From School to Stardom
By Erin Rauch and Alisha Kinman
North Central Florida is a hotspot known for talented and breakthrough. However, only a few pursue their music to the recording studio. As students across the nation progress in college, passions will become hobbies or professions.
In Oregon and New Jersey two rising indie musicians, Nicole Berke and Rachel Millman, have learned to pursue their passion while balancing school simultaneously. Although listeners won’t find these artists within the same musical genres, they will find a common ground among their universal melodies and lyrics. Nicole Berke’s jazzy tones make any listener instantly relax and fall into the rhythms. While Rachel Millman’s melodies will lift you up with her feather light lyrics of love and personal growth. Whatever your musical taste each of these women will captivate you with their words and rhythms.
Both young professionals give words of encouragement to aspiring college musicians in separate interviews.
Nicole Berke
http://www.myspace.com/nicoleberke
Nicole Berke, who recently signed on in November with KeyMedia Public Relations in New Jersey/New York, is a singer, composer and student at the University of Massachusetts- Amherst who is participating in a student exchange program in Portland, Oregon. In 2008, Berke released her first album entitled “Frondescence” that has received praise from critics across the US.
Sentinel: It is one thing to enjoy singing. It is another thing to create an album. When did you know that you wanted to pursue creating an album? Was it an epiphany moment or did you know it all along?
Berke: Singing, playing and writing music has always been a necessity for me. With that comes an inevitable love for recording: every time another sound or instrument is added to a song, it changes it somehow and gives it a new feel.
There is also something incredibly magical that can happen when you get different people together in the studio; it’s extremely inspiring because despite all the work and planning you’ve done, the songs have a way of changing and evolving. When I was younger, I had an 8-track recorder that I would mess around with all the time. It was great being able to learn how to layer different harmonies or piano parts to create a song, and I did a lot of home recording that way.
I’ve also been in and out of the studio since I was about 5 with my mom (who is a songwriter and music teacher for kids) and with a few other projects. The ideas for an album and the drive to create one had been brewing for a long time, so as soon as I had a band together and the right opportunity, I was thrilled to go through with it.
Sentinel: Why did you decide to explore the music scene on the West Coast (as it says on your myspace)?
Berke: For some reason, I seem to always gravitate towards experiences that appear to be intimidating or impossible at first. Moving across the country alone was a huge change and a big challenge, but I had been living in the Boston area my whole life and wanted to see what a different city was like.
Also, I’d heard a lot of wonderful things about the music scene out on the West Coast and figured I had nothing to lose by going out there and seeing what it was all about. I decided to participate in a National Student Exchange program that has been allowing me to complete my last year of college in Portland, Oregon. It has been absolutely great so far. There is an amazing amount of music going on out there!
Sentinel: What advice would you give to striving college musicians who want to one day pursue their own album?
Berke: I would say: do it! Anything you want to do can be done if you have the passion and drive. Music takes a sort of obsessive personality and a ton of persistence so sometimes it’s hard to be patient, but it’s worth it. The best way to go about pursuing an album is to play as many shows as possible, network with other musicians and write as much music as you can. That way, once you have the album produced and recorded, you’ll be able to sell it at shows and can use it to promote who you are as an artist. There are a lot of ways to record an album on your own as well: you can get a pretty decent home recording system nowadays, and music technology is getting better and better. Getting down some initial recordings before jumping into an album is a great way to make sure you know exactly what you want once you do end up going into the studio.
Sentinel: Were you introduced to your affinity for writing poetry in school or was it a personal development?
Berke: I’ve been drawn to poetry (and reading in general) ever since I was young. I remember reading a lot of Shell Silverstein and being interested in the rhyme scheme, thinking it sounded a lot like music. I also think that lyrics are a form of poetry, especially when they are written by prolific people like Joni Mitchell or Bob Dylan. When I was little, I would listen to certain songs over and over and write out the lyrics so I could learn them. As I got older, I started exploring different poets and found a deep connection to writers such as Sylvia Plath and e.e. Cummings. School has definitely helped expose me to different writers as well.
Sentinel: Frondescence, meaning to put forth leaves, is the perfect companion for your album cover art. What was the influence that produced this natural and thriving theme?
Berke: The lyrics of “Frondescence” were written originally in sonnet form about seasons as a metaphor for persisting through certain struggles that exist in life. Eventually, it turned into the song. I found the title by looking up different words in a thesaurus until I got to the word “frondescence,” which I thought was a good fit. In general, I’ve always been drawn to the natural world: trees, mountains, the sun, the sky, and the stars. I really love photography also: the cover art was from a photo I took while in New Mexico. Gradually, everything got pieced together and it seemed right to make this the overall theme of the EP.
Sentinel: In a previous interview you said, “Balancing school and music has been difficult but essential.” What is your key to this balance?
Berke: Having a good social support system is key to managing any kind of stress, I think. I am extremely appreciative of my friends and family for all of the support they’ve given me. There were a lot of times when I didn’t know if I could finish school because it really is so difficult to balance a large workload while pursuing a music career, but I was lucky to get a lot of encouragement.
Sentinel: Your musical talents will undoubtedly introduce you to success throughout the future, how do you plan on utilizing your degree in Social Psychology within your music career?
Berke: Social Psychology has taught me a lot about how the brain works and how people interact with both each other and their environment. Music is an important component within all that, because it has a really incredible way of connecting people together and helping to open up communication.
Music Therapy is an amazing field which I got a glimpse into through an internship at a place called Perkins School for the Blind last summer. I worked with kids who were dealing with a lot of visual and auditory impairment as well as different levels of developmental disabilities. I saw how much music helped them socially, emotionally, behaviorally and even physically.
Click here http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/nicoleberke to hear previews of tracks from Nicole Berke’s cd “Frondescence”.
Rachel Millman
http://www.rachelmillman.com/
A recent graduate of Penn State, Millman also signed on with KeyMedia Public Relations. On September 1st, 2009 Millman’s debut album If I Believe hit iTunes with “Throwin’ Rocks at the Moon.” Her strong passion for music and her perseverant attitude only intrigues the audience to want more. (Photo below courtesy of Stephanie Berger).
Sentinel: If you could have lunch with any musician (past or present) who would it be with?
Millman: Well for me the musicians/band that comes to mind would be The Beatles. They were so much about the music. I always respected what they stood for, the level of their musicianship and the songs they wrote.
Sentinel: Why did you choose a degree in Communications? Is there a correlation with music?
Millman: At the time I picked my major, I did not think I would be pursuing my singing career. I felt it was a good way to explore many aspects of communications. I studied sales, PR, and advertising at the same time. It was a time when technology was truly coming into the forefront; companies like Facebook were really taking off and I thought it was an interesting and exciting field to be a part of, especially as I furthered my education.
There is absolutely a correlation, because it would open doors to opportunities in the music and entertainment business. Music had always been such a big part of my life and I had to stay connected.
Sentinel: Who is the biggest inspiration in your life and have they contributed to your music?
Millman: My parents are my inspiration. They are such good people and they inspire me every day to be the best person I can be. They are smart, strong, honest and fair, and they love unconditionally. They definitely contribute to my music and my career with their limitless encouragement and support.
Sentinel: Before signing with Denise Marsa/ KeyMedia Public Relations, how did you go about putting yourself out there?
Millman: The reason I signed with Denise is because I had no idea what to do or how to get started. I was sending CDs to random companies that I found on the internet hoping someone would call me back. When I reached out to Denise, everything just clicked. She took the time to explain everything about the music business and we talked about music and songs and my voice. She had some ideas and plans and they sounded exactly like what I wanted to do.
Sentinel: When did you know it was the right time to attempt to sign with a company?
Millman: When I knew I couldn’t do this on my own. It is so important to have the correct guidance and support, and I feel that Denise and I work fantastically together.
Sentinel: On your home page you talk about going on tour. Have you decided where you will be touring and when?
Millman: We are in the initial planning stages. We are planning to focus on a northeast tour first, and in fact are looking to start to book colleges.
Sentinel: Were there any college experiences that significantly influenced your current music career?
Millman: Not really per se. I was so focused on getting the best education I could at Penn State. I put my music career on the back burner for four years as I felt it was time to grow as a person…as a woman. I totally got into being a college student. That was my focus.
Sentinel: Was there ever a point, while you were building your career, that you considered backing down?
Millman: I did consider another career, but I never really thought I would stop singing forever. In fact, once I graduated college, I realized how much I missed singing and how important it was for me to go for my dream. No matter what the results, I was going to give my music career the best shot I could. That type of decision is made easier by support from my family, friends and all the amazing talent that is coming forward to help me.
Click here http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/millman to hear previews of tracks from Rachel Millman ‘s cd “If I Believe”.
Gainesville, FL
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Awsome music, and great artical!