EAST ORANGE — The Grammys came to East Orange last week.
The Cicely L. Tyson Community School of Performing and Fine Arts hosted a day full of seminars on how to break into show business featuring Grammy Award winning singer and actress CoCo Jones and other music industry professionals who are part of the Record Academy that administers the awards.
“It’s all about helping them launch,” said Arin Canbolat, vice president of education at the Grammy Museum. “By bringing artist practitioners they can see it for themselves. We need the Beyonces and Stevie Wonder but behind every one of them is a Quincy Jones. You also need lawyers, managers, producers.”
The Grammy In the Schools Program is a regional music career day presented in partnership with the Recording Academy New York Chapter and in this case, the school and the City of East Orange. Thirteen seminars on a variety of topics related to employment in performing arts were held in rooms throughout the school for the 400 or so high school students.
The purpose of the program is to provide insight to high school students about careers that are available to them in the music industry, and direction on how to prepare for them.
The program provides an opportunity for students to interact with professionals representing a wide range of careers. Speakers included Grammy winners and nominees, and professionals in related disciplines.
The interactive sessions take students through the inner workings of the industry to learn exactly what it takes to make it in the business.
The event began with an assembly that included a performance by the Cicely Tyson School Symphonic Orchestra and short speeches from various people involved including Mayor Ted Green, State Sen. Britnee N. Timberlake and school Principal John English, who told the students planning for the event began in March.
“As a parent and grandparent, I’m always proud when someone comes into our city,” said Green, who also noted the city has produced some great performers including Dionne Warwick, Naughty by Nature, Whitney Houston and John Amos.
Lee Dannay, who is head of A&R for Thirty Tigers and president of the Recording Academy’s New York chapter, told the students they would be getting a real world look at careers in music.
“Take notes and ask questions,” Dannay said. “The goal today is to learn at least one thing about the music industry and hopefully more.”
Timberlake told the students that she had belonged to the theater guild in Brooklyn and while she wasn’t that good at singing and dancing, she did learn how to be a good public speaker.
Superintendent of Schools Christopher C. Irving echoed Timberlake’s remarks noting he went to Arts High School in Paterson and learned skills that were useful in life outside of performance art.
“The arts are not just about what we do in school, they are a skill set to prepare us for the future,” Irving said.
Canbolat said this type of program is important because it gives back to the next generation.
“The purpose of the arts is to make people bigger and more understanding of the world,” Canbolat said. Only one of these programs is done each year, he said.
Nick Cucci, senior executive director of the Recording Academy’s New York chapter, said his organization puts a priority on events like this.
“It’s important because we at the Recording Academy want to help the next generation of talent,” Cucci said. “It’s also important to support the schools in what they do. Music education is often the first thing cut.”
Seminars included The Business of Cast Recordings; Art Direction in Media and Entertainment; and How to Produce a Broadway Show, which was run by Mila Moravis.
Moravis serves on the Board of Governors of The Recording Academy and is a member of The Recording Academy’s Producers and Engineers Wing. She is also a Tony-nominated and three-time Emmy-nominated producer.
Speaking before a room of 28 students she talked about how she got into the business and then answered questions including “How should we look for auditions?” and “Do headshots have to be professionally taken?”
Moravia stressed professionalism when auditioning and told the students that producers will see a lot of people before making a decision so be as succinct as possible.
The star of the day, however, was CoCo Jones, a 26-year-old Grammy winner, currently starring in Peacock’s original series “Bel Air.” Jones is an actress, singer and dancer who has recorded songs, toured, been in commercials, television and movies.
Speaking in the school’s dance studio, she talked about dance being an important means of expression and the importance of hard work. She also answered a question about building confidence.
“When you’re onstage, you can overthink everything or just let it go,” she said. “When I practice, I prepare. The more practice I have, the more confident I am to just let it go. The more you do it, the more you got it.”
Jones said she began her career performing everywhere she could including talent contests and churches. She also said it’s good to surround yourself with like minded people.
“Collaborate with others doing what you are doing,” said Jones, who patiently took group pictures and selfies with students when she was done talking.
Appearing with Jones was Teemanay, an Afrobeats singer,songwriter, and producer from Nigeria. Teemanay said programs like Grammy in the Schools are important because kids need guidance, protection and inspiration. He said he enjoyed talking to the students about careers in the music business and touring the world as a musician.
“I was excited to give them my first hand experience as a performer,” he said.
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