Yet another absolutely amazing showcase has come and went. We had a wonderful night filled with singing, laughter, cheers and a whole lot of hugs afterwards. Its been three months since the last showcase and the vocal students have been practicing all leading up to this moment. Were they scared? Heck Yes! But each and every one faced their fears, stepped up on that stage and told their story through song.
The Reef in Santa Cruz has always been the perfect environment for our student singers to perform in. The audience is always so welcoming to cheer on each student performer regardless of their experience level. Hey it’s equally scary for each student! But here’s the kicker…the audience may not know that they are about to enjoy a show!
There was a hard decision to make when it came to the students showcase location. We could rent a stage and have only family and friends come and watch the showcase, but we decided this wasn’t realistic. Most of our student singers will go on to perform at local restaurants and public events. It only made sense to put them in a public showcase. So the Reef Restaurant was the perfect combination of a public place that we knew the audience would be cheerful and supportive of each performer.
How Did The Children Singing Lessons Go?
To prepare children for performing in front of a live audience in Santa Cruz we have to go through a process. Going from private vocal coaching for children in a one on one setting to a stage with a bunch of eyes staring at you and be a big challenge! we like to take things in baby steps. Starting with having the young student perform in different room in the studio. This can be as simple as moving them into the hallway to sing, or even the reception room. Just a change in atmosphere can make a child student understand what nerves feel like. We also encourage them to practice singing in front of their family during dinner. Who can knock having a free dinner theatre right? Each time they get nervous and uncomfortable with singing in a new environment it gets them more prepared to sing on stage at our showcases. Baby steps….doesn’t always have to be for kids too!