SECOND LIFE’s GOT TALENT: WINNERS IN BOTH WORLDS – JOSH (THOMAS1 BELLIC) REPORTING

According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the world’s most successful reality TV format EVER is the “Got Talent” series.  Originally a British Talent Show, it has spawned spin offs in over 69 Countries. And for several years, this modern-day classic has been making a splash in Second Life as well.  

SL’s Got Talent (SLGT) contest was created and first produced in 2013 by Jackie Lefko. She is the CEO of the Speakeasy Entertainment Group. The idea of SLGT came to Jackie after debuting several new SL performers at her venue, The Speakeasy.  She felt a contest would be a great opportunity for those looking for a unique opportunity to not only showcase their talent but to also engage in a personal challenge.

The Contest starts with open mic auditions that are open to the public.  A panel of seven judges tell those auditioning if they are in or out of the contest.  From those auditioning, the judges select ten contestants to proceed to Round One

All contestants perform in Round One.  Eliminations occur after Round 1 and 2, typically leaving 4 contestants left to receive sizable prizes of 35K for 1st Place, 25K for 2nd Place, 17K for 3rd Place, and 5K for 4th Place.

This year’s SLGT Winners were 

1ST PLACE - MAC317 PFEFFER
2ND PLACE - JUSTINELIAS ANATRA
3RD PLACE - AMBROSIA KAMALA
STONE VAYANDAR AWARD WINNER - MAHOGANY SOULSTAR

Recently, SL Enquirer caught up with this year’s First Place winner, Mac Pfeffer, and asked him about the SLGT Experience.

 Josh Bellic:  How long have you been playing piano in SL? 

Mac Pfeffer:  About 6 to 7 years here in SL and more then 30 years in RL. Originally I didn’t want to play in SL because of Conflicts with my RL profession.  Later, though, I found it to be a great way to communicate with people here in SL 

    

JB:  How did you first get interested in The Piano?

MP:  I started to play the piano when I was 10.  I went to music school when I was 19 and I studied music 9 years until I graduated from the Conservatory. Piano was an important factor in studying music and music theory.  I found that with the piano I was able to compose pieces that were more complicated harmonically.  

  

JB:  What did you think about the SecondLife’s Got Talent process?  

MP:  About the actual competition itself, I had very little time to think.  All I know is I went fast and before I knew it, it was over. Since I’m relatively new to the SGLT concept, it’s hard for me to have any thoughts about it at this point. 

JB:  Describe your practice schedule on the Piano.

MP:  I play professionally in RL and I practice a minimum of 10 hours a week on guitar.  I also practice solfege to keep up my hearing abilities. I listen to a song I like, then I play along with the instrument I play at that time. Other times I just play and practice scales or chord progressions. The same goes for all the instruments I play. There is a lot of time involved within the process. 

JB:  What is your preferred style of music? 

MP:  I would have to say Fusion / Jazz because of my background. However, in RL I play many other styles that I don’t play in SL. 

  

JB:  Who inspires you in your playing?

MP:  I had a very complicated childhood and by playing music it was a very natural way to express my self in life.  Even today I still use music as a tool to express myself. My love for people can be heard in my music. Music gave me Grace in every way you can imagine.  

JB:  What advice would you give to aspiring Virtual World pianists? 

MP:  Practice!  Practice! Practice!   That, and always LOVE what you do.  You need to be disciplined and never give up. Make a goal for yourself and commit to the promise that you make to yourself. Another important factor is communication. Always try to communicate with other musicians SL and RL.  It is VERY important to do this. Without this there is no synergy when you play in a band or combo setting.  

JB:  How did you first learn about SL’s Got Talent?

MP:  It was never my intention to participate in SLGT.  A friend of mine told me about it and asked me if I wanted to audition.  I went ahead and auditioned and was told I had made it through the first round and I thought “What did I get myself into?” From there I continued to appear and progressed swiftly over the next couple of days.   

JB:  Describe the judges. Was there a “Simon Cowell” character?  

MP:  I don’t know anything about the Judges all I know is that that nothing was given away. I had the feeling that the Jury was very tight and strict and I found it rather hard to participate from round to round.

JB:  Do you know how many competitors you had to face?  

MP:  I’m not really sure.  I think it was a minimum of 12 of us.

JB:  What is the best thing about participating in SLGT?

MP:  That was an easy question.  The best part about SLGT is WINNING! (just kidding).  The best part is that the way I personally express myself through my music has finally come to light through the competition.  Additionally, we all developed a real camaraderie between and among the competitors. We were all very concerned for one another and interested in each others circumstances and performance. 

JB:  Is there anything else you would like to share with our readers?

MP:  Other than that I am honored to have participated.  It was a great journey to experience. The SLGT concept is inspiring, especially for the newer generation of performers. Hopefully they will even get more inspired as SL continues to evolve in the years ahead. 

Soooooo..There you have it, Folks.  The Best in Televised Entertainment. Brought to the Residents of SecondLife.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Windy%20Enclave/116/178/22