

Booking a show isn’t the only important part of the process; promoting and advertising are essential as well. “Be your own boss and be an entrepreneur and take advantage of that kind of an opportunity so that you don’t have to be beholden to somebody down the road.

It’s not hard to book a show, it’s hard to fill a room,” Sternschein explains.

The performer determines the ticket cost.

“The way you should decide that is based on what your costs are, whether it’s a flat fee that you’re paying for the room, or a guarantee that you made in concession sales. You have to be like “I think I can sell 50 tickets” so you can price the tickets in a way where you know you’re gonna hit your expenses,” Sternschein

states. Artists must consider time before committing to play at a venue. Allowing at least a month to promote. “Promotion is what you would expect, sitting on Facebook telling people about your show,” Sternschein says.

Venues like Empire will help you promote with links to tickets and information about the show. But Sternschein encourages young artists to host shows on their own. “Go to a VFW hall. I threw a show in my gym in high school,” Sternschein says.

Promoting shows alone can scare young artists, but Sternschein says it’s simple.

“You want to build a Facebook event, you want to have a flyer for the show that has the important information. So, who is playing, where it’s at, what’s the cover charge, where is the link to buy tickets, plus hopefully a cool image of something,” Sternschein says.

Online promotion has enhanced music’s presence today. However many people have forgotten the traditional styles of promoting. Physical promotion, or what the music industry likes to call “street teaming”, can effectively popularize music. Physical advertisements such as posters (usually 11” by 17”) and handbills (usually four by six inches) are a concrete way for people to judge a show. Fliers also provide a chance for personal connection.“It’s a conversation opportunity… Wherever people that would maybe be interested in your show are going to be, there should be a flier for your show there,” Sternschein states.

Sternschein also recommends producing hard tickets (meaning the actual piece of ticketing paper), instead of going virtual. Most music venues in Austin print tickets for their performing artists to make selling more convenient. “[with hard tickets] you can actually have a transaction moment,” Sternschein says.

When the big night finally approaches, the artist should arrange to capture pictures and videos to share later on social media. Sternschein recommends “[making] sure that those pictures and video go up right after the show is over”. Not only will this help promote your band with actual content, but can help your band book a spot with future venues.

“Once you’ve had one successful show, the next thing is, when am I going to book my next one?” says Sternschein.

Empire recommends asking about your next opportunity immediately after the show. “Don’t wait because if you wait, you might lose the opportunity. You also want to build momentum by doing shows on a regular basis,” Sternschein states.

The music business thrives on respect and loyalty. “When you have a good show, make sure that you follow up with the person who gave you that opportunity and say thank you,” Sternschein recommends. The staff at Empire really appreciate gratitude.

For young artists and aspiring musicians, the road to publicity can intimidate many, but putting yourself out there sets you on the path to success.

The Les Nubians perform at the Empire Control Room in Austin, pumping their fists in the air to engage the crowd. Photo taken on April 25th 2014 courtesy of Gil Garcia.

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Top Live Music Venues in Austin for Young Artists

Austin, being the live music capital of the world, has an array of live music venues for all types of performers. However, not all of these locations are available for younger acts and audiences. For any young musicians looking to become legitimate, here is a list of the top nine venues accessible to young musicians.

Graphic by Rachel Cox.

Photo by Anthony Quintano.

Stubb’s Bar-B-Q

The Paramount Theater

Known as an Austin classic in the heart of Downtown Austin, Stubb’s is known for their world-class Bar-B-Q and family friendly atmosphere. Especially open to younger acts and audiences, Stubb’s will make you feel welcome and part of the group.

The Paramount Theater is a live performance venue and movie theater built in 1915 and is known as Austin’s most historic venue. The theater hosts a wide variety of performances and musical genres. Perfect for if you are seeking a more professional and elaborate setting.

801 Red River St

713 Congress Ave

Graphic by schoolclipart.

Cheer Up Charlies 900 Red River St

If your looking for a colorful and free-spirited environment, Cheer Up Charlies has got you covered. This LGBT bar and music venue welcomes people from all walks of life. Charlies not only has an intimate indoor stage, but also an outdoor that transports you to another dimension with a beautifully illuminated rock wall setting the scene. However, Charlies doesn’t just host live music performances. Drag shows and DJ sessions are also a huge part of the experience.

Graphic by Clipart Library.

ACL Live at The Moody Theater

2nd Street District, 310 W Willie Nelson Blvd

Named “Venue of the Year-Small Capacity” by the Academy of Country Music Awards, the Moody Theater, or more commonly known as “ACL Live” has certainly made an impression. Since its opening in 2011, ACL Live has hosted a multitude of country music talent including Willie Nelson and the Dixie Chicks. The stunning theater has a 2,750-person capacity and hosts about 100 concerts a year.

Photo by Nerd Nite Austin.

Graphic by Maqtewe’kpaqtism.

The Mohawk 912 Red River St

Inspired by the Mohawk Native American tribe, the Mohawk is known for its extensive three-storied patio and large outdoor stage, the Mohawk lives up to the hype, with the Austin Chronicle awarding it best live music venue in Austin in 2015. Although the venue primarily plays alternative rock and indie music, all music genres are accepted.

The Mohawk provides a friendly atmosphere and welcomes all ages shows.

Photo by Larry D. Moore.

Historic Victory Grill 1104 E 11th St

An original member of the Chitlin’ Circuit, Victory Grill was influential in the African American music movement.

The grill has hosted a number of famous artists including James Brown, Bobby Bland and W. C. Clark. Victory was added to the National Register of Historic places in 1998 and continues to be a historic landmark in Austin. Fortunately, the space is still available for play and is open to all audiences.

The North Door

The Parish

The North Door is a bar, events, and music venue known for its diverse array of performances. The venue has balcony seating and a large projection wall perfect for a more engaging demonstration. The North Door does not limit performance in any way, 20 hosting all types of gatherings and concert ideas.

Regarded as the best indoor live music venue in Austin, the Parish is commemorated for its intimate atmosphere and unique sound. The club offers more music genres than any other venue including indie rock, electronic,, hip hop, funk, reggae and Latin. The space can hold up to 450 people with a wide floor perfect for dancing.

502 Brushy St

214 E 6th St

Graphic by maxim2.

Graphic by Rachel Cox

Sources: http://www.stubbsaustin.com/about-stubbs http://www.theparishaustin.com/about http://cheerupcharlies.com/about/ http://acl-live.com/venue http://www.ndvenue.com/about-2/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Paramount_Theatre_(Austin,_Texas) https://mohawkaustin.com/about http://atxhistoricvictorygrill.org/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victory_Grill

Music Venue Map

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Preservation of Education Budget cuts threaten music programs in schools.

by: Jules Hays

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Beginner orchestra students from middle schools throughout AISD perform at the 42nd Annual Fall String Festival.

Photo courtesy of Jeni Berecek.

O

Basses lined up on a bass rack at Kealing Middle School. Photo by Jules Hays.

n average, schools that have music programs have an attendance rate of 93.3%, compared to the 84.9% attendance rate in schools without music programs, according to research at McGill University.

However, it seems that budget cuts within schools and districts threaten these programs that keep kids coming to school the most.

Many districts across the nation currently suffer from budget cuts.

In order to account for budgetary restrictions, many schools have considered cutting, or have cut, their music programs. This can negatively affect students, as evidence proves that music programs offer many benefits to students who take part in them. “Unfortunately, when you have to start cutting teachers, the first place they usually look is to the arts,” Lisa Roebuck, Round Rock ISD Director of Fine Arts, says. “The first place they usually look is cutting arts in the elementary schools, and that’s unfortunate because the arts are more beneficial for students of this age.”

Playing an instrument in a school orchestra or band comes with an endless amount of benefits.

First, music programs encourage students to come to school every day. “I had some real challenges academically as a student,” David Jarrott, director of the Kealing Middle School orchestra program, says. “I was not terrifically into school, and orchestra

actually was a thing I cared about that kept me coming to school.”

Secondly, school orchestras and bands give students who may lack the resources necessary to afford learning an instrument an opportunity to learn for little to no cost. “I could not have pursued music if it weren’t for the public schools. I couldn’t have afforded the private lessons or the things like Austin Youth Orchestra, stuff that requires tuition. And so for me it was really the only vehicle to explore learning an instrument,” Jarrott says.

“I could not have pursued music if it weren’t for the public schools.”

-David Jarrott School music programs also offer social benefits.

Participating in a school orchestra or band can help students build social skills and find a friend group.

Jeni Berecek, assistant director of the Kealing Middle School orchestra program, says, “It’s a group effort in the orchestra and it’s a social event. You take students like me, who are very shy, not really a student who would be willing to go and be social with other children; it helps in that respect. It helps them gain social skills. . . We become a team and so that’s where I’ve found all my best friends.”

Finally, participating in a school orchestra

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Mr. David Jarrott and Ms. Jeni Berecek, director and assistant director of the Kealing Middle School orchestra program. Photos courtesy of Jeni Berecek. helps to prepare students to work together in the real world, which can become a helpful skill. “I think there’s also a real world application. Learning to work collectively in a group to produce a project together is like a real world day job experience. We have to learn to work together with other people that are different in a common goal to produce a product,” Jarrott says.

When it becomes necessary to make budget cuts, the district usually first looks to cut music programs in elementary schools. Starting an instrument in elementary school can greatly advantage an aspiring musician, so cutting these elementary school programs can have detrimental effects.

“I started in orchestra at eight years old in the fourth grade,” Berecek says.

“One of the things that made the biggest difference in my playing is that I got to start a little earlier and we got to take our time at the beginning stages.”

These elementary school music programs also have additional benefits that could help students in other

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classes and their development. “There is a lot of research that shows it helps with developing different areas of the brain that aren’t normally developed otherwise. . . It helps with spacial awareness, reading skills and language skills,” Roebuck says.

“It helps with spacial awareness, reading skills, and language skills.”

-Lisa Roebuck

They also allow young students an opportunity to express themselves creatively, which can have a positive effect on their developing minds. Alexis Buffum, a private violin teacher, says, “Young students, especially elementary school age, need to be moving and

engaged in their learning, and playing music gives them an opportunity to do that, as well as be creative. Incorporating music and playing an instrument helps brain development, so the younger they start the better!”

Despite the many benefits of starting an instrument in elementary school, many school districts have lost this option, or never had that option to begin with. “The school I went to in Centerville, Ohio, they just recently cut that 4th and 5th grade option to be in orchestra, and now they start in 6th grade,” Berecek says. “It’s a little sad that they had to cut that for budgetary reasons.”

Most music teachers universally agree that by investing in the fine arts, schools will improve their academics.

“If the money has to go one direction or another, it would be best put into fine arts or something like the orchestra where we are dealing with the physical, the factual, the emotional,” Jarrott says. “It’s kind of the synthesis of math, science, social studies, English, all of that rolled into

this one strange foreign language that we call music.”

Unlike most academic classes, music also has a unique characteristic in that it can connect people worldwide.

“There is a really special quality of music that nothing else can compare to. Some people call it the universal language,” Buffum says. “With everything going on in the world, there is something unifying and peaceful and hopeful about music.

This is not something that can be felt in an academic classroom.”

When considering a low income school district, principals may have to decide whether to put the limited amount of money towards fine arts or academics.“The principal sometimes has to make cuts based on do they hire another math teacher or another orchestra teacher? Sometimes they’ll have difficult decisions to make.” Roebuck says.

The initial cost of setting up a music program may overrule the benefits of a music program when considering budget distribution. “For low income schools it’s hard to justify because the

immediate cost of setting up something like an orchestra or band is very expensive, but there’s a lot of research that somebody could back up and argue that that is very much worth their time,” Berecek says.

“Some people call it the universal language.”

-Alexis Buffum

The skills gained in orchestra may pave the way to college and a strong career for students who otherwise cannot afford to go to college. “Regardless of where we come up, we aren’t likely to be able to fund our way through college on good grades in an academic class.

Whereas, if we are willing to invest in something like music programs and teach these skills to kids, that skill can become a vehicle to fund higher education that, otherwise, probably just isn’t there,”

Jarrott says.

Although this issue may seem out of reach, parents and students can do several things to help. “Be vocal.

Support your local orchestra. Share.

Sharing the success stories, sharing the positive experiences with people that hold the power of the purse is very important. The best way that parents, and even students, can help is just by letting people know,” Jarrott says.

Additionally, “parents and students using their own sets of skills and strengths, in however they feel, can support the orchestra. It doesn’t even have to be you go out and get money for us. Just sharing, whether you are writing an article or taping a concert or sending an email,” Berecek says. “And then when the buzz starts getting around and people talk about how orchestra has affected them and their families, it becomes an essential part of the community. And then there wouldn’t be a talk of budget cuts and getting rid of the orchestra if it’s already known that it’s an important thing in your community.”

Maestro Peter Bay, the director and conductor of the Austin Symphony Orchestra, works with the Kealing Middle School symphony orchestra. Photo courtesy of Jeni Berecek.

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Source: University of California, Irvine, 1997 Source: Board of Studies, New South Wales Australia, 2004

99.2% of parents find that when their child becomes involved in a music program, the parent/child relationship improves.

Graphic

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by J

ys ules Ha

Source: Texas Commission on Drug and Alcohol Abuse, 1998

Secondary students who participated in band or orchestra reported the lowest lifetime and current use of all substances (alcohol, tobacco, illicit drugs).

Early music training dramatically enhances children’s abstract reasoning skills. These findings indicate that music uniquely enhances higher brain functions required for mathematics, chess, science and engineering.

r e f f i d a On

30 states have made cuts in their schools music and arts programs at every level from K-12, and over 2 million children each year are not exposed to a music program in school.

Source: US Department of Education, 2011

Children involved in music score 7.2 points higher on I.Q. Tests.

Source: American Psychological Association, 2006

Source: Harris Interactive Poll, 2006 Source: National Assembly of State Arts Source: University of British Columbia

Kindergarten - third grade students have 22% higher math scores if involved in a music program.

t n e r

State-level arts spending dropped from $409 million in 2002 to $354.5 million in 2003 and declined again to $272.4 million in 2004.

96% of school principals feel a music program motivates students to stay in school.

. . . e t o n ays

es H by: Jul

% 3 .

2%

07

1

The College Entrance Examination Board found that students involved in public school music programs scored 107 points higher on the SAT’s than students with no participation.

.

0 9

The average graduation rate among students in a music program is 90.2%, whereas among students not in a music program, the graduation rate is only 72.9%.

93

The average attendance rate among students in a music program is 93.3%, whereas among students not in a music program, the attendance rate is only 84.9%.

Source: McGill University, 2007

Source: McGill University, 2007

Source: Music Educators National Conference, 2002 For more information and statistics regarding musical education please visit http://www.musicforall.org/who-we-are/advocacy/quick-facts and http://illflyawayfoundation.org/stats/.

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Graphic by vLADISLAV1989

Distribution Revolution The music industry flourishes as new ways of music distribution make finding fans easier than ever

by: Ethan Oroshiba

to

on ce

Ne

ve rl

ist

ed en

st ea l t oa

t ne d Liste Out of more than 20 million songs on the streaming giant Spotify, around four million have never been listened to. Infographic by Ethan Oroshiba.

O

ut of more than 20 million songs on the streaming service Spotify, millions have yet to be listened

to once.

In the world today, more and more people pick up instruments and start to play.

As more people learn to play, more people make music and want to share it, and the music industry rejoices.

Part of the battle is writing and recording the music, but a large portion is distributing, and with every song on the radio comes many hours spent registering it for copyright and putting it on large scale platforms to send it on its way to fame. However, as many newer platforms and cheaper ways of distribution pop up, they both shake and shape the music industry and the path it follows. These controversial new paths could be the next stage of the infamous

and lucrative industry that leaves some to find a new job yet pushes some to become worldwide stars.

it’s pretty easy to get music out there: there’s free platforms, there’s cheap platforms - it’s initially not difficult,” Nathan says.

More and more musicians are using these platforms as a cheaper means to share their music with the world, and many companies have success in doing this. One new platform making its way up the industry ladder is DistroKid. Unlike a music sharing platform in itself, DistroKid uploads your music to the big sellers: iTunes, Apple Music, Spotify, Google Play, and lots more. “There was this artist called Filthy Frank, the pink guy, he actually used DistroKid, he paid $15, he put his record on iTunes, and it was the number one record on iTunes for a week,” Nathan says.

With all these new options comes many new places to start. “Originally, we just used BandCamp, which is

“He paid $15, he put his record on iTunes, and it was the number one record on iTunes for a week” -Nathan Carlson

As a local musician in Austin, Texas, Nathan Carlson of the band First Thursday knows the ups and downs of music distribution, especially in the so-called “Live Music Capital of the World.” Decades ago people had to have a record label sign them and have significant connections in order to put their music out there. However, new websites, software, and platforms today change the face of music distribution. “I think now

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Platforms like DistroKid, Cymbal, and Bandcamp are making it easier for musicians to find fans and distribute their music and are quickly gaining on the old ways of using record companies.

Graphics courtesy of www.distrokid.com, Cymbal, and www.bandcamp.com, respectively. just a free online platform that a lot of starting musicians use to distribute their music,” Nathan explains. Different options like BandCamp and SoundCloud present different options and opportunities for starting musicians. Some, like BandCamp, present more options for making money on music, while platforms like SoundCloud focus more on gaining popularity.

One upcoming app is Cymbal, a platform for sharing music. Charlie Kaplan, the CEO of Cymbal, says “I know plenty of artists who go sort of more traditional routes and what they’ll do is they will work with artist development companies and with record labels and with marketing companies.” In the past, musicians became famous without the new ways of distribution, and some musicians still use the old ways.

“But then there are these really new and important ways of a band coming successful,” Kaplan says. He strives to make Cymbal one of these new ways, but also make it very unique. Unlike other apps, Cymbal is more of an “Instagram for music,” says Forbes. Instead of just searching for new music, Cymbal allows people to share their music or music they like with their friends. The only drawback is that the music must be on Spotify, but now there are many easy ways to put music on Spotify.

With more and more people

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“There are there really new and important ways of a band becoming successful” -Charlie Kaplan switching over to these new ways of distribution, some may think that the old ways will die out. However, Kaplan says that this is not the case. “A fascinating thing is that there has never been a point in the history of music where people have paid $120 a year on average on music, but that’s how much subscribers to Spotify and Apple music pay. It used to be that folks on average would spend $60 - 70 a year on CDs,” he explains.

Record companies get money from these paid streaming services, which more people are switching to. The more people switch to these streaming services, the less they buy CDs, which mean record companies don’t have to spend money on pressing them. In all, the companies make more money as they spend less.

People have another concern, that music stores will start going out of business as people switch to music

A rising idea is creating social media for music, which is what Charlie Kaplan strives to do with Cymbal. Graphic by Ethan Oroshiba. streaming. This may be true in the case of CDs, but not vinyl. “Vinyl is making more money now than almost any other point in the past 30 years,” Kaplan says.

These through-the-roof vinyl sales

satisfy the music stores, so many people consider the introduction of these streaming services to be a win for everybody.

However, people often overlook how much money actually goes to the artist of the music. As Hillary York, a singer/songwriter living in Austin, Texas, testifies, “Exposure is great but there is very little money going to the artist. It’s great that know you can find anything [on these streaming services], but many people don’t want to pay for music to know that.” Many musicians working to make a name struggle with the problem of the budget needed for equipment, instruments, and distribution.

Streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music generally don’t offer much money back to the artist. “Finances are a huge part [of producing and distributing],” Hillary says. “I had a distribution deal, but if you don’t tour, it doesn’t sell.”

While not much money may be made by artists off of these streaming services, they help people find music they like and help record labels stay in business. Their undeniable effect on the music industry will change the course of known music distribution as people know it.

Vinyl Sales in 2015 32%

= $100 million In 2015, vinyl sales were up 32% to $416 million, putting them at the highest they had been for 27 years. Infographic by Ethan Oroshiba.

Source: Fortune In the end, half of the battle may be recording the music, but half of it is distributing it to the public.

Photo by Alexander Stein.

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Where’s the For Musicians

Other

Merchandise/ Brand

Live Performance

Session Work

Composing

9% 9%

10%

11%

35% 18%

Salaried Player

Recordings

Teaching

Musicians get as

little as

of the money from their music

20%

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All graphics by Ethan Oroshiba

by: Ethan Oroshiba

For Record Companies Synchronization Revenues

Performance Rights

Digital Revenues

14%

39%

45%

Physical Format Sales

Record companies get as much as of the money from the musicians’ music

55%

Sources: money.futureofmusic.org, IFPI, BBC. Rolling Stone, CD Baby, Tunecore, Trichordist, Music Streaming Index, and Digital Audio Insider.

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Music Mastery A guide on how to learn music best - from the best by: Aaron Gostein

The LBJ High School marching band during a performance. Photo courtesy of Liberty Staff

Part of the band trophy hall at LBJ High School in Austin, Texas. Photo by Aaron Gostein

M

any people start to play an instrument from an early age, but get disappointed because it just takes too much time. Any musician knows that learning new music creates difficulties, and without the right skills, painful as well.

However, Marti Ahern, a piano teacher from Austin, Texas says that many of us forget to have fun while learning new music! “Even though we have the drudgery sometimes it is to correctly practice in the repetitions, I tell my students ‘We play the piano!’.

It’s supposed to be fun. We’re supposed to have enjoyment,” she says. But how does a musician have fun while learning?

Below you’ll find tips supplied by experts on how to learn music best.

Dr. Christopher Lizak, the percussion director at LBJ High School in Austin, Texas says that learning new music requires “taking things slowly and repeating things slowly until they’re ready to go.” Many educators say to start off slow and then build up speed, but many take this for granted. Music learners should learn music at a slower tempo first and then build up to faster speeds.

Marti Ahern, Photo courtesy of Victoria Smith

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Music expresses emotion. It’s not math, science, or reading. Music learners “need to be open minded. They need to be creative. They need to be focused. They need to be willing to make mistakes,” Brian Mayer, the head band director at LBJ High School, says. Sometimes taking a step back helps us learn pieces best, letting us express emotion through playing the music.

“Learning music is like learning a foreign language, In that rules are not going to make sense immediately.”

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-Brian Mayer

Learning music takes enormous patience. “A lot of people think that picking up an instrument and learning how to play is going to be much more simple than it is.”

Without a feeling of accomplishment, learning music will frustrate many. Measurable success shouldn’t go on the back-burner when learning music. Music learners “should have short term, small achievable goals.

Every time they pick up their instrument, they should be able to measure whether they succeeded or failed at it and why they succeeded or failed at it,” Mayer says.

When learning a new piece of music, some try to just sit down and play the whole thing from start to finish, but this does not lead to most efficiency. Marti Ahern states, “I found that it’s really helpful to break music up into sections that I like to call ‘chunk practicing.’” The brain works best in small sections, and as soon as each small

The band trailer at LBJ High School in Austin Texas. The trailer is used for hauling instruments to various band or sports events. Photo courtesy of Liberty Staff. section gets learned by itself, the sections can piece together again.

Even though music may just seem like notes on a page, music itself supersedes the notes. Getting the style of the piece right leads to huge success.

As Dr. Lizak says, preparations before learning music should always include “background research on a composer just to see what their writing style is like, and the time period in which the piece was written.” Learning music correctly requires correct style and “honoring the composer’s wishes”, Ahern says.

Even though many get frustrated when learning new music, the steps above will help to guide any musician to success.

The band trailer at LBJ High School in Austin Texas. Photo courtesy of Liberty Staff.

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Music Stats

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Graphic by George Hodan

2013 2011 2012 Year

39,260 42,530 42,100

2010 2009

47,260

47,260

Famous Musicians

Eminem

Drake

Violin

Piano

Allen Toussaint

one

Frédéric Chopin

B

A#

A

G#

F#

F

E

N O T E S D#

D

George Freideric Handel

Drums

Guitar

Instrument Popularity

Frédéric Chopin

Billy Joel

G

Musical Groups and Artists in the US

Tenor

Allen Toussaint

Camillen Saint - Saëns

Saxo ph

C#

Camillen Saint - Saëns

Billy Joel

Bass Treble Alto

By Aaron Gostein

Drake

George Freideric Handel

T H E C

Eminem

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