Education Programmes
Info on the Education programmes I am involved with…
APO Remix the Orchestra is an annual Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra educational programme held twice a year in partnership with The Otara Music & Arts Centre that has been thriving since its inception in 2008.
Over the course of a week, around 15 students each utilize an individual music production workstation as well as access to a larger, professional industry standard studio to create new music fusing two of the oldest and newest forms of popular music, Classical and Hip Hop; participants engage in group workshops covering the various fundamentals of both opposing genres of music as well as having individual access to the industry mentors; the APO Composer in residence and players from the orchestra itself offer assistance on the classical side of things, and correspondingly, well known artists from the NZ hip hop scene help out on the other. Students are also challenged to create not only on the musical compositional side of things, but also to write some original lyrical content to go with it.
The programme culminates in a free public live concert at the end of the week where the students are all given the opportunity to perform their pieces live with the APO players and the Hip Hop Mentors.With relevant experience and history in both these styles of music, I am the crossover mentor and main facilitator for the programme, and alongside Lee Martelli from the APO’s education department, am continually finding new ways each year to refine and improve this amazing groundbreaking project.
Click here to view APO Remix the Orchestra: http://www.facebook.com/pages/APO-Remix-the-Orchestra/126221484073612
As a NZMC (NZ Music Commission) Secondary Schools mentor, I get the opportunity to share my knowledge and experiences directly with students at NZMIC identified schools through carefully planned workshops tailored to each schools particular needs and interests; Covering anything from securing radio play as an independent to major 7th chord progressions to sweeping Equalizer frequencies for sweet spots, these workshops are always fun filled, entertaining, and hugely rewarding. On the occasions where I’ve been able to utilize my recording studio equipment for songwriting and music production workshops, the resulting compositions have been amazing.
Click here to view NZ Music Commission Education Programme: http://nzmusic.org.nz/education/
Fresh Horizons is a Tautai Contemporary Arts Trust initiative I’ve been very fortunate to be a part of on numerous occasions; current and relevant creative industry mentors are sourced by the Trust and put into identified schools and educational facilities to share their inspiring knowledge in practical ways with the next generation of up and coming talent.
Recognizing the emergence of urban music production itself as a popular artistic medium over the last few years for many Pacific creative talent, they have enlisted me to deliver 3 day workshops at various locations throughout the country covering the songwriting and production side of music. The results have been nothing short of outstanding. Later on this year I will be delivering another of these workshops in Dunedin which I am very much looking forward to!
Click here to view Fresh Horizons Programme: http://www.tautaipacific.com/fresh-horizons/
The prestigious Corbans Estate Art Centre in West Auckland have revamped their community programmes over the last couple of years in reflection of the changing face of its community, particularly it’s youth one.
Enlisting me to deliver urban music songwriting and production workshops as part if their ‘Word Up’ at their inspiring facilities, they have proudly enabled the youth of their city to finally (and literally) have a voice- one captured brilliantly in some of the resulting recorded material.
Click here to view the Word Up Programme at Corbans Estate Art Centre: http://www.ceac.org.nz/public_programmes/word_up!_2010.aspx
Duffy Books In Homes are a brilliant organization putting books into homes and communities that normally struggle to do so because of socio-economic and related reasons.
In addition to the literary impact of their work on children’s lives, further positive results are augmented by their Role-Models programme, where celebrities, TV stars, sportspeople, music artists (such as myself) etc get to engage in inspirational talks at their school assemblies, addressing how they got to where they are in their successful endeavors, and in turn highlighting the importance of reading to that attained success.
Again, this is a very personally rewarding programme to be a part of, knowing the tangible positive difference I am making to kids lives.
Click here to view Duffy Books in Homes: http://www.booksinhomes.org.nz/Page/RoleModels/RoleModelshome.aspx