Folks regularly ask me, "Are you having fun doing Les Misérables?" The answer is, "No, but in a good way."

Hickory Arts & Hickory Community Theatre have partnered to bring Jason Robert Brown's The Last Five Years to The Firemen's Kitchen as part of their Working Artist Series.

There is always a need to both celebrate and facilitate working artists—that's actors, musicians, designers, tech, especially during the summer months.

Victoria is no stranger to the stage, having appeared in numerous area theatre productions. We’ve had the distinct pleasure of working with Victoria for many years. She’s currently a theatre major at Catawba College.

Hickory Arts was voted the 2013 Hickory/Western Piedmont Macaroni Kid Family Choice Awards Winner for "Favorite Music Instruction!"

One of the more difficult aspects of teaching is complying with a “Prime Directive.” We’re much more Kirk than Spock. The very nature of how we’ve chosen to teach through Hickory Arts is dependent upon thinning our skin and going the personal, proverbial extra mile.

Whether that means a child taking their first music lesson, an actor preparing for an audition, a songwriter recording original music, a singer finding confidence, or an adult returning to a creative life, the heart of Hickory Arts remains the same.

We were fortunate enough to have Kevin Barrett join Jeff Hartman on a recording session with singer/songwriter Julia Gruver and on a Walmart commercial shoot in Concord, NC, for his senior sound engineering project.

I’ve been teaching for many years now, and it’s safe to say I demand a nominal level of effort and autonomy. I subscribe to high standards and modest expectations. My father was a man of his word, and I’ve little patience for those who aren’t—Do what you say, say what you mean.

First of all, always use any vocal strengthening routine that you’re comfortable with and that you believe in (exercises, warm-ups, etc.)

Write songs for the right reason. Write from your heart, not for your wallet.

Like L.A., you’re a very small fish in a very big pond. More artists are discovered outside of Nashville, especially when you’re a big fish in a small pond.

A behind-the-scenes look at a quintessential Everything Artist’s journey with Hickory Arts—from penning to publishing, from promoting to performing, from inspiration to accomplishment.

Carol Anne discusses personalized arts education, Hickory Arts’ original 30/30/30 model, quality over quantity, authentic partnerships, community support, and the idea that businesses can grow by helping people rather than treating them like numbers.