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Here are a few comments from students in Grades Prep to Year
6: |
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It's been a lot of fun. |
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We learned how famous people
make songs. |
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It was fun seeing Hugh play
the instruments. |
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love our Grade song best. |
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I hope we can all do it again. |
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I never thought it would sound
so good. |
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Mum's going to give all our friends a CD for Christmas. |
| Hugh
was great. I loved his singing. |
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Here are a few comments from parents: |
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I
can't believe how
good it sounds. |
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Hugh's music
program
has been great for
Tiana's self-esteem. |
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The production is
fantastic. I'm surprised at the quality of the songs. |
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I'm really
impressed by Hugh's ability to relate to the children and
his musical skills. |
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The children have
been talking about this a lot. I think we'll all be talking
about this for a long time. We should try and do this again. |
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Project Details
Selection of the artist
I had worked with Hugh, recording
my own songs. I loved the process and thought it would be
great to give the children at school such an opportunity.
He's a great musician and producer.
Phil Beggs, Project Coordinator
Selection of the students
We wanted all school children to write songs and find out
about the recording process. Ambitious, but it worked.
Timetable
The timetabling for the project was for it to take place
over three days a week throughout Terms 2, 3 and 4. All
grades were given two hours in the first block, we then gave
time to all grades to work on and record the songs.
Work Area
We set up in the library (CAT Centre), as the quietness made
for an ideal studio.
Involvement of staff and community
Everyone has loved the process. All staff spent time with
their grade in the studio. They loved seeing Hugh in full
flight on the guitar. Many parents came along to listen and
contribute ideas. Past students became involved in burning
the CDs.
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Looking Back, Looking Around, Looking Forward
Hugh's unique
program involves introducing students to the songwriting and recording
process. He takes the essential equipment needed to create a
professional recording to a school and then writes and records an album
of songs with the students. They learn a range of skills including,
singing , musical arrangement, literary skills used in lyric writing,
the use of recording technology and a basic understanding of the physics
of electronic sound recording and reproduction.
Students of ethnic
backgrounds are encouraged to involve their parents and the music of
their cultures. Many of the songs written in this program have told
stories of the migrant experience and used the musical instruments
unique to their cultures.
Children write songs
expressing their day to day lives, friendship, sport, favorite foods ,
school, teachers, cars, pets and other everyday experiences. Emotions of
happiness, sadness, loneliness and excitement are all expressed in song
and give an outlet and a forum for discussion of the many complex issues
which confront children as they go through life.
In an age when children are
increasingly becoming passive consumers of music rather than active
participants and creators, this program is instructive, rewarding and
empowering.
In 2005, Victorian schools
Poowong Consolidated School in Gippsland and Cambridge Primary School in
Hoppers Crossing successfully completed albums of songs through Hugh's
programs.
If schools are interested
and would like more information about the program, please contact Hugh
directly or contact the principals of the above mentioned schools.
Poowong Consolidated School
Principal : Jenny Blackmore or Phillip Beggs
Cambridge Primary School
Principal: Meenah Marchbank (03) 97489011
http://www.arts.vic.gov.au/arts/general/archive/ais2003/poowong.htm
Poowong Consolidated
School Project
Project Coordinator:
Phil Beggs
Artist: Hugh McDonald
Project: 'Looking Back,
Looking Around, Looking Forward'
Background
Poowong Consolidated School, about 110 kilometres from Melbourne, is a
small rural school, set among the green rolling hills of South Gippsland,
in an active and motivated farming community. The school consists of
five classroom teachers and a few specialist teachers, five classrooms,
an art room and CAT Centre-cum-library, as well as a large multipurpose
shed/hall.
Artist
Multi-talented professional musician, producer and songwriter Hugh
McDonald has worked in many bands, including Red Gum and The
Bushwhackers. His songs are sung by Casey Chambers, John Williamson,
Christie Moore and others. He produces the likes of Eric Bogel, Kavisha
Mazella, Judy Small and writes music scores for TV shows, including Blue
Heelers. Hugh still performs in pubs, at weddings, and elsewhere.
Project
The aims of the project were to produce a high quality CD of children
songs; to have all children writing songs under the guidance of the
Project Coordinator and Hugh McDonald; to enable students to sing on the
CD, watch the recording process and see the artist playing instruments.
All children got to see technology at work and to perform their songs at
an assembly and concert. All children got to feel part of the process
and their families received a CD.
Benefits
The students enjoyed the project enormously and learned much about song
writing: the lyrics, melody and style. The recording process was
demystified. They wrote and revised songs, learned keyboard and simple
recording skills, and recorded and performed their songs.
The teachers, too, enjoyed the project with the artist. They loved
watching the project unfold and evolve, enthusiastically participated
and helped out. Teachers, too, learned new skills.
The wider school community were inspired by the CD and felt proud of
their children.
Comments from those involved:
Hugh McDonald
'I loved working with the children. It was great to get out of the
studio and a lot of fun work-shopping the children's songs. I had a
great time being part of the staff; in fact, I loved it so much I
brought my own kids down to experience life in a rural school. I also
loved the process and am really pleased with the product. I think we
stayed true to the kids' wishes and went a long way to demystifying song
writing and recording.'
Project Coordinator
The project, in many ways, excelled my expectations. I was pleased with
the way the children got so involved and enjoyed the process of writing
and recording. It was a pretty ambitious project and we changed
direction to match the children's needs and wants. The children learned
a lot about song writing, technology and recording: all very creative
and exploratory. The parents got so involved they took the kids to
Melbourne one day, to Hugh's studio. The whole school was really
motivated throughout the project.
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