Downpatrick Music Works Project

The Making Music Workshop Limited in conjunction with the Downpatrick LSP began a major new initiative.

Music Works started in April 2005. It is being staged in Downpatrick and was open to anyone over the age of sixteen. Commitment is for twelve week, one day per weekend places were available for twenty people.

The course is a real learning experience in composition, recording and group performance, with participants leaving with a 'Music Works' folio which includes: a demo CD, promotional photograph, a group website page and a business pack containing industry information.

Over the duration of the course participants will:

· Form bands under supervision

· Learn cover tunes and write original music

· Receive practice and development

· advice and music theory text instruction

· Record original tunes to CD

· Learn to set up and use a sound system

· Gain experience in music technology

· Receive a practical pack for Music Works including PR photograph, Gig reviews, List of venues, Agents, Managers, Fees

· structures, corporate contacts and contact details for the musicians union and other professional bodies

Orange EnjoyMusic 2004-2005

This workshop was designed to bring young people who are passionate about music together.

The Workshops began in November 2004 and took place in six venues across Northern Ireland: -

- Enniskillen

- Omagh

- Armagh

- Caw

- Downpatrick

- Portstewart

Each of the workshops lasted two days and were taken by a team of professional musicians from the Making Music Workshop, who have worked with many big names including, Van Morrison, The Commitments and Rory Gallagher. The tutors helped to develop the young musicians own individual talents and showed them how to play as a member of a group. The students also got the opportunity to write and record their own original compositions in a professional mobile recording studio.

Each workshop catered for up to 16 young musicians between the ages of 14 and 20 and now that the workshops have ended everyone that took part will be performing live at the Ballyearl Threatre on the 19th of February 2005.

MUSIC FOR WORK PROJECT

Paul Hamlyn was a publisher who decided to set up a charity "to address the issues of inequality and disadvantage with regards to young people, through education, arts and learning. The foundation was formed in 1972 and it became hugely successful by 1987, after receiving a personal gift of 50 million."

Unfortunately Paul Hamlyn died in August 2001, "although his views of the purpose of the foundation remain at the heart of the grants which they give out."

This project took place in Belfast and Derry in June 2004 and finished in September 2004 with a showcase concert happening in each area.

The Belfast workshop took place in: -

The Flax Arts Centre, Brookfield Mill, Crumlin Road, Belfast

The Derry workshop took place in: -

The Derry Bytes Youth and Technology Drop-in Centre, Strand Foyer, 79 Strand Road, Derry

Commitment for this workshop was 3 weeks over the space of 3 months. 5 days per week, for 15 people at each location, over the age of 16.

The course was a real learning experience in composition, recording and group performance.

Over the duration of the course the participants: -

- Formed bands under supervision

- Learnt to play cover tunes and write original music

- They received practice and development advice and music theory text instructions

- Recorded original songs to CD

- Learnt to use a sound system and music technology

Each participant gained a "Music for Work" folio, which included: -

- Demo CDs

- Promotional photographs

- A website for each area

- Business pack with industry information

- Live gig review

- List of venues, agents and managers

- Fee instructions

- Corporate contacts

- Details on the musicians union and other professional bodies.

You can find out more about the Paul Hamlyn Foundation by logging onto www.phf.org.uk

It is a belief of the Making Music workshop that all people of Northern Ireland should be entitled to the same opportunities to receive musical tuition from the best available industry professionals. What better way than to deliver this to the communities rather than have them travel to a major city? Our organization's mobility comes from its ability to transport equipment required for the workshop to an independent venue, assemble it and strip it down in a brief period of time. It can therefore carryout a workshop anywhere in the country with minimal assistance from the venue. This includes the mobile recording studio, thus allowing for performances and compositions to be recorded on site!"

The RDC under the EU program for peace and reconciliation in Northern Ireland and the Border region of Ireland (Peace II) funded a music scheme to operate in rural centres of Northern Ireland.

DCAL core funded the Making Music Workshop to enable it to reach as many young people as possible, creating a shared musical experience which is developmental and enriching. Investment by the RDC as part of the Peace II programme in rural areas will play a crucial role in the continuing efforts to bring communities together.

The Making Music workshop is proud to be associated in this project with the Prince's Trust SoundLive and The Northern Ireland Music Industry Commission (NIMIC) who helped us deliver this project.

The tutors employed to teach on this project are all full time musicians, recording engineers or experts in the field of the music industry. These tutors have recorded or performed with, amongst others, artists such as Van Morrison, Paul Brady, The Commitments, Taste and Brian Kennedy. The skills which were passed on to the participants was in a fashion peculiar to the unique experience of the tutors, whilst maintaining the ethos that learning should be fun.

This Project began in February 2004 and finished in June 2004. It took place in Dungiven, Castlewellan, Rasharkin and Kesh.

The commitment for this course was one day per week, for a period of 16 weeks and it catered for up to 12 students per region, over the age of 16.

The participants got the opportunity to: -

- Learn how to play cover tunes

- Write original songs

- Gain technical skills such as setting up their own PA and using a recording studio

- Perform as part of a group

- Learn music business related skills and methods of creating work for themselves.

After the course was complete each participant received: -

- A demo of cover songs

- A demo of original songs

- A set of promotional photographs

- A website of each group

- A contact pack with a list of agents, recording companies and venues per participant.

They also gained: -

- Increased opportunities meeting, learning and sharing

- Increased usage of community facilities

- Increased musical knowledge of and access to music technology

- Increased opportunity for employment

- Increased opportunities for career development in rural communities

- Improvement in cross community relations.

You can find out more about the RDC organization by logging onto www.rdc.org.uk/

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