The Texas Chapter hosted GRAMMY Career Day Jan. 8 at the University of Houston. The program consisted of a panel, a choice of 10 workshops, and an afternoon performance by rappers Paul Wall and Little Keke. More than 600 students from 11 schools in the Houston Independent School District participated.
To kick off to the program, KRBE radio personality Carson spoke to students about his career and got them excited for the day's activities. Producer/Chapter Trustee Dan Workman then moderated the panel consisting of Rodney Alejandro, musician/producer; Maria Gaucin, engineer; Randy Miller, artist manager/Chapter Governor; Joseph Stallone, entertainment attorney/Chapter Governor; Heather Wagner, owner of Juice Consulting/Chapter Secretary; and Wall, Rapper/DJ/Chapter Governor.
After the panel, students attended a group of three hour-long workshops from a menu of 10 total workshops featuring topics such as songwriting, recording, music education careers, music and video games, and music improvisation, among others. After the first workshop session, students met with other students to eat lunch and discuss their workshops. During lunch 50 selected students took part in a power lunch, which provided a group of 10 students the opportunity to eat and converse with a music industry professional. The power lunch participants were G Dash, Co-CEO of Swisha House Label; Casey Monahan, director of the Texas Music Office; Chuck Rainey, studio musician/Chapter Governor; Wagner, and Workman.
Following lunch, students returned to the auditorium where acknowledgments were made and a few students were able to showcase what they had learned during their workshops. Students then rushed the stage during the closing performance by Wall and Little Keke. After the performance, a group of students from the "Songcrafters & Tunesmiths" workshop sang the song they created during their workshop and a band from Milby High School received the opportunity to perform for their peers.