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Liz Turner, a 2010 Berklee graduate, is an accomplished singer, composer and actress who captivates her audiences with a warm voice, playful attitude, and vibrant inner beauty.  After touring she relocated to NYC and will be embarking on a new adventure starting Fall, 2015 in Valencia, Spain to pursue her Masters of Music in Vocal Performance/Music Production at Berkee College of Music’s Spain Campus.

Liz Turner PicName: Liz Turner
Major(s): Performance, Voice
Hometown: Portsmouth, New Hampshire, USA
Current City: Brooklyn, New York, USA

Why did you move to the city you’re living in now?

After graduation, I was fortunate to spend two years on the road performing in Europe with Disney and Nickelodeon. Then I became anxious to create my own music and chose New York City as my base because of its array of creative opportunities. For me NYC provides work in TV, film, recording and live performances in small venues, each of these experiences have shaped my music. I work hard at connecting with other musicians and enjoy collaborations where I can network with musicians from many styles.

Can you touch on the importance of your networking, skill and talent?  

Networking with other artists, writers, and Music Companies is something that I do everyday, whether by supporting fellow artists at their shows, or pitching my music to publishers at a Songwriting workshop. You never know who is the audience, on stage, or in the room that may be interested in collaborating with you and helping you and your music get to the next level. It’s all about being your authentic self, and open to meeting new people, and projects in the industry.

How does your degree play a role in your current career path?

Having a degree from such a prestigious music college as Berkee has opened many doors for me. When going into a job interview, I am instantly recognized as a Professional Musician. Having a Bachelors of Music has been important because it’s not only opened up performing opportunities, but has opened teaching and business positions for me as well. If I had not pursued a professional degree in Music from Berklee, I don’t think I would have had these opportunities. I worked very hard at Berklee for 4 years, taking 16 credits each semester, while working 3 jobs, and it was extremely WORTH IT!!!

What has been the most challenging about your transition from college to career?

Although I am very grateful for completing a Bachelors Degree, it has left me with the burden of extreme debt in student loans. The down turn of the economy has affected the music industry; many opportunities are for part-time work, and some with little or no pay. Therefore, I have had to pick up “survival jobs” in the city to pay for Rent, Cell phone Bills, Credit Cards, Insurance/Medical Bills etc in addition to paying large amounts of money each month to student loans. The student loan debt is holding me back from other opportunities which require money such as joining the union, putting out my next album, and living expenses like buying a car, and buying an apartment. This financial part is something that I have a feeling I will be trying to figure out for many years. Berklee is also a very close community, and I found it hard after graduating not having the campus resources such as the school Library, Career Development Center, Cafeteria, and Student Activities Center. These are all places that I miss now, being on my own, and took for granted. I always encourage new graduates to find places or resources in their lives such as a local library, coffee shop or church, to get involved in and be active in a community that can help you.

What are you listening to right now?

I am currently listening to Amy Grant’s new album “In Motion, the Remixes”. She has taken some of her old Country/Christian hits and has completely re-recorded them with new pop, dance arrangements rather than acoustic arrangements. I recently saw her perform at City Winery in NYC with her live band, and as I was discussing previously in Question 2 about Networking, was able to talk with Amy before the show, and she even invited me up to the stage to perform one of my original songs! She is such a sweet, and humble person and I have tremendous respect for her as an Artist.

Two Five One is a series of blog posts by alumni. They write about two places (where they’re living & their hometown) answer five questions about their post-graduate experience, and it’s a one-off post. For more information about blogging for Berklee as an alumni, email alumniaffairs@berklee.edu

 

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