(from Churchill School, Schaumburg, and Sycamore Trails Elementary School, Bartlett)
Q. Do you sing about people you know?
Cristina Papeck
Schaumburg
A. Sometimes I write about people I know, sometimes everything is made up and imaginary. Often I mix a little of both, so that a character in a song might have qualities of a real person without actually being a portrait of them. Songs about my daughter Fiona, like "Bedtime Girl" on my Birthday CD, are 100% about her.
Q. What is your favorite song that you wrote? Why?
Katie Wainwright
Schaumburg
A. I wrote a song yesterday called "Sheıs my 9 AM Sunday Morning One Girl Hit Parade" that I love, but itıs very common to be crazy about the most recent song youıve written. Itıs the "newness" thing! "Out of My Element," is an older song I would have to pick as one of my favorites, both because of the way the music and harmonies sound, and because I enjoy singing it -- the lyrics tell a good story, but in an interesting, dramatic way.
Q. Is there a favorite day of the week or time of the day that you
write your music?
Derek Saepoung
Schaumburg
A. Any time I get the free time to do it! Iım very busy with all the different parts of my work and art, and, ironically, the one thing I love most in the world (songwriting) often seems to be pushed aside. Still, the lesson is to make time for doing the things that are important. I really enjoy sometimes getting out of town for a couple days with no phone calls, no responsibilities, and no distractions. Iıll get up in the morning and write songs until I actually have no more energy. Once I wrote 16 songs in two days -- and most of them are still among my best.
Q. Do you ever get nervous when you have a big crowd?
Jennifer Rieger, 4th grade
Bartlett
A. Even when I was a kid, performing in front of a crowd didnıt make me nervous. The more important a show is, the more I just focus my energy into really doing a great job. In a funny way, I find it relaxing, because I know everything Iım doing really matters. Itıs like, this is the moment I spent all that time and energy working to get to, so I really want to follow through and enjoy it.
Q. What advice would you give to a kid who would like to write music?
Stephanie Gilski, 5th grade
Bartlett
A. The best advice I can give anyone who wants to be a writer (of songs or stories or anything) is just to write, write, write. If you believe in what youıre doing and you keep working at it, youıll succeed. Iıve seen it again and again: the only thing that stops a quitter is quitting. Refuse to quit, and youıll be one of the few that succeed.
Q. About how long does it take to write a song?
Matthew Madigan, 5th grade
Bartlett
A. Anywhere from minutes to years. It really depends on the song and a million random factors. The important thing is not to worry about how much time its taking, but whether or not the song itself is all that it can be.
Q. Where do you play your music?
Mike Kinsella, 10
Hoffman Estates
A. I have played my music in bars and in churches, at weddings and funerals, for friends and for strangers, for myself in a quiet, dark room and for thousands of screaming people in big concert halls. One day I played a song at the burial service of a friend of mine, and as I was wrapping my guitar cords and my strap, and putting my guitar away alone in a hallway afterward, I realized my hands were performing the exact same actions they did every day, no matter where I was. A small, private ritual, in a way. And I realized that writing, performing and sharing my songs is something in itself more valuable to me than where I happen to be doing it at a given moment. I do it because I love to, and everything else follows in its proper place.
Q. What do you basically do as a musician?
Beth Milford, 11
Hoffman Estates
A. I write songs. I record them and perform them with my band, the Bad Examples. I also record and play solo and acoustic, without my band. I organize rehearsals, and approve decisions for accepting contracts for shows. I teach songwriting. I produce CDıs for other artists, helping them arrange, record, and mix their music. I teach music classes for little kids. I practice my guitar. I haul heavy amplifiers into clubs, and, when weıre touring, often drive hundreds and hundreds of miles every day between shows. I wake up every morning with a smile on my face because Iım lucky enough to be a musician.
Q. When you write your songs, do you think of the music first, then
lyrics or lyrics first then the music?
Aggie Raup, 6th grade
Palatine
A. In addition to lyrics and music, I also consider melody, rhythm, and emotional center equally valid parts of a song. A song can come from any part first. It just depends on the song.
Q. Did your parents make you play an instrument and if so, are you
thankful?
Bailey Newlin, 4th grade
Palatine
A. My parents actually met singing in a church choir, so there is some talent there. We always had a piano in the house when I was a kid, and I feel thankful for that. My mom was a potter, so I grew up thinking it was okay to be artistic. They were always supportive without being pushy.
Q. Who in this day and age would you consider to be the greatest living
folk singer? Who is your favorite singer of all time?
Christine Lundberg, 6th grade
Palatine
A. Recently, itıs hit me what a great songwriter Paul Simon can be. I grew up loving the Beatles, so if I had to pick a favorite something, I couldnıt deny how happy their music has made me.
Q. What qualities are needed in order to be a good songwriter?
Adam Levitus, 4th grade
Palatine
A. Imagination, passion, the drive to be a great songwriter, and the will to write and write until you get it right.
Q. What do you like the best about being a singer?
Sara Vandenbranden, 6th grade
Arlington Heights
A. Singing. It feels good deep down in my soul.
Q. Can you tell me what instrument you compose on and what is the
longest time it has ever taken you to compose a score (song)?
Daniel Lassie, 6th grade
Arlington Heights
A. I write on anything. I usually write on guitar, occasionally on piano, but itıs refreshing to pick up something Iım less familiar with and discover what sounds come out.
Q. What made you decide to become a singer?
Lara Morris, 8th grade
Arlington Heights
A. No-one really decides to become an artist; you just realize youıd be miserable doing anything else.
Q. I think that composing sounds like fun and I really like music. I
wanted to know if composing is hard or easy?
Heather von Ehrenkrook
Buffalo Grove
A. Youıre right -- composing music is fun. Sometimes itıs hard and sometimes itıs easy, but that part doesnıt really matter. If youıre doing what you love, even the hard work tastes sweet.
Q. Has your music ever been heard on the radio?
Curtis Bork, 4th grade
A. My music has been heard on the radio on many stations around the world; in Chicago that includes WXRT, WLUP, WGN, and Rock 103. In Europe I have appeared live on the air onthe BBC, and in Holland and Belgium, as well as European-wide broadcasts on CMR and on television on VH-1 Europe.
Q. When I go onstage I always dress my best, why do rock stars always
wear jeans with holes in the knees when they go onstage?
Katie S.
fourth grade
A. Just as when you go on stage you are choosing which image you want to portray, a common image people feel comfortable with in musicians is the "jeans with holes in the knees" look youıve noticed. Itıs a costume that says, "hey, Iım not wearing a costume, Iım just a regular guy (or gal) ..." It says "rock and roll." For some people it is just that, for others itıs fake.
Q. What instrument do you play? When did you develop an interest in
music?
Alexandra Semar
A. I sing and play guitar on stage, though I play a little piano. I started writing songs when I was about eight, and, though I didnıt get good until years later, Iıve always loved it.
Q. When did you first discover you were good in singing?
Shaniya Khan
A. I never worried about whether or not I was good at singing, I just always enjoyed doing it. Over the years Iıve gotten better at it.
Q. What was your first song you wrote and how old were you?
Jessica A.
A. My first song was called "Old Man Dan," and I wrote it when I was eight. My best friendıs Dad was the local basketball coach, and I would go play basketball with him (I was terrible) if he would come over and play music with me (he was awful). We were great friends, and we both loved every minute of it, even when we knew we were clueless.
Q. Do you ever have help writing songs? Have you made any CDs?
Bill
A. Iıve written songs with other songwriters many times. Itıs not a question of "needing help" as much as it is just exciting to work with someone you like and respect on creating something beautiful or cool. I have released eight CDıs, and am currently working on a new one.