It’s been a wonderful few weeks for Hear Nebraska. Let's catch up.
First, you helped us surpass our $25,000 fundraising goal during Give to Lincoln and Omaha Gives by about $5,000. That’s simply incredible, and we’re grateful for your support.
Today, we were informed that we were approved for a grant of $4,554 from the Nebraska Arts Council to help fund the development of HN Radio. We couldn't be more excited about this project, and are aiming to have it up and running this winter. (A special note of thanks goes to HNer Katey Sleeveless, who wrote the hell out of the application.)
In the last 21 days, we have produced eight different concerts in Lincoln and Omaha, including our weekly Hear Lincoln concert series (now graciously supported by The Cooper Foundation) and hosted three live bands during our Thursday HNFM radio show on KZUM.
Last Friday marked our first collaboration with two of the state’s premier cultural organizations, Omaha Performing Arts and NET. The result, Hear Nebraska: Live at the 1200 Club, will be broadcast statewide this fall in four separate segments on NET. These are all significant, mission-focused accomplishments, and they’ve required the hard work of many people in the Hear Nebraska organization. (You know who you are.)
As our workload increases, so does our need for new team members. And I have some exciting news on that front.
First, we’re thrilled to announce the addition of Kendra Ingram to the Hear Nebraska Board of Directors. As Omaha Performing Arts’ vice president of programming and education, Kendra has an extensive musical background, including management and directing positions at Shenandoah University in Winchester, Va., Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Detroit Symphony, The Phoenix Symphony, Tulsa Philharmonic and the League of American Orchestras.
She has a ton of energy, huge leadership and nonprofit administration chops, and is absolutely a pleasure to work with. We’re honored to have her on the team.
We are also proud to announce that Chance Solem-Pfeifer has earned the job of assistant editor/staff writer. In this part-time role, Chance will help HN Managing Editor Michael Todd edit stories, assist Casey Welsch in producing HNFM, and help expand our coverage scope and quality with strong, thoughtful storytelling. Chance is super talented, and a great ambassador for Hear Nebraska. We’re very happy to have him representing us. (Note: This is Hear Nebraska’s second paid position, and it was made possible only by generous contributions by HN supporters.)
Finally, I have the pleasure of introducing our summer intern class: S.R. Aichinger, Josh Ewalt, Emily Harding, Cam Penner and Cara Wilwerding. Carefully chosen from about 25 (many very strong) applicants, these five individuals each have different talents, goals and professional focuses, which we’ve considered when creating their respective job duties. Many of these folks started their internships as long as a month ago, and have already produced some great work. Look for it on our digital pages, and buy them a drink and introduce yourself next time you see them at a show.
Chance and the rest of the new crew introduce themselves in eight questions below:
Chance Solem-Pfeifer
Age: 22
Hometown: Omaha
Current city: Lincoln
Title: Assistant Editor/Staff Writer
Why do you care about Hear Nebraska?
I was a sophomore at UNL when Hear Nebraska was founded, so I've had the opportunity to watch the organization become more and more vital every year of its existence. The dedication and enthusiasm HN displays for Nebraska music is contagious, whether you're a diehard scene follower or you have a favorite Nebraska band you catch a couple times a year.
What should HN's audience expect from you?
Stories. I really think that behind every performer, artist and personality, there's a kind of engine that's unique and worth uncovering. I want to ask everyone, "Why do you do what you do?" but not in so many words.
What about the job has you most excited?
The opportunity to support the musicians who invest in our cities and communities every weekend with their passion and craftsmanship.
What skills are you working hardest to develop?
My technical skills with audio. I'd like to produce radio and audio pieces, but not ones that don't sound good.
Who is your favorite Nebraska band? Why?
Jesse Wohlman. He's a singer/songwriter who doesn't play around as often as I'd like because he was a busy opera student at Nebraska Wesleyan. But his voice can't be topped and I love the historical allusions in his lyrics.
What's your favorite music video?
"Hello" by Lionel Ritchie. Is that wrong? Is stalking your blind student around her school wrong? What was the question? Is it me you're looking for?
Which professional in your field do you most look up to? Why?
Jian Ghmoeshi, the host of Q on Canadian public radio. The compassion, insight and genuine level of human interest he brings to his interviews are the best I've encountered in A&E broadcast journalism. And he prepares like crazy. Only way to do it.
Band (national or otherwise) you want to put on our radar?
Everyone has a different radar, I guess, but I go Anäis Mitchell. For my money, she's one of the top three songwriters working today.
S.R. Aichinger
Age: 31
Hometown: Hastings, Minn.
Current city: Omaha
Internship Focus: Editorial writing and trying to remember not to use Oxford commas
Why do you care about Hear Nebraska?
I care about Hear Nebraska because for much of my life I have struggled to find my voice. Hear Nebraska’s most important and valuable contribution is its mission of giving artists of all kinds a place where their voices are not only heard but also celebrated.
What should HN's audience expect from you?
People who read my contributions to Hear Nebraska can expect lots of questions but very few answers. My passion for writing comes from exploration, reflection and inquiries — not conclusions. I would hate to tell someone how to think; instead, I want to poke holes in the ways audiences and listeners experience music, providing opportunities to hear in new ways and grow as members of their communities.
What about the internship has you most excited?
The freedom Andrew, Angie and Michael have given me in my exploration of the music we live with is invigorating, providing me spaces in which I am able to engage with my scholarly interests, intellectual curiosity, and what is — ultimately — a life of seeing how far I can take my writing experiments.
What skills are you working hardest to develop?
As a writer trained in creative nonfiction writing (particularly in experimental writing), I struggle most with writing for a particular publication and a general audience. Also I've found that when I try to "write like a journalist," it comes out super experimental.
Who is your favorite Nebraska band? Why?
I’m not sure how to answer this question. Bright Eyes is the Nebraska band that’s been in my life the longest and the most consistently, and I will continue to return to that music. But right now I’m listening to International Creeps’s Long Division quite a bit. I'm a sucker for lyrics.
What's your favorite music video?
Tori Amos’s 1991 video for “Silent All These Years,” directed by Cindy Palmano. Amos exposed a need for a new kind of ’90s alternative music, garnering critical and popular acclaim during the reign of Nirvana (check out her cover of “Smells Like Teen Spirit”), and her collaboration with Palmano for the “Silent” video helped establish music videos as a legitimate artistic extension of musical expression.
Also, Dark Dark Dark’s 2012 video for “Tell Me” from Who Needs Who? It’s an evocative video — post-apocalyptic, sad, confusing — for an incredible song.
Which professional in your field do you most look up to? Why?
I can't name just one, because there are three. Joan Didion, author of Slouching Towards Bethlehem, embodies excellence in literary journalism writing; Annie Dillard, author of Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, taught me to look at ideas from new and sometimes uncomfortable angles; and Susan Sontag, author of Against Interpretation, is who I consider to have had the finest and keenest eye for cultural criticism.
Band (national or otherwise) you want to put on our radar?
Anäis Mitchell. It seems like few people have heard Hadestown, and that’s a shame.
I'd also like to see Blue Moon Ghetto's "Shine All the Time" streaming constantly on every HN page. I call dibs on Nikki Boulay's part.
Cam Penner
Age: 21
Hometown: Lincoln
Current city: Lincoln
Internship Focus: Multimedia
Why do you care about Hear Nebraska?
Musicians need someone that cares about their music and Hear Nebraska does just that. I think Hear Nebraska is important in helping Nebraska music grow and reach a wider audience.
What should HN's audience expect from you?
HN's audience should expect photos and video from a wide range of musicians that make you feel as if you were right next to the musicians themselves.
What about the internship has you most excited?
I'm really excited to be able to take my camera to shows that I go to and to discover great new music.
What skills are you working hardest to develop?
I want to become a better photographer. I've been taking pictures for only a year or so and want to improve my skills with the camera.
Who is your favorite Nebraska band? Why?
Criteria is my favorite Nebraska band. I can relate to their loud, basement-rock sound.
What's your favorite music video?
My favorite music video is Love Drunk's video for The Menzingers. They're one of my favorite bands and the video does a great job of capturing their energy.
#33 The Menzingers: Irish Goodbyes from Love Drunk on Vimeo.
Which professional in your field do you most look up to? Why?
There isn't one specific person I look up to, but I really respect the people that find a way to do what they love. Those are the people that inspire others.
Band (national or otherwise) you want to put on our radar?
I think everyone needs to check out Signals Midwest. They're doing what they love and making some really cool punk/indie music.
Emily Harding
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Age: 21
Hometown: Omaha
Current city: Lincoln
Internship Focus: Marketing
Why do you care about Hear Nebraska?
Hear Nebraska's mission instantly inspired me and evoked a feeling of pride for Nebraska's culture. With this outlet to express myself creatively, I hope to bring light to the unique people and projects happening in Nebraska.
What should HN's audience expect from you?
Although a lot of my work is behind the scenes, HN's audience can expect to always have a clear and concise overview of the events happening in Nebraska.
What about the internship has you most excited?
This is the first time HN has taken on a full-on marketing intern. By forging my own path in this organization, I am excited to develop HN's marketing strategies.
What skills are you working hardest to develop?
Writing is by far my weakest skill; so what better way to develop this than by working with a lot of journalists?
Who is your favorite Nebraska band? Why?
Call it cliché, but Bright Eyes is still my favorite Nebraska band. Growing up, Conor Oberst was the first musician who showed me music's ability to connect with an audience and offer a feeling of belonging, even for just as long as the song plays.
What's your favorite music video?
Right now, I'm obsessed with JKutchma's Love Drunk video.
#26 J Kutchma: Used to Believe from Love Drunk on Vimeo.
Which professional in your field do you most look up to? Why?
Philip Schiller, the senior marketing manager for Apple. Apple is the leading company for marketing and their strategy inspires me and changed the way I look at marketing as a whole. They believe that people don't buy what you do, they buy why you do it. This is why Apple is superior to everyone else in their market and I try to tackle every project with the same mindset.
Band (national or otherwise) you want to put on our radar?
I really like Trashin the Bird right now and think they deserve a lot of exposure.
Cara Wilwerding
Age: 20
Hometown: Omaha
Current city: Lincoln
Internship Focus: Editorial
Why do you care about Hear Nebraska?
Local musicians don't get the attention they deserve, and Hear Nebraska has the ability to change that. I want to help.
What should HN's audience expect from you?
Band profiles that give just a little too bit much information.
What about the internship has you most excited?
Immersing myself in the local music scene and going to soooo many concerts!
What skills are you working hardest to develop?
A more anecdotal and illustrative voice for album and concert reviews. I'd also like to improve my concert photography — low-light situations always give me trouble.
Who is your favorite Nebraska band? Why?
After finally seeing them live recently, Kill County tops my list. I've never heard a band that sounds quite like them, and it's amazing considering they all live in different parts of the country.
What's your favorite music video?
"Keep Your Head Up" by Ben Howard. The cinematography is beautiful and I don't think I've ever seen anyone look happier.
Which professional in your field do you most look up to? Why?
Ann Slegman of the Kansas City Star. Slegman notes every detail she sees, and her writing is descriptive and powerful because of it.
Band (national or otherwise) you want to put on our radar?
Kevin Devine. Although he's been releasing music since 2002, I've only ever met one other fan. Listen to my favorite Kevin Devine song here:
Joshua Ewalt
Age: 27
Hometown: Berrien Springs, Mich.
Current City: Lincoln
Internship Focus: Writing
Why do you care about Hear Nebraska?
I like that it provides an outlet for developing journalist skills for interns and columnists.
What should HN's audience expect from you?
Hopefully, good writing and longer pieces that dive into not just local music but also important considerations for our everyday lives.
What skills are you working hardest to develop?
Online writing. I am used to writing for academic audiences, but I am interested in developing further writing skills for vernacular publics.
What is your favorite Nebraska band? Why?
The Mynabirds. I really enjoy the combination of very creative and virtuoso vocals with simple but well-composed music.
What’s your favorite music video?
Smashing Pumpkins' "Today."
Which professional in your field do you most look up to? Why?
Chuck Klosterman. His work with Grantland, alongside his other books, are highly well-done popular journalism.
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Andrew Norman is Hear Nebraska’s director. He’s inspired by all of the above. Email him at andrewn@hearnebraska.org.