When the Music Won't Play

Today I sang two numbers at a showcase that my vocal teacher had. There were some invited guests there but mainly parents and friends of other performers. First song no problems. Then it was intermission and in second act my CD would not play for the song I had arranged. My mom even had a back up and it would not play. It had played at the voice teachers Thursday, at home last night while rehearsing and in my dad's car today on the way to perform. I ended up having to sing the song acapella. I pulled it off but it was not the performance I had envisioned. The crowd was very nice to me which I am thankful. Also, my grandparents and uncle were there to see me sing for the first time. The positive is they could really hear my voice since there was no music. Thanks Nana, Pops and Neal for coming all the way from Alabama.

Preparing for Showcase

I'm singing in a showcase 2/22 and there are suppose to be some people from the music businees attending. I've been researching music to sing and even working to rewrite an old piece to be more current. Today I got my hair styled to look more like a teen and my mom took me shoppping at the mall for some new clothes to wear. I want to wear them tomorrow but shs is going to make me wait. I'm hoping to make my final song selections this Thursday and then finalize my bio for the program.

The Worm at the Opera

Last night was opening night for A Midsummer Night's Dream at Houston Grand Opera. I get to dance with Bottom when he's dressed as the donkey. I'm not sure Shakespeare had this is mind when he wrote the play but I get to do "the worm" or as our Australian director calls it "the caterpillar" across the stage. Like I've written before - the opera is just not what you expect.

Christmas Carol at the Alley

Tonight I finished the 26th show of A Christmas Carol. I had mixed feelings about the closing. I'll miss the friends I have there and not sure if I'll get to do it again because I'm getting so tall. The Alley Theatre is a great place to work. The backstage crew is great and all the technical stuff with the show. I'm glad I have a show to go to which is also part of mixed feelings because now I need to concentrate on MidSummer Night's Dream at the opera. It's easier when a show ends when you have another one to go to. Still, I'll miss the cast and crew at The Alley.

Working during the Holidays

Even though I'm off from school, I'm still working a lot. I've got a movie audition coming up the first part of January so I memorized the lines and worked with an acting coach. I'm also reading some background material to prepare. I'm performing at the Alley until the 28th. We even had a show Christmas Eve. I'm rehearsing at the opera beginning today through the remainder of the holidays and then some more. I'm practicing some recorder music at home also for the opera. I'm still managing to shoot some baskets on my new goal I got for Christmas and to play some of my new video games.

Christmas Wishes CD

I recorded a CD with Christmas songs that have songs for things I wish for like people reaching out to others, or my mom staying cancer free, war to end, and for my friends to have a Merry Christmas. One of the neat things about the CD was that my sister and her friend got to be on it as backup for one of the songs. We've been giving it to family, friends, teachers for gifts. The great thing is that it is also serving as a witness tool for others. Check out some of the songs at www.myspace.com/theofficialseanhardin.

CASA Home Tour Performance

Today I sang at one of the CASA homes that they decorate for Christmas and people tour them. Benefits go for Child Advocacy. I sang after school before going to my team's basketball game. There weren't a lot of people at the time I sang but those there were nice and the house was cool. I wish I had their backyard. I sang the songs on My Christmas Wishes CD we picked up this week. Now my mom is putting together the CD cases to give as gifts. Her friend came over today to help. It takes a while. It's neat to see yourself on the front of a CD.

The Show Must Go On Cracked Elbow and All

Thursday night I fell off my friend's bike and cracked my elbow. I got my cast on around 2:30 Friday and opened at opera at 7:00 PM. The doctor put on a smaller, thinner cast so my costume would fit over the cast and it would not show under the sleeve. Opening was good and I made it with the help of some Extra Strength Tylenol. The music director told everyone to break a leg except me. She told me I already had enough broken bones. Any way I got through the show and the cast party afterwards, and tonight made it through singing at the AEROS, so the show really did go on cracked elbow and all.

Sam I Am at Houston Symphony

Yesterday, I had the awesome experience of performing Dr. Seuss' Green Eggs & Ham at the Houston Symphony. I was Sam, dressed in a red costume complete with red fuzzy hat. There is nothing like singing with a full symphony behind you! Jones Hall is a great place. I even had my own dressing room complete with bathroom and a piano to help with my warmups. There were about 2,000 at each of the 2 shows. Since the first show was at 10 am and I had gotten home around 12 am from opera rehearsal, I had to work to get going. I showered, ate breakfast, then made the 45 minute drive, warming my voice up all the way. The conductor, Robert Franz and my co-star, Alicia Gianni, were so fun to work with and made it a great show. We rhearsed about 4 times (only once with the symphony other times with pianist) for this show and then did a run through with our mikes on Saturday morning. Thanks also to Roger Dailey for hiring me and providing so much help and support. I even got to go back to Jones Hall last night and see Wayne Brady in concert and learn from watching him perform. As far as my road to success, I got great experience and training and exposure to a new audience. My mom will spend time updating my resume. Now my question for you is, "Do you like green eggs and ham?"

Full Schedule

This week and last week crazy schedule. I'll start with last week. I agreed to fill in for the part of Schroeder in You're a Good Man Charlie Brown at a community theater as it was opening and their Schroeder had a family emergency. I was familiar with the show since I'd been Charlie Brown but still it was a lot to learn in a week.

Monday I had guitar lesson & play rehearsal, Tuesday play rehearsal, Wednesday piano and play rehearsal, Thursday voice lesson to work on my Aeros music and play rehearsal, Friday symphony rehearsal and opera rehearsal. Saturday was acting class, opening of the play, and then ran tech that night for other cast. Sunday was church and homework, homework, homework. I'm in 7th grade so I actually had school work all the days I listed. I usually take a dance lesson at my house each week but had to miss this week. Also, this week I had an interview with a Chronicle reporter for an upcoming article.

This week I had to cancel guitar. This week is even busier than last week. Today after school I had rehearsal at the symphony, costume fitting at the opera, and then opera rehearsal until 9:45. Tuesday I have symphony rehearsal. Wednesday is piano and opera rehearsal until 11:30. Thursday voice to work more on upcoming Aeros performance and to begin selecting Christmas music for December fundraiser, then opera rehearsal until 11:30. Friday costume fitting at the Alley Theatre for A Christmas Carol, rehearsal at Symphony and then rehearsal at Opera until 11:30. Saturday morning 2 performances at Symphony so I'll miss my acting class. I'll relax some Saturday night at a swim party and then back to opera after church on Sunday for more rehearsal. I'll be doing a lot of homework in the car this week but it is all worth it. I have a lot of fun around the other kids at the opera and there is nothing like being on the "big stage", or the sound of applause.

Following Advice

Since the Best New Talent Contest this is what I've done to follow the advice I was given. I went to West Side Recording Studio and recorded 2 cover songs and a music video and got them posted on my newly created myspace page (www.myspace.com/theofficialseanhardin) and my youtube page www.youtube.com/seanghardi. It took some time to get my pages up. That was one good thing about Hurricane Ike - since I didn't have school I had some time to work on my pages. I loaded pictures from shows I'd been in and videos. A lot of what I've done we have not been allowed to video due to union rules or the arena like the Aeros don't allow videos. I also am trying to keep my schedule posted and still working to get more to join as my friend and subcribe to my videos. If you're reading this blog, I'm inviting you to become one of my friends/subscribers.

I worked with a graphic art designer to design some business cards that I thought represented what I like. I'm still getting down feeling comfortable handing them out.

I went to an acting coach to pick out 2 commercials and a movie scene and then learned and rehearsed them with her. Last week she made a DVD of me performing the commericals, movie, plus 2 monologues. I had professional copies made of the DVD with chapters and good label. My mom mailed the DVD with letter, resume and headshots to one of the the managers interested in me. Now just waiting to hear back.

I still need to work on building a following and getting some original music written and recorded. They also advised to sing every chance you get. Other than theater, opera and symphony, I'll be singing at Houston Aeros game 10/18 and at a fundraiser in December.

It takes a lot of time to work on your career plus get school work done.

What I learned at Best New Talent Contest

I competed in Best New Talent Contest in California in August. I had callbacks from 2 managers and from Hollywood and Columbia records. I won first place out of about 700 kids in comedic monologue and placed in top 10 in contemporary singing. I attended seminar classes and bought some books. For acting I was told would need to get a DVD recorded of me doing different acting scenes. Also, I needed to consider moving to California if even for a period of time. For singing I was told to get a myspace and youtube page, record some cover songs to go on the page, and then work to find some original music to record (best if can write your own). Sing every chance I got and hand out cards with my web sites. Key is to develop a following. Also, for both stay in training. Watch future blogs for details of how I'm following advice I heard in California.