Legendary a cappella singer and composer Deke Sharon shared his expertise with chorus students at Atkins High School during a special visit last Thursday.
Hailed as “the father of a capella” in musical circles, Sharon has a long history of success in recording, film production, live events, and musical theatre. He is best known as the music director and arranger for the Pitch Perfect film series, as well as co-producing and arranging In Transit, the first Broadway musical to be performed entirely in a capella. His broad range of experience in professional art production makes him a valuable resource for students considering their own futures in the performing arts.
“Any time we can expose our students to the arts and to artists, we’re sure to have a good time,” said Director of K-12 Arts Education Andrew Craft. “We try to set up opportunities like this whenever we can.”
Sharon spent the first half of the school day working directly with students on their performances. That afternoon, he answered questions about his best career experiences, the challenges of breaking into the industry, the process behind staging a professional show, and what to expect when pursuing a career as a performer. Atkins Choral Director and A Cappella Coach Valerie Mayhew saw Sharon’s infectious enthusiasm for his craft as a great influence on her students.
“I’m grateful that somebody of his caliber is still passionate about doing this at the school level,” Mayhew said. “He does this because he really loves it.”
Sharon was honest in his discussions with students about what it takes to succeed in the arts, including the lack of job security, chaotic performance schedules, the intense competition of auditions, and the struggle to be taken seriously when trying something new. However, he didn’t tell anyone they couldn’t do it. He emphasized the importance of relentless practice to stay at peak performance, and in order to stand out amongst the crowd, he said the most important thing was to be true to oneself.
“Your best move is to zag towards who you are and try to find it your own way,” Sharon said. “And the more you do it, the better you get, so learn everything that you can.”
Students who got to work with Sharon took his lessons to heart. They felt he made it clear that a love for what they do would be an indispensable part of their future successes, not just because of his words, but because of the joy he brought to school with him.
“He’s so genuine and he can connect with you on a real, emotional level,” said Atkins Junior James Singletary. “Singing was a lot of fun today."