Both students and professionals benefit from interaction at GRAMMY Career Day

GRAMMY.com
Steve Baltin

Ask most artists participating in GRAMMY Career Day what their favorite moment of GRAMMY Week is and they will likely say it's meeting with music students.

Stripped down of all pomp and circumstance, GRAMMY Career Day is a chance for artists and music industry professionals to give back to those that put them at the top. It's a fact not lost on 51st GRAMMY Album Of The Year nominee Ne-Yo, who during the morning's first panel called out those too busy for a few minutes with their admirers. "When I come across certain people who can't sign autographs or take pictures, I say, 'You're going to flick your nose at the people who put you on a pedestal.' That makes no sense to me."

That kind of respect, not surprisingly, earned big props from the 1,200 students from various schools within Los Angeles Unified School District and as far away as Clark County, Nev., who rolled onto the University of Southern California campus for GRAMMY Career Day and the chance to get a real education on the music industry from insiders representing all walks of the business.

The enthusiasm and appreciation for the likes of Ne-Yo, chart-topper Jesse McCartney, rising singer/songwriter Keri Hilson, iconic producer and Recording Academy Chair Jimmy Jam, and EMI Music Publishing's Big Jon Platt (an executive who just happened to sign Beyoncé, Jay-Z, Kanye West, and more) were there from the moment the high school-aged students filed into USC's Bovard Auditorium. Ne-Yo and McCartney were welcomed with greetings as loud as they might receive in Staples Center. But the knowledgeable, respectful, and willing-to-learn audience continually voiced their appreciation as the artists and industry insiders imparted their wisdom.

Among the insights shared were Ne-Yo admitting he shed a tear in private upon winning his first GRAMMY; Hilson's view that any music can be inspirational — even music she's not a fan of; McCartney's sage advice, "You never know too much, you're always learning in this industry…"; and Platt's revelation that the real wealth in the industry often comes for those who write the songs. "The people behind the scenes make the most money," Platt said. However, the most potent words came from Jam, who let the students know they weren't just there to get out of school for a day and take pictures of stars. "Out here sits the future of the music industry," he informed the audience.

The students wisely took those words to heart as they broke off into 11 individual workshops covering a wide-ranging array of topics that ran the gamut from vocals and music direction to women in music and music publishing. While the loudest applause came during the first panel, the quiet moments of the workshops will resonate most with the students, who relished the opportunity to be heard. One girl shared with a member of the "Artist Management" workshop her zealousness for McCartney, showing the unbridled emotions of youth. Just as memorable was the girl speaking with recording artist Kenna, who had to interrupt to pose for some trade shots. But rather than use the photos as an excuse to get out of the conversation, he sought out the girl to continue their one-on-one talk.

Each of the panels, spread out across several buildings over the USC campus, offered their own unique moments and reflected the diversity of musical talent and knowledge of the professional participants. In the highly entertaining "Film/TV Music" workshop, students had a chance to simulate a real film scoring conversation from the cutting room floor as Fox Music's Mike Knobloch showed a clip of the Steve Martin comedy Cheaper By The Dozen. Knobloch asked the kids for their input on whether to include music and what kind, be it song or score. Once the room had decided on score — as the group felt a song would interfere with the scene — Knobloch asked whether the music should be electronic or another style.

The "Producers" workshop also gave practical experience as the production duo Stargate — consisting of Mikkel Eriksen and Tor Erik Hermansen — brought in an early version of their Rihanna hit "Take A Bow," which let the students experience the evolution of a smash song. The panel also featured some levity as producer Harvey Mason Jr. quipped while introducing Stargate's impressive resume — which includes Ne-Yo, Chris Brown, Beyoncé, and more — "It's a shame we couldn't get anybody good."

That was a joke that could have been repeated in room after room, whether it was the "Songwriting" workshop with legendary Motown songwriter Lamont Dozier, "Music Direction" with Rickey Minor, the musical director of both "American Idol" and the GRAMMY Awards, or the "Jazz" workshop, where students received tutelage from multi-instrumentalist Marcus Miller and pianist Jeff Lorber.

Following an outdoor lunch where students gathered to share their separate workshop experiences, the 1,200 students returned to Bovard Auditorium to witness a powerful showcase of the GRAMMY Jazz Ensembles.

For roughly an hour, the Ensembles took the auditorium on an auditory tour of jazz through the years, starting with some swing-style tunes by the jazz band, followed by some doo-wop flavor courtesy of the jazz choir. Equally as impressive, the band showcased their fusion chops before the choir turned in a bluesy take of Bill Withers' classic "Ain't No Sunshine." The camaraderie between the musicians was on full display — as one side played, the other side bopped their heads, danced and clapped along. It was a very fitting way to conclude a day that showcased the best of GRAMMY Week. 

(Read our GRAMMY Week event blogs.)