But despite the reclusive environment that songwriting often necessitates, there is unanimous agreement that community is necessary for musicians to strive. “Every solo artist needs to build these sorts of networks,” says Carlisle. “Not just to help them learn the business, but to help keep their artistic life alive and dynamic.”
Though Mahmoud, Wax and Cantor are primarily focused on building a singular identity among the affiliates of Harvard, Carlisle believes that the best way to strengthen this community is through reaching out to local musicians.
Carlisle feels that Arts First provides a crucial link between the Harvard singer-songwriters and the larger scene around Cambridge and Boston. “The OFA publicizes the event all over, and several non-Harvard affiliates show up to see Harvard student performers,” she says. “The festival is successful because it involves so many people—both as performers and planners.”
Regardless of the reasons for its nonexistence, this lack of community creates a very disturbing consequence: small, apathetic and wary audiences. “If the singer-songwriters were more of a group, we could help each other out promoting shows,” says Cantor. “Also, I think people might be less scared to go see a singer-songwriter if they knew that he or she was a member of a respected campus organization of some sort.”
GETTING THE AUDIENCE
So how does one go about raising awareness of singer-songwriter events on campus and, more importantly, getting students to actually show up at the events? The process seems especially daunting when faced with the choices the average undergrad finds on a Friday night.
Cantor notes that, as an audience member, “listening to a singer-songwriter takes energy—you have to listen and appreciate the words of unfamiliar music or else it might seem pretty boring.”
There is also the possibility that audiences may not exactly warm up to the artists themselves. “You’re going up against a certain stereotyped image,” says Wax. “I once heard a joke: ‘What’s the difference between a puppy and a singer-songwriter? Eventually the puppy stops whining.’ And that’s this idea out there of a singer-songwriter.”
The artists are often challenged by great difficulties in promoting oneself as a solo artist that large bands and orchestras simply don’t have to face. “You really have to approach publicity in as multi-faceted to get the best word out,” says Mahmoud. “So for show I produce, I’ll poster, personally e-mail friends, make an e-mail for group-lists, get the listing in Crimson Arts, the Beat, the U.C. Calender.”
Though the challenges are daunting, the singer-songwriters feel it’s a necessary part of maturing as an artist. “As Harvard students, many of us have spent significant amounts of our lives on stage—in one sense or another,” says Carlisle. “These stages were created for us—all we had to do was audition—take certain pre-determined steps to gain that pre-determined place in the spotlight. The good news about being a singer- songwriter is that no one’s going to tell you what to do.”
As for advice for budding musicians starting out at Harvard? “Expect to be embarrassed and frustrated,” says Mahmoud, smiling.
Carlisle adds, “You’ve got to create the event, the community, the space, and then they’ll come. As student leaders of all stripes know, Harvard is an extremely fertile environment to create new things—the people and the energy here are unparalleled. But it’s up to you to organize and tap that energy.”
—Staff writer Ben B. Chung can be reached at bchung@fas.harvard.edu.