25 December 2003

I wish everyone a blessed and happy Christmas. Thanks to all of you who have supported the Studio and this News Page over the past year. We look forward to an exciting and challenging 2004. - Leanne.

Showcase 2003 Concert Official Photos

Our annual Showcase Concert held on 14 December was memorable for all those involved. The most frequent comment from performers was that it was so much fun. The professionalism from the students was to be commended. Relive the Show by viewing the Official Showcase 2003 pics.

Also available for you to view and download is the Showcase 2003 Programme. get a feel for the Show, you will feel as if you were there!

Showcase 2003 in review...

The making of Showcase 2003

Showcase 2003 Concert Dress Rehearsal Pics

The Making of the Leanne Hoad Singing Studio...a glimpse behind the scenes

Occupational Health & Safety

How to Get Students and keep them

• Do you have a singing studio or are you interested in starting one?
• Like to know what is involved in establishing a successful Studio?

This series will take you behind the scenes as I explain with each entry a different area behind the scenes of the Singing Studio

Today we look at:

Systems and Procedures

Documenting the ways you do things at your Studio will help you clearly understand what you are doing and therefore deliver your services successfully. It also helps the student to know what to expect. Consequently you will come across as being organised and professional.

Big companies and franchises have long mastered the crucial area of documenting a system that works, and then successfully implementing it.

You know what you are getting when you visit McDonalds, Bakers Delight or Lenard's . They have identified and targeted their market, determined what their market sector wants and provide it every time.

By examining how you do things, documenting it and implementing it you are on your way to a professional and successful operation.

Areas to document include:

• Your teaching method
• Administration procedures
• Financial management

24 December 2003

The Making of the Leanne Hoad Singing Studio...a glimpse behind the scenes

Occupational Health & Safety

Systems and Procedures

• Do you have a singing studio or are you interested in starting one?
• Like to know what is involved in establishing a successful Studio?

This series will take you behind the scenes as I explain with each entry a different area behind the scenes of the Singing Studio

Today we look at:

How to Get Students

Marketing Campaign

Know your goal e.g. you require 50 students by 12 months, and have a plan to achieve it. The plan is your marketing strategy.

Advertising

Is the exposure you get that you pay for. Effective advertising, that is advertising that gets results is a good way to get an influx of students quickly. It is only effective for the time you are advertising and the enquiries usually stop once the advertising has finished.

e.g. Yellow Pages Advertising, Newspaper classified ads

Promotions

Most promotions do not always cost money, instead they take time. The results are not instant but they do help the branding process. Branding is getting your name to the public and making the broader community aware of you.

e.g. newspaper and magazine articles, expos, sponsorships

How to Keep Students

The following points will contribute to keeping your students:

•   Good teaching. When all is said and done, the student, and parent if one is involved will want to see vocal improvement. Professional development is crucial. Keep updating your skills and be open to learning and applying new techniques and ideas from the experts. ANATS (Aust. National Assoc. of Teachers of Singing) holds conferences and seminars to assist singing teachers.
•  Recognise the students goal and work towards it. Without a goal the student will loose interest and may not stay long enough to achieve their full potential. You will get a feel for what the student wants to get out of the singing by asking them. You will then need to work towards achieving this. e.g. at the LHSS we have fully equipped studios with microphones for those who need to learn to use the mic and PA System. We hold a large industry standard concert at the end of each year and smaller non-threatening ones at the Studio throughout the year. These give the student opportunities to perform, learn harmonies, and develop confidence.
• Operate in a professional manner. Just as you expect other service providers such as doctors, accountants and shop keepers to be professional in their approach, attitude and service, so must you. Have policies and systems in place and documented for the students so they know what to expect, and they will also know what you expect of them. Have a clean, organised, uncluttered and an undisturbed environment for your students. Allocate a room or rooms to be exclusively used as the Studio or Studios. To portray a professional image, only have furniture, wall hangings, equipment and the such that are related to the job. Do not answer the phone or allow for interruptions while teaching. These will reflect your attitude towards your craft.

Keep watching this space for more tips on The Making of a Singing Studio

22 December 2003

The Making of the Leanne Hoad Singing Studio...a glimpse behind the scenes

How to get students and keep them

Systems and Procedures

• Do you have a singing studio or are you interested in starting one?
• Like to know what is involved in establishing a successful Studio?

This series will take you behind the scenes as I explain with each entry a different area behind the scenes of the Singing Studio

Today we look at:

Occupational Health & Safety

Employers have a duty to each employee to "ensure so far as is reasonably practicable that the employee is, while at work, safe from injury risks associated with hazards in the workplace"

Four Key Steps for Employers:

Step 1 - Commitment to a Safe Workplace

Step 2 - Recognising and removing Dangers

Step 3 - Maintaining a Safe Workplace

Step 4 - Safety records and Informations

The Occupational Health, Safety and Welfares Act, 1986 sets out the general requirements for protecting health and safety in the workplace. It is important that every organisation has a copy.

Contact WorkCover Corporation in your State for all information and your free Workplace Health & Safety Handbook.

17 December 2003

Guy to Climb Every Mountain

Published online at EBroadcast Australian Edition:

Australia's newest superstar will be climbing mountains to get to London later this month.

Australian Idol winner Guy Sebastian has announced he will sing Climb Every Mountain from "The Sound Of Music" at the World Idol contest in London.

Many believe it was the 60's show tune that made Guy the Australian Idol.

Apparently, Guy is currently 2nd favourite to take out the title, behind American Idol Kelly Clarkson and ahead of the original Idol, UK's Will Young.

World Idol will air 7.30pm Friday December 26th on Network Ten, with the verdict a week later.

Visit the World Idol website.

16 December 2003

The latest on Popstars Live

Published online at EBroadcast Australian Edition:

Channel Seven's Idol clone, Popstars Live, has brought together three former pop idols as it's judging panel.

John Paul Young, Christine Anu (currently seen on Ten's Summer promo) and Bachelor Girl's Tania Doko will scout the country for our newest popstars.

Seven promises Popstars Live will be significantly different to Ten's Australian Idol, and more dynamic than the previous three versions of Popstars.

180 finalists will be picked from the thousands expected at state auditions around the country over the next couple of weeks.

Showcase 2003 in review...

The making of Showcase 2003

Showcase 2003 Concert Dress Rehearsal Pics

Showcase 2003 Concert Official Photos

Congratulations to all cast and crew who made our Showcase 2003 Concert last Sunday such a success.

The Top Room at the Arkaba proved to be an ideal venue. Its magnificent sound system and lighting rig, bar facilities and the choice of theatre style seating, table and chairs and bar stool seating, held the 450 family, friends and industry professionals who came to watch in comfort.

The 'guys bracket' was again well received. Seven of our male students teamed up to do a medley of songs with full harmonies. They included My Girl and Elton John's Candle In The Wind.

Christine Anu's Island Home also went over well due to the 40 person choir backing soloist Tracy Wright. The songs from the movie Chicago, All That Jazz and Razzle Dazzle added variety to a programme. There were also many talented solo singers who sang many of today's popular ballads.

The 54 performers, all LHSS Students, sang a mixture of solo songs, small and large group items, and all rose to the occasion.

The comments received from those watching were how professional the show was and how talented the students were.

The LHSS Teachers: Katie, Allison, Lisa and Miranda contributed to the success of Showcase with their hard work with the students throughout the year. They knocked us out with a bracket of three songs they sang towards the end of the Show. Enough is Enough (No More Tears), Come What May from the movie Moulin Rouge, and Lisa and Miranda sang Journey to the Past from the movie Aladdin. The quality of these voices had everyone on the edge of their seats.

Well done to all involved, we look forward to a great 2004.

Keep watching this space for the Showcase 2003 Concert Programme and Showcase 2003 Concert Photos.

13 December 2003

Showcase 2003

With our Showcase 2003 Concert only 1 day away, we wish the performers all the best. Their preparation and enthusiasm has impressed us (the teachers) and we are confident it will be a great show.

Links to music-related organisations

Here are 2 links to websites that have lists of contact details for various music-related organisations in Australia:

Australian National Association of Teachers of Singing

Music IT-Music Industry Training

World Idol Contestants

Australian Idol...did you know?...

Life in the Music Industry...life after Idol.

Guy to Climb Every Mountain

Taken from an article published by Guardian Unlimited:

At Christmas, over two nights, 11 Pop Idol winners will battle it out to be crowned the planet's biggest pop sensation, and the results could go either way.

Heinz Winckler, South Africa
The South African series boasted alleged voting syndicates, and a grand final whose format was rejigged at the last minute from two to three contestants, avoiding an all-white finale. Heinz has a 14-year-old Maltese, with whom he recently stayed at the Twelve Apostles Hotel in Oudekraal - the only five-star hotel in South Africa to allow pets in bedrooms.

Kurt Nilsen, Norway
Kurt thrashed runner-up Gaute Ormåsen, who has since been described as "the Norwegian Justin Timberlake". As in the UK, both Nilsen and Ormåsen recorded the song eventually released by the winner - She's So High, a cover of a song which scraped the UK Top 30 in 1999.

Peter Evrard, Belgium
Peter performed Nirvana's Lithium during the Idol heats and, after debuting what would be his first single on grand final night, commented: "I'd never have chosen that single, but it could have been a lot worse." Peter's debut album is called Rhubarb.

Ryan Malcolm, Canada
Back home in Amherstview, Ontario, Ryan - whose all-engulfing fame led him to open last month's Hamilton 2003 World Cycling Festival - and two other members of the Malcolm clan enjoyed minor success on the covers band circuit.

Diana Karazon, SPan-Arabic Region
"I feel success in every moment," says Diana, who won SuperStar (Idol) in August following a grueling, 21-week search. Upon winning Diana said nothing but dedicated her performance to the people of Lebanon, the people of Jordan, His Majesty King Abdullah, the Arab nation as a whole and the children of Palestine. Which makes a change from "my stylist".

Alexander Klaws, Germany
Some 62% of German 14- to 49-year-olds watched the grand final, in which housewife's choice Alexander overcame flu and romped to victory. His most recent single was from a German Gladiator film.

Kelly Clarkson, USA
Clarkson's stepfather calls her Mariah Kelly, The hours must just fly by in Dallas. Upon winning, the ex-cocktail waitress filmed From Justin To Kelly, a summer holiday romp with runner-up Justin Guarini

Jamai Loman, Netherlands
Jamai has an interesting selection of spectacle frames and has lent his tones to songs such as Always On My Mind, Love Is All Around and Everything I Do (I Do For You). According to Guardian Unlimited there is no way on earth that this man will win World Idol.

Will Young, UK
Will's mature new direction is reflected perfectly by his new album sleeve, in which the world's first Pop Idol is pictured jumping off a dry stone wall.

Alicja Janosz, Poland
Since winning Idol, this Susanne Shaw look alike has decided that she wants to be called Alex. Fair enough. A massive-selling debut album is already out of the way and she's tipped to represent Poland in next year's Euro vision Song Contest with I'm Still Alive, a song whose title seems to epitomise the struggle that all Pop Idols face when it comes to their second album. Alex/icja puts her success down to God-given talent, hard work, and luck. "I don't know anything more than this," she concludes.

Guy Sebastian, Australia
Guy - who calms himself down before a performance by entering what he terms "Grooveland" - is the newest Pop Idol of the lot.

11 December 2003

Showcase 2003 Concert Dress Rehearsal Pics

The making of Showcase 2003

Showcase 2003 in review...

Showcase 2003 Concert Official Photos

Check out our SHOWCASE 2003 Dress Rehearsal Photos of our big annual event, the SHOWCASE 2003 Concert.

It will be held this Sunday, 3.00pm in the Top Room at the Arkaba Hotel.

Double click on the first photo to enlarge it, then click on the 'forward' arrow to navigate through all pics.

We look forward to a great Showcase. Hope to see you there!

10 December 2003

Australian Idol...did you know?...

Part 1. Did You Know?...

Part 2. Did You Know?...

Part 3. Guy Sebastian's schedule

Part 4. Life for Guy

Guy to Climb Every Mountain

• Australian's idol, Adelaide's Guy Sebastian's album "Just As I Am" (recorded in 6 days!) is in record stores now
• Angels Brought Me Here is the fastest selling single in Arianet Chart
  history
• Shannon Noll, Australian idol runner-up has also been signed by BMG. His first single - to be released on January 26 (Australia Day) - will be a cover of  What About Me (originally recorded by Moving Pictures)
• Guy is off to London on Friday 12 December 2003 to compete in World Idol. Eleven countries will enter (the French pulled out). Kelly Clarkson is a popular favourite with Guy not far behind.

9 December 2003

Kylie has lasted the long haul...

Kylie Minogue did a brief, one-off show in London to launch her new album Body Language which I watched on TV last week.

I was struck by a rare quality which many of today's pop performers do not have the luxury of experiencing; that being career longevity.

Since her pop career was launched in the late 80's and early 90's with the Stock Aitken Waterman hit factory with singles such as Locomotion and I Should Be So Lucky, she has gone from strength to strength.

Unfortunately, back then, the Australian public mocked her for being a 'manufactured' and 'marketed' product cashing in on the fame of her Neighbours character "Charlene". She fled to the UK and has been there ever since. Ironically this type of 'manufactured' talent has become the norm in today's music industry.

Kylie, I believe, is now in the same league as Madonna. There are parallels. Both have average voices but look sensational on stage. They both reinvent their image whenever necessary and have powerful marketing machines behind them.

At 35 Kylie has a strong fan base and will continue to entertain for years to come.

8 December 2003

The making of Showcase 2003

Showcase 2003 Concert Dress Rehearsal Pics

Showcase 2003 in review...

Showcase 2003 Concert Official Photos

We have been pretty busy over the last week in preparation for our annual Showcase 2003 Concert.

It is held at the end of each year and 'showcases' the student's talent to family, friends and the industry.

Anyone who has organised a large event such as a wedding, birthday or work function would know the work involved to successfully pull off such an event.

Our Showcase 2003 Concert involves some of the following preparations:

12 Months in advance

• Book the venue taking into consideration expected audience numbers, stage size to fit performers, sound, lighting and refreshment requirements.
• Book musicians.

6 months in advance

• Inform students and their parents of the dates of the Showcase Concert and rehearsals along with all necessary details.
• Pick the group songs the performers will sing and work out the harmony parts
• Start teaching group songs to the students.
• Book the sound engineer and hire sound equipment.
• Book videographer and photographer for the day.
• Provide a copy of all choir songs in their edited stage to each teacher (this duplication is covered by various licences we hold)

2 months in advance

• Start promoting the show
• Incorporate moves and dance steps to any group numbers.
• Source helpers for front of house, backstage, make-up, props, ushers and so on
• Give music to musicians
• Start editing the backing tracks to provide a better audience experience and allow more students to perform.
• Purchase props
• Order ballons
• Issue perfomers with 2nd Showcase Concert details form
• Purchase or have made to measure

3 weeks in advance

• Finalise the show's "running order' and do the 'working sheet'
• Send running order to musicians, photographer, videographer

• Check venue set up and requirements with the venues function coordinator.
• Compose 'Programme' for sale to the audience on the day
• Issue Tax Invoices to performers

1 week before

• Email helpers with job requirements
• Purchase stage make up
• Buy thank you gifts for helpers
• Print, collate and staple Programmes
• Print signs for venue such as 'No Smoking', 'Switch of mobile phones', ticket and programme price signs and direction signs
• Visit venue to finalise requirements such as seating, catwalk position, change room, toilet and make-up room facilities for audience and cast.
• Drop off banners and signs to venue
• Issue "Working Sheet" to backstage crew, lighting and sound person and Stage Manager
• Burn (and licence) CDs of the songs that require backing music accompaniment for Act 1 and Act 2

Good luck for your next event!

3 December 2003

Adelaide 'Popstars 4' Auditions

Monday 8 December, 2003, 11.00am - 4.00pm

at Masonic Lodge, 254 North Terrace,  Adelaide

Any song can be sung unaccompanied.

Neither piano nor amplification will be available, therefore instruments that require amplification are not suitable. Acoustic Guitar is OK.

Over 16 years old only.

Registration forms will be available on the day.

Check out all the Popstars around the world.

2 December 2003

Life in the Music Industry...life after Idol.

Part 1. Did You Know?...

Part 2. Did You Know?...

Part 3. Guy Sebastian's schedule

Australian Idol...did you know?...

Guy to Climb Every Mountain

Part 4. Life for Guy

• During the Australian Idol experience, winner Guy Sebastian was spending up to 17-hour days making public appearance, rehearsing and performing. Starting at six in the morning and getting home at 11 - 12pm only to find with cameras on him asking him how he was feeling and what he thought.

• Guy's solo album will be ready for Christmas which he has been allowed total input. Guy did not agree with all the songs they gave him especially the songs with the Justin Timberlake feel, because they seem to be dark and sexual. Guy is trying to keep the album more positive.

Did you know...

Australian idol finalists will be banned from singing publicly until a National Tour in February. Many of the finalists earn an income from performing in Pubs including South Australian Kelly Cavuoto and Robert Mills.

1 December 2003

At what age can a child learn to sing?

We take students from about the age of 7 years.

Children need to be able to read, understand what the teacher has to say, and be able to apply what is asked of them.

The exception is when a child has been singing for years (usually doing song & dance with a Dance Studio). If the child is already doing a lot of singing, he or she might as well be learning to do it properly.

Any younger than this and a different approach to learning is required; more emphasis is placed on exploring sounds and different instruments. In addition, incorporating movement and singing in the form of a 'game' is generally suitable for the student under 7 years.

The larynx(voice box) and vocal folds of a child are not developed until approximately 16 years old. Thus, children need to be taught differently to adults. The analogy I use is "singing is very physical therefore you would not put a child through an adult aerobics workout. You can however put a child through a workout geared towards their age group"