CURRENT NEWS
LAUNCH: An Emerging Artist Fellowship
Monday, February 13, 2012
What: A ‘Fellowship’ program for singer/songwriters. The intent is to help nurture and mentor a deserving person to assist their growth as an artist.
Each year, one carefully screened Fellow will receive:
A year’s use of a David Wilcox Limited Edition RainSong guitar (Learn more about this unique performance guitar here)
Mentoring by David Wilcox on songwriting
Mentoring by Tom Simonson (David’s manager) on business and career development.
The use of a Zoom H4 Digital Audio Recorder
The use of 2 Audix VX5 Microphones
Who: Any singer/songwriter guitarists 18 years or older who are serious about their craft and are ready, willing and able to dedicate themselves to the growth of their art may apply. Applicants need not be full-time musicians, but should be able to focus significant amounts of the fellowship year on improving their craft. We want this guitar and Fellowship to help change the Fellow’s life and art, not simply be a trophy on a stand in the corner. Fellows will be required to provide quarterly updates of songs, performance video, or other relevant items charting their progress.
The spirit of this program is built around the Fellow devoting time and focus to their growth. As such, we ask that people with excessive family, work, school, or other demands that would preclude them from making the most of this opportunity to consider carefully before applying. Please note that the previous sentence does not mean that you cannot have a family, job or other demands on your time to apply - we know that applicants will have most, if not all of them. What we *are* asking is that applicants have the drive, desire, determination and time management skills necessary to utilize this opportunity to the fullest capacity possible, and the necessary self awareness to discern their ability to juggle this opportunity along with other responsibilities.
How:
Those wishing to apply for the Fellowship will need to complete the following:
- Compose a short essay (500 words or less) explaining what you would do with this fellowship and why it should go to you, and Email your essay to Tom Simonson at info@simonsonmanagement.com
- Provide a link to a YouTube video (or other video hosting service) of yourself performing a song that you composed. This can be from a live performance in front of an audience, or simply you performing for the camera. The quality of the song is what we seek to see/hear. Please send the link to Tom Simonson at info@simonsonmanagement.com
- If selected as one of the 4 finalists, applicants must be able to attend the Wilcox Weekend 3 event in Hendersonville NC May 10-14, 2012
The deadline for submission of the above is 12:01AM March 21, 2012, or upon us reaching a total of 20 applicants, whichever comes first. We’ll update this information here when and if the application process is closed prior to March 21.
We’ll select the 2012 Fellow from the 4 finalists, all of whom will need to attend the 2012 Wilcox Weekend. We will contact all applicants with notification of the 4 finalists no later than Friday April 6. The final 4 applicants will be responsible for getting to the Weekend and paying their own registration fee. Details on the Weekend can be found here.
Details on the Weekend can be found here. Please watch these videos about previous Wilcox Weekends located here , and here. If this event doesn’t look like something you would enjoy and be enriched by in its own right, please think carefully about applying and registering. We’re doing selection at the Weekend because we need to meet face to face with candidates, hear them perform, talk, eat, and laugh with us. We also want them connected with and involved with the Wilcox Weekend community. If you’re coming only to try to get the Fellowship, and don’t feel the desire to connect with the larger community in attendance, it’s likely that this isn’t a going to be a good fit. If you have questions about any of the preceding, please feel free to call Tom Simonson to discuss.
One final note: our selection process is not at all comparable to ‘American Idol’ or other type of competition. The Wilcox Weekend is all about community, and not about pitting people against one another, and there is not any kind of musical showdown for applicants as part of this process.
If we are unable to find a suitable Fellow at the Wilcox Weekend, we reserve the right to call for additional applicants and conduct another screening / selection at later date/time. While it is our plan and goal to select the 2012-2013 Fellow from an applicant in attendance at Kanuga, it is possible that no selection will be made at the Weekend.
When: Application deadline is March 21, 2012, or upon our receipt of 20 applications, whichever comes first. Then, for the 4 final applicants, Wilcox Weekend 3 happens May 10-14, 2012
Where: Kanuga Retreat Center - Hendersonville NC
How much: There is no fee to apply for the initial selection. For the 4 finalists, registration for the Wilcox Weekend 3 is $625, which includes all meals, lodging and events/performances/workshops
If you have questions or need additional information, please contact Tom Simonson at info@simonsonmanagement.com 503-504-3806
