Scottish Music Centre - Phonik project
The Scottish Music Centre
The Phonik project
Outcomes
The Scottish Music Centre was awarded funding from the Youth Music Initiative's Informal Sector Fund towards the Phonik project.
| The Scottish Music Centre describes itself as a "one-stop shop for information for anyone interested in music" (from Scottish Music Centre website). Based at the City Halls in Glasgow, it is home to a huge archive of music and scores, as well as an online resource. |
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Active promotion of Scotland's music is central to the Centre's work and the Scottish Music Centre website is a key part of this promotion. The Centre also helps musicians and music industry organisations support, manage and promote their music through its membership schemes.
Most importantly for the Youth Music Initiative (YMI), however, the Centre has developed an Education and Outreach programme aimed at young people.
| In autumn 2007 the Scottish Music Centre was awarded a grant from the YMI informal sector fund to run four 'terms' of workshops for young people aged 14 to 25, taking place in a specially equipped music education suite within the City Halls. The Phonik project is the Centre's first programme of contemporary music teaching based round technology.
The first three groups of workshops included sessions on DJ skills, lyric writing and an introduction to production techniques using the music software Garageband. |
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The final term of the project is currently taking place and will build on the skills learned from Garageband. The sessions will concentrate on composition and participants will record and edit their own tracks using Logic Pro.
The project aims to create a welcoming atmosphere that will encourage young people with no previous experience of creative music-making. As one participant commented: "I didn't expect the workshops to be so informal and friendly. I really feel comfortable here".
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The workshops have attracted a variety of young people from different cultural backgrounds. Sace, one of the project tutors, notes that "there is such a diverse range of styles and it is really interesting seeing the fusion and development of all the individuals". |
"Learned loads, bought my own decks as a result" (participant)
| Phonik has developed into a project where performers are continually developing self-confidence as creative music-makers and performers. Many have learned skills in basic music theory, DJ skills and music production, while others have improved their performance skills. Some have launched head first into areas they hadn't previously thought about! The project has created opportunities for young people who might not otherwise participate in music making, which is key to the YMI's ethos. |
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Participants have also gained transferable skills in areas such as IT and language and gained social skills through working with their peers and with music industry professionals.
Finally, being in a building wholly dedicated to music and filled with people working in the music industry has presented working in the music industry as a real career choice for young people.
| For more information about the Scottish Music Centre's Education and Outreach programme, contact Gill Maxwell. | |