By Steph McNicol
A chance for the youth of the Mitchell Shire to showcase their musical talent drew a crowd last week at Kilmore’s Old Kilmore Gaol.
Montville Lane Sessions producer David Blake worked with young performers aged between 12 and 24 at the Pop-Up Recording Studios to provide them with the right equipment to record their own songs.
Mr Blake said the talent in the shire was amazing.
“I didn’t have to do much, it all comes from the artist and I just do the bits around it. I give them the environment to do their thing,” he said.
The Pop-Up Recording Studios Showcase featured young people performing to an audience that included project partners, Mitchell Shire councillors, family and friends.
Volume Committee member, 14-year-old Vivien Flannery, said she was involved in the planning and organising the pop-up studios.
“We created the Pop-Up Recording Studios so people in our community had the chance to experience what it is like recording in a studio. We held the showcase so we could show everybody what these bands had achieved,” she said.
Pop-Up Recording Studios artist Katelyn Sullivan said she enjoyed being able to record her own songs in a studio setting.
“Before the Pop-Up Recording Studios, I hadn’t had a chance to be in a studio setting. It is a completely different feel to being on stage live in front of an audience. This experience was wonderful and working with experienced producers was brilliant,” she said.
“I think this was very important for young people who have an interest in music and it is really important they get to experience first-hand what recording music is all about.
“I have moved around a lot over the years and have been to a few different areas, but I have never experienced an event quite like this one. I would like to thank Mitchell Shire Council for this, it was great to go and get a taste of what a career in music will be like.”
Mitchell Shire Council partnered with Montville Lane Sessions, the Bridge Youth Services, Central Ranges Local Learning and Employment Network, Seymour Flexible Learning Centre, Freeza and Universal Music Group to provide the opportunity.
