Hello BeatNest family! It’s been quite the year so far as my crew of eager students has grown and more kids are flocking to experience the joy of music technology! It is such a pleasure to have students of varying interests, from mastering thier DJ skills to writing pop songs, and experimenting with sounds in the craziest ways possible.
A few exciting things have been happening this school year in addition to my after school students that I am so excited to share!
1). Berkshire Music School’s Community Outreach Program.
So far, I have been in seven different school with my mobile after school workshop: Kittridge, Richmond, Lanesborough, Craneville, Hoosac Valley, Williamstown and Muddybrook! Most of these session filled up quickly with eight students max which is such a great thing to know that my program is in such high demand. All the kids at these schools have been so fun to work with and they all were able to accomplish so much in only three week. I was able to split them into teams to create their own musical compositions. We started with basic sequencing, and then moved on to arranging and eventually recording on the fly to enhance each students music performance. After their three weeks with me was up, I always left them hungry for more!
It has been so rewarding working with these kids having the opportunity to explore each child’s interests. Whether it’s discovering a love for a particular instrument, experimenting with different musical genres, or expressing themselves through composition, every child brings their own flair and creativity to the workshop. Being able to tailor the program to accommodate their individual preferences and learning styles has not only enhanced their musical growth but has also fostered a sense of empowerment and self-expression among the participants.
2). Craneville Elementary School’s Family Night Event
One of the parents who I met through Craneville’s workshop, offered me a booth at their family night event which happened in late March. This turned out to be a fantastic opportunity to not only promote BeatNest within Dalton’s school community, but also give a couple of my students a chance to showcase their skills in front of their friends! A student of mine who is working on her DJ skills, threw down an incredible funky house set that both impressed the students and their parents, generating a lot of buzz for my program.
In addition to my current students, kids of all ages attending the event had the opportunity to get their hands on some music technology to experience BeatNest first hand. I absolutely love doing events like these because it contributes to the growth and development of my students and builds their confidence in their skills.
3). Student Showcase May 19th from 1-3pm!
Lastly, mark your calendars, because BeatNest’s very first student showcase is being held at The Collab at 163 North Street in Pittsfield which is right down the street from me! I’m so thankful to the folks at The Collab for letting host my showcase there. The space is super cool and will offer a chill, unique vibe for my students to show off their skills. If you plan on attending, I anticipate opening the doors at 12:30, so I would recommend getting there early because the space has limited capacity and I would hate for someone to not be able to attend. That being said, please invite your friends and family to support all of the kids’ hard work this year!
– Geoffrey
