THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR STAYING WITH US. THERE IS AN EXCITING OPPORTUNITY FOR YOUNG VISUAL ARTISTS IN THE TRIAD. THE EASTERN MUSIC FESTIVAL HAS LAUNCHED ITS 2024 ARTIST COMPETITION AND THEY ARE NOW ACCEPTING SUBMISSIONS. SO JOINING US NOW TO SHARE MORE ABOUT THIS IS ERICA FRAZIER. SHE IS THE EASTERN MUSIC FESTIVAL’S MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR. GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE WITH US. I’M EXCITED TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE COMPETITION THAT YOU HAVE GOING ON. BUT FIRST, LET’S JUST START WITH THE EASTERN MUSIC FESTIVAL. WHAT IS IT AND WHAT DOES THIS CONSIST OF? OKAY. SO THE EASTERN MUSIC FESTIVAL IN SHORT, THERE’S A LOT THAT WE DO. SO I’M GOING TO TRY TO WRAP IT UP AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. IT IS A FIVE WEEK SUMMER INTENSIVE LIVE AND PERFORMANCE PROGRAM THAT IS GEARED TOWARDS STUDENTS AGES 14 TO 23, MOSTLY WHO ARE LOOKING TO PURSUE A FUTURE CAREER IN CLASSICAL MUSIC. AND SO THAT’S A SHORT WAY OF KIND OF SUMMARIZING. WE WE PERFORM ABOUT 100 PLUS PERFORMANCES EACH SUMMER, AND THESE STUDENTS WORK REALLY, REALLY HARD TOGETHER. WE’VE GOT AN ORCHESTRAL PROGRAM, WE’VE GOT ALSO A CONDUCTING PROGRAM, A PIANO PROGRAM, AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE TWO WEEK INTENSIVE. SO WE’VE GOT GUITAR AND ALSO TUBA EUPHONIUM. SO LOTS GOING ON AT THE EASTERN MUSIC FESTIVAL AND WE’RE ACTUALLY IN OUR 63RD SEASON THIS YEAR. WOW. AND IT IS LISTED EVERY SUMMER AT GUILFORD COLLEGE IN GREENSBORO. SO AWESOME. AND SO IT’S MUCH MORE THAN MAYBE A FESTIVAL OF WHAT PEOPLE WOULD IMAGINE WHEN THEY HEAR THAT WORD. SO I’M GLAD THAT YOU GOT TO EXPLAIN THAT. I KNOW THAT YOU COULD GO ON AND ON ABOUT ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT YOU DO, BUT LET’S TALK ABOUT THIS PLAYBILL ART COMPETITION. SO IT’S NOT NECESSARILY THE MUSICAL ARTISTS THAT WE WANT. WE WANT THOSE VISUAL ARTISTS. CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHY YOU DECIDED TO DO THIS COMPETITION SO WE PERSONALLY BELIEVE, AND I’M SURE YOU WILL AGREE, THAT ALL ART IS CONNECTED IN SOME WAY, SHAPE OR FORM. ART MAKES US FEEL GOOD. WE ALL LIKE TO PARTICIPATE IN IT. AND SO WHILE WE WERE JUST BRAINSTORMING ABOUT HOW WE COULD INVOLVE THE COMMUNITY AND JUST OUR ALUMNI AND ANYONE WHO DOES OTHER TYPES OF ART, WE SAID, WAIT, WE HAVE A PLAYBILL THAT IS 128 PAGES THAT WE PUBLISH EACH SUMMER AND AND IT’S ALWAYS KIND OF DIFFICULT TO COME UP WITH WHAT WE WANT IT TO LOOK LIKE ON THE COVER. AND AND WE WERE LIKE, WHY DON’T WE ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY? AND ALSO AS A PARALLEL KIND OF ENGAGE STUDENTS WHO ARE OUR STUDENTS AGES AS KIND OF LIKE A LITTLE, YOU KNOW, JUST LIKE IT FEELS GOOD. WE’RE ENGAGING OUR STUDENTS AGES 14 TO 23 IN MUSIC, AND THEN WE WOULD LOVE TO BRING STUDENTS AGES 14 TO 23 TO THE FESTIVAL OR EVEN JUST THE AWARENESS OF THE FESTIVAL. AND SO IT HONESTLY JUST SEEMED LIKE A PERFECT WAY TO MARRY THE TWO KINDS OF IDEAS THAT WE HAD. DEFINITELY. I WAS JUST ABOUT TO SAY IT’S A NICE TIE THROUGH FOR BOTH THEMES. THERE. SO YOU MENTIONED THE AGE THERE. WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO APPLY FOR THIS COMPETITION AND WHAT KIND OF ART SHOULD BE SUBMITTED? SO IT’S ANYBODY WHO IS BETWEEN THE AGES OF 14 AND 23. THE THEME IS RHAPSODY, A VISUAL AND MUSICAL JOURNEY, AND SO THAT IS BASICALLY WHATEVER THAT MEANS TO YOU. AND WE’RE ACCEPTING ALL FORMS OF 2D ART SO IT CAN BE DIGITAL, IT CAN BE PHOTOGRAPHY, IT CAN BE PAINTING. WE REALLY WANT PEOPLE TO GO OUT OF BOX AND JUST THINK LIKE, WHAT IS RHAPSODY TO YOU? IS IT COLOR OR IS IT AN INSTRUMENT? IS IT I MEAN, IT COULD EVEN BE. IT COULD BE ANYTHING. I DON’T WANT TO GIVE ANYBODY AN IDEA BECAUSE WE’RE LOOKING FOR THE MOST CREATIVE, YOU KNOW, PIECES OF ART. AND I’M SUPER EXCITED TO SEE WHAT PEOPLE TURN IN SO THAT IS THE THEME. AND LIKE I SAID, 2D ARTWORKS. UM, EVERYONE’S LIMITED TO ONE SUBMISSION OPTION AND THAT’S REALLY THE ONLY THE ONLY LINE OF RULING. IT JUST HAS TO BE ABLE TO BE PUBLISHED ON THE FRONT COVER OF THE PLAYBILL, WHICH IS ABOUT EIGHT AND A HALF BY 11. SO IF YOU SUBMIT A PICTURE THAT IS NOT GOOD QUALITY, OBVIOUSLY WE CAN’T USE IT. BUT OTHER THAN THAT, THAT IS THE ONLY REALLY REGULATION. ALL RIGHT. AND REALLY QUICKLY, WE ONLY HAVE A FEW SECONDS LEFT. WHAT IS THE DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS AND WHAT DOES THE WINNER GET? IT IS JANUARY 30TH OF 2024 AND THEY WIN OFF THE BAT A $250 CASH PRIZE. AND THEN ALSO A CHANCE TO BE ON THE COVER. SO WE’RE REALLY HOPING THAT WE CAN USE THAT ART AND MAYBE USE IT EVEN AS SEASON ART. SO THERE’S NO TELLING. YEAH, GOOD PROMOTION FOR THAT PERSON. AND A GREAT EXPERIENCE FOR THEM TO GET TO BE ON THE COVER. THANK YOU SO MUCH, ERIKA, FOR EXPLAINING YOUR PROGRAM. I THINK THERE’S SO MUCH BENEFIT THERE FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE TO GET INVOLVED IN THE EASTERN MUSIC FESTIVAL’S ARTIST COMPETITION, THOUGH AGAIN, CURRENTLY TAKING THOSE SUBMISSIONS THROUGH JANUARY 30TH OF NEXT YEAR. SO YOU CAN SHARE