BEHIND THE SCENES: MUSIC COURSE (FUNDED BY MAES)

Over the course of two weeks, participants for our acclaimed Music Course hopped into our series of workshops to create and collaborate. Funded by MAES, the programme walks attendees through the likes of musicproduction, social media and creative writing. Throughout the project, our participants worked on their own tracks to be debuted on Reform Radio in a one hour radio show.

Listen back to the show below.

We chatted with Jack and Yorusa who took part in the course about what they got up to, their musical influences, and where they’re heading from here.

Introduce your name, pronouns, and what you get up to in your free time.

Y: I’m Yorusha, my pronouns are she/they, and in my free time I really enjoy spending time with my friends and family, writing and reading, and watching films.

J: My name is Jack. My pronouns are he/him. I love music in all forms, whether it’s listening, creating or producing. I also love watching art-house movies and exploring Manchester.

Describe yourself in 3 words.

Y: Curious, conversational and humorous.

J: I would say determined, aloof and open-minded.

If you were stuck on a desert island and could only listen to one record, what record would you want to have with you and why?

Y: NAO’s ‘For All We Know’.

J: It would have to be Lady Gaga’s ‘Born This Way’. It’s the best pop album of all time.

Did you have much musical experience before the course? What’s your favourite thing about making music?

Y: I had a bit of experience with music and performing live. I really love performing and I spend a lot of time around artists too. Sometimes, I’m not creating music, I’m just having conversations about it with other creatives. It’s nice to have an idea and losing yourself in the creation. There’s so much chaos, and boundless possibilities in making music. You never know what is going to come out of you.

J: I’ve been involved in music for the past 12/13 years. I started producing when I was in secondary school when I should have been doing my homework. Since then, I have released some compilations and worked with some labels. I’ve mostly produced dance music, but I have also started to explore songwriting more recently. My favourite part of creating music would have to be getting the idea in your head down securely. Music is another language. It’s so freeing to be able to express an idea through it.

What prompted you to get involved with the Music Course?

Y: I really wanted to learn how to produce. I feel like you’re expected to know how to do so much as a musician these days. I was eager to learn about production more thoroughly, and also get to grips with technical terminology to be able to communicate more effectively with other creatives.

J: I wanted to get more experience in areas out of my comfort zone, like songwriting and lyricism. But, more specifically, I wanted to return to Reform. I recently did the Classical Connections project here and it was the most nurturing environment. I was ready to come back and embrace all of that again.

Let’s throw it back to your first day at Reform versus now, tell us a bit about your first impressions/feelings/emotions in comparison to how you feel now. What has changed? 

Y: My skill set has definitely increased. I was experienced in music making, but I have learnt so much about the work that surrounds releasing music, such as promotion and marketing. I have the know- how now if I wish to take music further.

J: I think the main thing that has developed through my time on the project is my connection with others on the course. You start off knowing nobody, and now I have built such strong bonds with everyone. We all have a special connection now; we bonded over something we love.

Do you have any musical role models that inspire your practice and why?

Y: My friends. Even those around me in the room on the project. It’s been inspiring seeing how everyone has created music differently and noticing their differing approaches.

J: I really admire SOPHIE as a trans producer and DJ. Her music is so beyond anything my brain can comprehend and I’ll never forget her legacy. Daft Punk also inspire me with their clever use of sampling and their ability to build such a futuristic sound. We still don’t hear music like theirs now. Prince’s general artistry is also phenomenal.

When writing new music, where do you begin with the process and what inspires you to make a new track?

Y: It often happens for me when I’m just humming to myself. Either this, or I’ll be reflecting on a conversation I had and considering what I would’ve said. Once I’ve secured the words, I will start forming verses and rhymes here to build a bigger feeling and emotion in a track.

J: I tend to just get sporadic ideas coming to my head and I will quickly record them as voice recordings. When an idea comes to me, I see it as a gift and I know it’s fleeting so it’s important I get this down to log it. However, when I am producing dance music, going to the club is so inspiring to me. Being surround by that sound and space allows me to receive creative energy to then transfer into my own work.

What will you take from the Music Course moving forward & what are your plans from here onwards? 

Y: I think it’s given me a lot of confidence. It’s made me feel like music is realistic for me to pursue in my journey. I am ready to push boundaries and make music of my own. I’d also love to do my own live shows and use movement in these sets.

J: An encouraging environment is priceless; that’s what I will take with me. I’ve learnt that being surrounded by positivity and support is vital to my progression. I’m really grateful to have been able to attend this project. Now, I’m keen to collaborate with other songwriters and producers to help them flesh out their ideas as well as my own.

To find out more about our future courses, drop us an email at projects@reformradio.co.uk.