Last term Transformance Music travelled to Orange County, California, to provide training for schools setting up iPad Music clubs. The county, bordering Los Angeles, is home to countless celebrities, but there was only one ticket in town as the CPD session culminated with a demonstration workshop from TM’s Ben Sellers.
Over the course of the training, Ben covered various methods for students to create impressive compositions whilst learning the fundamentals of music theory. He then worked with teaching staff to design a ten week after school composition ‘Science Lab’ (SLAB) programme .
One term on, and teachers’ feedback has rivalled any Hollywood blockbuster. SLAB programme coordinator Courtney Castro:
Our song lab is fantastic! I am very thankful that I had the opportunity to work with you. The kids and I are having a great time. They are so unbelievably creative and talented and are composing amazing music. I was recently given the opportunity to present and have a student showcase at our district’s technology festival, and was later mentioned at our school board meeting as having ” the most impressive technology program” in our district!.
The students agreed:
“My favorite thing about SLAB is that you can change your instruments to about any other of that kind. I also like the new feature live loop because you can situate your music to play all at the same time and the same beat … I feel happy making music on Garageband because music fills the world with happiness. I want to fill the world with happiness too. ” Jonah, 3rd grade, age 9
You can listen to two outstanding compositions here:
