2008 Woodie Awards
Bergen County Band Managed By WPU Students
Music Management Students' Get Real World Experiance
AMANDA FLAHERTY
Issue date: 11/12/07 Section: Top Stories
- Page 1 of 1
Music management students’ abilities are being put to the test as they assist in managing alternative rock band Pelagia. This career enhancing opportunity is part of a project for their class, Personal Management in Music, taught by Professor Robert Kos.
Angela DeRosa, Priyan Naidoo and Rick Davis are the three William Paterson University students selected to take on this responsibility. These students will be receiving class credit for the various tasks they will have to perform. DeRosa was happy to explain the process of how this opportunity came about.
“The whole class is centered on this project. For the first day, we were advised to find a band. My group was friends with one of the members of Pelagia and so we went from there. We liked the band and all agreed that they would be a great team to work with. It's a different experience for sure,” said DeRosa.
She went on to explain the work involved in managing a band.
“So far we've helped organize [the band] and [have them] thinking about the business side of things, such as getting themselves into a written agreement. The class is all hands on work.”
Pelagia, hailing from Bergen County, formed in 2004. Group members include Chris Tsaganeas, Mark Van Buren and Bob Kay. The band is already managed by William Paterson University biology adjunct professor Roy Messaros, whose secondary passion has always been music.
Messaros explained that he met member Van Buren at Gold’s Gym, and was invited to a show of theirs in New York City. After listening to their music, Messaros decided that he wanted to be involved with the group’s management and help Pelagia in any way possible.
According to Messaros, the responsibilities of the music management students are to make press kits, contact college radio stations and show bookings. Overall, they are to manage an unsigned band.
The sound of their music can be considered alternative rock. Messaros describes their sound as reminiscent of bands such as Green Day, Muse and Silverchair. The band mostly performs in New York City and various places in New Jersey, but they plan to tour across the country. They have been featured in the New York Times, and placed first in the US Emergenza music contest, and placed fourth in the country.
Their next performance will take place on Nov. 24, at the Pussycat Lounge in New York City.
Angela DeRosa, Priyan Naidoo and Rick Davis are the three William Paterson University students selected to take on this responsibility. These students will be receiving class credit for the various tasks they will have to perform. DeRosa was happy to explain the process of how this opportunity came about.
“The whole class is centered on this project. For the first day, we were advised to find a band. My group was friends with one of the members of Pelagia and so we went from there. We liked the band and all agreed that they would be a great team to work with. It's a different experience for sure,” said DeRosa.
She went on to explain the work involved in managing a band.
“So far we've helped organize [the band] and [have them] thinking about the business side of things, such as getting themselves into a written agreement. The class is all hands on work.”
Pelagia, hailing from Bergen County, formed in 2004. Group members include Chris Tsaganeas, Mark Van Buren and Bob Kay. The band is already managed by William Paterson University biology adjunct professor Roy Messaros, whose secondary passion has always been music.
Messaros explained that he met member Van Buren at Gold’s Gym, and was invited to a show of theirs in New York City. After listening to their music, Messaros decided that he wanted to be involved with the group’s management and help Pelagia in any way possible.
According to Messaros, the responsibilities of the music management students are to make press kits, contact college radio stations and show bookings. Overall, they are to manage an unsigned band.
The sound of their music can be considered alternative rock. Messaros describes their sound as reminiscent of bands such as Green Day, Muse and Silverchair. The band mostly performs in New York City and various places in New Jersey, but they plan to tour across the country. They have been featured in the New York Times, and placed first in the US Emergenza music contest, and placed fourth in the country.
Their next performance will take place on Nov. 24, at the Pussycat Lounge in New York City.
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