Alyse Hokamp

Blog archives

  • [Pan-Tones] 1st dance night, TCC, tuba recital, duo, gear

    We got ourselves a fresh photo! Pan-Tones dance night I had this idea several months ago, and Robert pushed me to make it happen sooner rather than later. It was so much fun! Recently, I’ve been stepping more into my identity as a dancer, and this was a creative way to combine my interests and bring together the dancing and music communities. We are planning to make this a monthly event, and explore lots of different dances and music. There are some Baroque dances I’ve been curious about for a while… Sign up to be notified of our next dance… Read more

  • 7 things you need to book a new musical act

    The musician’s catch 22: How do you book a gig before you’ve had a gig? How can you prove that your musical act is “real?” Shift your thinking to a sales approach. Before you hold a product in your hands, how do you know you want to buy it? Essentially, you buy into the packaging of the product. It looks good, the description tells you what it is going to do, and it serves your needs. For a musical act, you can also create a package without having all the details sorted out. You don’t need to rehearse or even… Read more

  • [SATS] The Girl from Ipanema, L-O-V-E

    Here are two simple videos I made for my Japanese project, Satomi and the sound. I’m not big on making videos. For me, it takes a disproportionate amount of time to film and edit, and I’d rather focus on music. Yet for many platforms, to share audio, video is often required (or strongly preferred). I try to be very efficient with this- investing minimal time and effort, but still creating something high quality and artistic. The Girl from Ipanema Audio: rehearsal recording from the Valentine’s Day show. I redid the vocals, but everything else was recorded live. Our studio space… Read more

  • The one thing that makes you successful as a musician

    Success in music = artistic collaboration. You must be a good… no, outstanding artistic collaborator. Investing in your artistic relationships isn’t a quick fix for anything. Building and maintaining relationships in general isn’t quick, and won’t result in immediate cash or status. But- it will make you feel successful. There is nothing more rewarding than creating with collaborators you love and respect. It’s a very special relationship. You often begin as colleagues, making music together, then you may develop into friends. Even if the friendship is centered around your musical activities, it eventually tends to expand beyond a strictly utilitarian… Read more

  • How to build an audience, and why you should care

    It is your personal responsibility to bring people to your performance. Large organizations, like orchestras, have divorced many classical musicians from this responsibility. The marketing team is in charge, and musicians don’t notice the consequence of a small audience, nor the benefit of bringing in a larger audience. It simply doesn’t affect them one way or another. On the gig scene, it feels more personal. You’re likely getting a cut of the ticket sales, so the turnout affects your bottom line. If your night is slow, they might reconsider having you back at their venue. In the end, it only… Read more

  • Preparing to the best of your ability

    It sounds incredibly obvious that we should prepare to the best of our ability. However, in reality, things aren’t that simple. We procrastinate, we get sick or need to take care of someone that got sick, or we forget to consider we won’t have as much time to practice during spring break/family visits/etc. Procrastination vs. Priorities Procrastination is the nagging feeling that we should be doing something now, but not taking action it in spite of it. Procrastination is the result of indecision. If you are short on time, it doesn’t necessarily mean you procrastinated. Sometimes we consciously choose to… Read more

  • All about over-practicing

    What is over-practicing? 1. Practicing more than usual (your personal usual) as a performance approaches.-Results in mental and/or physical fatigue, and diminishes performance. 2. Practicing to quiet self-criticism and neuroses.-Are you practicing to move forward with a skill or a goal, or to placate fear and self-punishment? 3. Practicing with pain.-Do not ignore your body’s pain signals! This will cause injury, sooner or later. Signs of over-practicing 1. Physical exhaustion (from exertion, or lack of sleep). 2. Constant anxiety about needing to practice more, or feeling like you should always be practicing. 3. Physical pain during or because of practicing.… Read more

  • 7 things I learned about performing, as a dancer

    I don’t remember my first performance at all. I started ballet at four (and a half), so I was probably five. I took ballet rather seriously throughout elementary and intermediate school- two to three classes a week, and several productions a year. When I was eleven, I began playing the flute in band. As my abilities and interest in music blossomed, my activities and performances shifted toward music. Though I didn’t realize it at the time, in retrospect, a lot of my success on the flute could be attributed my dance training. By the time I got a flute in… Read more

  • Brb, riding a wave

    Creativity and inspiration comes in waves. When it hits, it can be pretty overwhelming. It keeps me up at night, then wakes me up in the 3 o’clock hour in the morning. I’m exhausted, but also exhilarated. Even my stomach gets kind of upset- my whole body is running on hyperdrive. It’s definitely an unsustainable state of being. Nonetheless, I can be highly productive when it hits. My mind churns with ideas, and it feels like stroke after stroke of genius. I feel urgency to “get them down” in some format before they evaporate into the mundanity of everyday life.… Read more

  • Valentine’s Day 2025

    Musicians Alyse HokampRobert HokampSteven HarlosAustin CrumrineGreg Beck Donations/tips: Venmo @Alyse-Hokamp, PayPal hokampmusic@gmail.com Music You’d Be So Nice to Come Home ToL-O-V-E Venus C’était charmantProezas de SolonI Wish You Love Apple Blossom Time Romance cumbiaCan’t Help Falling In Love No Other Love Chopin Nocturne in Eb Major, Op. 9 No. 2 I Could Have Danced All Night (Break) SentimentaleAlways with you (from Spirited Away)That Old Feeling Girl From Ipanema Planetarium (from La La Land)These Foolish ThingsFly Me to the MoonMaria Elena Naquele TempoKoimachibitoNightPlaisir d’amore  (inspiration for the song Can’t Help Falling in Love)O Sole Mio Concept/development Last summer, as I was wrapping… Read more