Warwick resident pursues musical dreams

Student goes off the map and onto the charts Warwick - This Fall Eastern Nazarene College student and Warwick resident, Elizabeth Barnard has made a journey designed to take her right off the map of the continental United States and onto the charts while pursuing her musical dreams on the Island of Martha’s Vineyard. Barnard’s father is Pastor Bruce Barnard, the lead pastor at the Warwick Valley Church of the Nazarene. “I’m on an adventure. I am working hard, being stretched, and pursuing my interests. Truly, I am learning who I am and what I want to become,” reflected Barnard. Barnard is involved in an off-campus study program through the Contemporary Music Center (CMC), located off the coast of Cape Cod, Mass. Along with 34 other students from around the country, Barnard is earning 16 credits for an intensive four months of hands-on learning in artist management and music marketing. She is a part of the CMC’s executive track, spending her days (and nights) learning the ins and outs of the music industry . “It’s an incredible opportunity to be a part of such a unique community, one in which course credit is reliant on listening to music and having class at one of the many coffee shops on the Island,” says Barnard. “In morning classes, I’m able to learn about all different aspects of the industry. Afternoons are spent doing hands-on work managing the artists, going to rehearsals, and preparing for the weekly concert. It can’t get much better than that,” Barnard said. Under the direction of Warren Pettit (Greenville College, University of Miami, Royal Conservatory of Toronto) and music industry veteran Tom Willett (Epic Records/Sony Music, Word/A&M Records), the CMC operates as an artists’ community that stresses both freedom and discipline, creativity and productivity, artistic integrity and true spirituality. “We’ve had some tremendous students from Eastern Nazarene,” says Willett, “like Peter Clouser and Kelly Wilson . Elizabeth is fast earning the reputation as ‘the hardest working woman in show business.’ When an ENC student applies, we know we’re going to get somebody great.” In addition to managing artists and producing weekly concerts, Barnard will serve as an executive producer on an upcoming compilation album to be released on New England Indie label 450 Records, which will feature other CMC artists.