Ready, Shoot, Aim...Publicity and my Recording Project

I have been horrible about writing on this blog.... I started the year with grand intentions of actually having some follow through and writing daily, or at least most days. Of course, when I got the chance to launch my recording project fundraising on Kickstarter, I jumped at it! I never realized that it would be like another full-time job.

Writing letters, designing brochures, filming videos, answering interview questions...posting Facebook status updates. For the last 3 weeks I have been honing my "pitch." I have been learning about myself, my craft, my creativity, this is an incredible exercise!

I have reached 21% funded, with 47 days to go! It seems like I have a very long way to go, and a short time to get there, but I was reading last night about 94% of Kickstarter projects that reach 25% funded end up fully funded! That is something I can sink my teeth into. It somehow means 25% seems to be the threshold where you have enough people that want to make the project happen, that they won't let you fail. It is enough to not let yourself fail. I have put so many hours into the project, I don't want to let anyone down!

I have written a Tampa version of a press release, which I will share here! Please check it out... repost this blog... share the project with friends...and most of all, realize that I am really enjoying the process!

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For more information contact: Bryce Westervelt, brycewestervelt@hotmail.com

Available for interview – in studio appearances

Local Singer Receives Special Invitation, Launches Recording Project

NEW PORT RICHEY, FL, FEBRUARY 12, 2010: Tampa Bay area tenor, Bryce Westervelt is launching a campaign to fund a new recording of Franz Schubert’s masterpiece Die schöne Müllerin.

Westervelt has received an invitation from Kickstarter.com to submit his recording project. Kickstarter.com is a website for artists to showcase their artistic endeavors. The website helps artists promote and organize a grass-roots style campaign to fund their project in a way that gives “backers” (whether they give $1 or $100) something in return.

“Fundraising for the arts in this economic environment is tough, especially as an independent artist,” says Westervelt. “Featuring my recording project on Kickstarter lets my donors get a rare behind-the-scenes look at the project from concept to completion. The best part is you don’t have to be wealthy to be a part of something special.”

Donors to the project will receive gifts ranging from exclusive project access and copies of the recording, to having their name listed in the liner notes or having their own personal concert. Project backers also receive one-on-one interaction with the artist through the entire project.

“[I] love the ‘Sponsor a measure’ idea,” Yancey Strickler remarked about the $5 donation level on Kickstarter’s blog. “[Offers like these] are things that entice me to back. Let me share in your story. Let me feel like I played a role.”

Westervelt has set a project budget of $6500 that will cover all recording expenses and must be raised by April 1, 2010, for the project to be funded. If he does not reach the goal by April 1, none of the backers are charged and the project does not move forward.

Westervelt’s long-time colleague, pianist R. Timothy McReynolds will collaborate with him on the project. This will be Westervelt’s debut recording. Westervelt is familiar to Bay area concert-goers for his appearances in recent seasons with Opera Tampa, the Florida Orchestra, and the St. Petersburg Opera. In the last year, his performance schedule has taken him to seven states and Italy performing in various concerts, recitals, and operas.

More information about Westervelt’s recording project can be found by visiting:

http://www.kickstarter.com/profile/brycewestervelt and clicking on the Debut CD Project link.

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Tenor, Bryce Westervelt, is sought after as a soloist with opera companies, orchestras, and choral groups across the nation. His concert repertoire spans over 50 major works, and he has been a featured artist with many groups over the last decade.

Pursuing a career that embraces art song, opera, chamber music, and cabaret, pianist R. Timothy McReynolds is also active as a teacher and vocal coach. He is a full-time Vocal Coach on the faculty of the University of Maryland School of Music.

Kickstarter.com is a funding platform for artists, designers, filmmakers, musicians, journalists, inventors and explorers. www.kickstarter.com

Bryce Westervelt can be reached by email at brycewestervelt@hotmail.com.

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Bryce to Record Schubert CD, Project Launch

It is with great excitement that I announce the launch of my recording project.  Many of you know that this has been a long time coming for me.   Last week I stumbled onto a website called Kickstarter. com and after mulling around several ideas, I decided that using the site would be an incredible way to get my friends, family, colleagues, and fans (both of you know who you are)  to get involved with me on the project.  I have decided to tackle Schubert’s Die schöne Müllerin, and I have asked my good friend Tim McReynolds to collaborate with me in recording this masterwork of the art song repertoire.

Please take 5 minutes to check out my page and the video.  Please help me promote my project by passing it along to your friends and colleagues who might be interesting in it, and if you feel so inclined to become a part of the project, I thank you in advance.  Every little bit counts!  (plus you can get some cool stuff in exchange for your generosity)

Thanks!

-Bryce

Recording a CD, Kickstarter...First Hurdle Overcome

Wow, what a fun 48 hours this has been.  From about this time two days ago and seeing the story about Kickstarter.com on the local evening news to today, I have been though a wild wave of excitement.   Now the idea of a recording project can finally begin to take shape.    Last night, my dear friend and colleague, pianist Tim McReynolds beat me to the punch and said he was "available" to record.  I was planning on calling Tim today or tomorrow to discuss the idea with him, so I guess the timing couldn't be better.

After a phone conversation this morning, he is on board with the project.  We both talked about the Schubert recital that we did, more than 10 years ago and I think that we both would like to revisit the work together now.  I am really, really excited.  I get off the phone with him, having discussed trying to use Kickstarter to help with the fundraising.   I told him that the next, and what in my estimation one of the most difficult steps of the process, I needed to find a way on to Kickstarter.com, since it is invitation only!

So, what does any smart person do, who wants to find an invitation to an exclusive website do?   I Googled, Kickstarter Invitation.  This came up with lots of invites that people were giving away (or at least a handful) in blogs and message boards.  Most of these invites had already been claimed, by others.  All of these invites were 3-8 months old.   This was not going to do!  I decided to try my search again, but this time only look for results within the last week.   I stumbled on to two possibilities.  The first one was a on a movie production site.   He had only posted a couple of days ago, but really seemed to be looking for other people trying to produce movie projects.   I emailed him anyway, hoping for a response, but as of now I have not heard back from him.

The second person I find on Emptees.com.  He has made a comment to a thread:

What is my favorite animal????   Ugh, I have no idea what my favorite animal is.   I click on the guy, and after going to his profile on the site it leads me Kevin at Top Shelf Records.  Kevin is basically the graphics design guru for the operation....check out some of his work, it is really cool stuff.  Anyway...I think, what the heck I should send him an email, maybe I can get this invite from him.  This is what I sent:

Kevin,

     I was hoping that you could help me out.   I found your website via a post that you made on Emptees.com where you mentioned that you had a couple of Kickstarter invites available.    I would love to at least float my project by you, in hopes that you might be so kind as to help me out with getting on the site. (paying it forward, so to speak)  I am a professional opera singer.  At the beginning of the year I set three major goals for my life for 2010.  Move to Germany to further my career, do an east coast recital tour (to help me fund my move to Europe) and to finally record my first CD.  

     When I first tell someone that I am singer, I usually get one of two responses, "Sing for me!" or "Do you have a CD?"  At some point, I would love for the answer of the second question to finally be a resounding "YES, yes I do..." instead of "No, unfortunately not, because...(insert lame excuse here)."   I also have several friends and colleagues that have recorded, and even a couple of Grammy winning colleagues.   I have patiently waited for "my turn," but I have finally drawn the line in the sand and want to make this year the year that I finally get the first recording done.   

      As you understand from your work in design and with bands, independent projects have a difficult time getting off the ground, mostly because of them being cost prohibitive.  Recording classical music is right there.   I have the people, the repertoire, basically everything in place...but to have a way to fund the project, that is really the only think holding me back.    When I learned about Kickstarter the other day on the news and did a little reading, the light bulb went off in my head.   It is as if  the big padlock on the door was finally cut off and I am able to procede with my dream, of recording, and leaving my legacy.   The idea that I can use the site to organize my efforts and spread the word through my large community of friends, colleagues, family, and patrons around the country so that they too can have a hand in my project is very exciting.

Anyway, thank you for listening to my rambling on and on.  I would love it if you would consider me for one of those invites that you have for Kickstarter, assuming that you still have them.  That would really, really make my day!

Thanks for your time,

Bryce

PS  favorite animal....Ibis, because of the curved beak and I can't figure out if the plural of ibis is "ibi" or "ibises"

 

Well....30 minutes later....Voila....I must have said the magic words, because....I got my invite! The first hurdle of my recording project is behind me....now to finalize the proposal!