2012 Music Under New York auditions were held at Grand Central Terminal Vanderbilt Hall. May 16, 2012. As a MUNY artist I was asked to be a judge. I captured the event and I asked my favorite question, "what's your inspiration?" Here's what I heard:
- NY Guitar Festival artistic director and judge David Spelman: "sounds of NY, I don't wear an ipod, there are too many wonderful sounds..the wild polyphony of mayhem that we hear all around is an inspiration."
- Music Under NY violinist Ebony Hillbillies and judge Henrique Prince : "Life, …art, that music can allow you to be different all the time that you can keep growing until the last minute, and you can get better and better, how many things in life are like that except.. food."
- Music Under NY artist and volunteer Jahstix: "Life + possibility of magic at every moment, + the goodness and love."
- Auditionee and accordionist Melissa Elledge: "feeling grateful that I'm in a city that I can make a living doing what I want to do." Update: since her audition, now now a MUNY artist.
- award winning recording artist and judge Dane Zanes: "I felt that I was part of the NY musical overground."
- Music Under NY classical guitarist and judge Don Witter Jr. "music making and the boldness of young people who believe in what they are doing and do it."
- documentary filmmaker, 78 Project and judge Alex Styermark: "authenticity and people who are just trying to make the most out of what they've got."