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Music In Action Gives Students Their Voice
« on: May 30th, 2007, 7:22pm » |
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Music In Action Gives Students Their
While most high school students were solving algebraic equations and reading Walt Whitman, Grace Stumberg and her classmates were writing lyrics, working with Grammy-nominated music professionals, and learning the ins and outs of the recording industry.
Fifteen students from the Buffalo Academy of the Visual and Performing Arts recently participated in the prototype year of Music In Action, a new program introducing youth artists to music business skills. Co-sponsored by Goo Goo Dolls bassist Robby Takac, of Music Is Art, and Bob James, of Student Voices, the program allowed students the unique opportunity to learn from visiting music professionals. They attended workshops given by the likes of Erin Roberts of The Juliet Dagger, Grammy-nominated producer Anthony Casuccio and Grammy-winning designer Brian Grunert.
"Music is the vehicle for students to learn teamwork, life skills, things like how to be on time to a recording session," James said. "These are the soft skills that are essential [in this industry]."
The success of the program has fueled next year's expansion to four schools in the Western New York region, including another city school. School Superintendent James Williams stressed the importance of using arts as a vehicle to a larger understanding of the world.
"Students can continue to use the arts to help understand the maths, the sciences," Williams said. "The arts can help you in everything."
The culmination of the project was released last Wednesday in a CD featuring seven original tracks from selected students. The songs received full-studio treatment, including contributions by Takac, James and top session drummer Howard Wilson. The lead track, Stumberg's "Change The World," displays the hope we can all find in both music and the minds of our city's youth.
Released on Takac's label, GCR Records, the album titled "Be True/Be You" is meant to be a "grassroots, anti-peer pressure call to action." Sales will benefit H.E.A.R.T. for Mental Health, a local project raising mental health awareness in New York schools.
The goal is to produce a new benefit CD each year with original work from the selected students. Takac said his experience working with the students wasn't incredibly different from his work with other artists. "I just look at them as a group of people trying to put out a CD," he said.
But for the students who had this opportunity, who now have their work mixed on a CD for a successful record label, it's easy to see why it was so much more.
http://www.buffalorising.com/story/music_in_action_at_bavpa
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