I gained skills in organizing groups of children, creating a long term curriculum plans, corresponding with the parents on a regular basis and organizing class presentations. When I was 15, I was the founder of K.A.T.T.A.L.I.S.T. (Kids Acting Together To Assist Lives In Suffering Times) a group of youth dedicated to fundraising efforts for disaster relief through music. This was my first experienc
e in choral directing, composing choral arrangements for dinners and street performances. Originally created to raise money for the 2005 Tsunami disaster relief fund, we managed to busk $3000 towards the cause, our numbers and motivation grew on to new projects. We worked with the community to have a meeting room donated once a week which allowed us an environment to plan our family friendly fundraisers, practice our choral repertoire, and discuss local and international issues as well as welcome other local youth who wanted to become active in their community. Through these endeavours I was chosen as a Save on Foods Amazing Kid, and the Power Pioneers Award for Community Service, both provincial awards. At the age of 16 I founded my own company “Joey Clarkson Musical Theatre”, created to provide a unique educational experience for children and teens , nourishing the body, mind and spirit in a supportive, non-competitive environment, encouraging personal growth, and fostering peace and acceptance as a way of life through the experience of musical theatre. With this company I currently instruct workshops, as well as private lessons in British Columbia, Alberta, the UK, Ireland and the UAE. For the past 6 years I have provided contract work, instructing musical theatre workshops for schools such as North Island Distance Education and Partners In Education. I also teach song writing workshops in local schools as well as vocal coaching and choir . When I was 17, I was chosen from hundreds of youth as a finalist in Canada’s prestigious top 20 under 20 competitions, and had the fortune of being invited to this program’s Courage to Soar conference in 2008. I had the opportunity of meeting and brainstorming with some of Canada’s most successful and promising youth and mentors. We were put through a series of workshops and lectures that were created to inspire and enable us. This was by far one of the most valuable learning opportunities I have had the privilege of experiencing. In January of 2010 I spearheaded a fundraiser “Hope for Haiti”, a 2 day micro music festival in the Comox Valley to raise money for Habitat for Humanity’s earthquake relief fund. In just 10 days we (a group of approximately 20 volunteers) organized; a silent auction, a beer garden, a concession, the venue, over 20 musical acts, sound engineers, a volunteer schedule for the days of the event, t.v. interviews, newspaper advertisements/interviews and promotion for the event. The idea behind the fundraiser was that everyone has something to donate, whether its money, time, material possessions or talent. We managed to have everything for the event donated, allowing us to donate every penny we brought in towards our cause. We raised over $15,000 and involved over 50 local businesses. It was truly a community effort. The summer of 2010 I was musical director for Rainbow Youth Theatre’s production of Grease and Aristocatz. I was responsible for 60 youth learning the music and skills necessary for the strenuous rehearsal times and performances. This past summer I was once again musical director for RYT, for Once Upon a Mattress and W***y Wonka. This time working with 80 children and youth on simultaneous rehearsal schedules. I have been involved in dozens of full length Dramatic and Musical theatre productions, onstage, directing, musically directing, stage managing or lighting/sound technician. In August of 2010 I undertook a challenge with my co-writer to write, cast, produce, direct and musically direct a full length musical in under a month. The project would be of no cost to its participants, the production was fully funded by ticket and advertising sales. The endeavour was successful and very well received by our community, with the profits of the production donated to Habitat for Humanity. Aside from the aforementioned tasks, my responsibilities involved; organizing a rehearsal and performance venue, communication between our project and habitat for humanity, finding sponsors for our program, acquiring insurance for our group and audience members and organizing a rehearsal schedule. I am currently instructing musical theatre workshops for home school students around the world through my company Joey Clarkson Musical Theatre, while working on my second album through Highland Music Multimedia Productions. I am releasing my second album in October, 2012.
