By Clayton Smith
My Rozsa Arts Management Program (RAMP) Capstone Project focused on developing a new stream of accessible audio and music programs for the National accessArts Centre’s multidisciplinary Community Class programs. Recognizing that many current or prospective musicians with developmental disabilities have little prior exposure or experience with traditional music education, I prioritized providing Community Class participants with unconventional and innovative ways to create and explore music through accessible technology and user-specific approaches.
With the experience gained through my RAMP Capstone Project, we continue modelling audio and music Community Classes that are informed by and respond to expressed interest from the NaAC artist community. One accessible way we experimented with musical expression and creation was by introducing participants to DJing. After previous conversations with NaAC artists about storytelling through thematic playlists, compilation albums, and mixtapes, we felt that DJing would be a fresh and exciting way for participants to create music that brought immediate, creative, and fun results.
After curating themed playlists, participants could experiment with mixing and mashing songs and samples to make something new. With user-friendly controllers, iPads, and software, participants explored by combining and overlapping different rhythmic, melodic, and harmonic elements of their songs, ultimately creating something new and fresh. Rather than sitting through lectures on rhythm, tempo, or groove, the workshops provided hands-on experiential learning—a much more engaging way to learn about fundamental aspects of music.
The Science Fiction People: David Oppong, Mark Bedford, Jan De La Cruz, Colleen Ashmore, Tony Goodison.
After completing RAMP, The Rozsa Foundation Capstone funding was instrumental in ensuring the success of our very first audio and music community class, “Mixtapes & Mashups: Intro to DJing.” Not only was the class designed through paid consultation with disabled musicians & NaAC artists, but we also hired disabled artists as guest workshop leads to share their personal experiences, creative practices, and technical prowess.
Acknowledging that innovative audio and music programming is rarely available to the developmental disability community, we made a point to invite community members from outside our registered artists and tried to increase awareness of the opportunity. With the help of the Rosza Foundation funds, we offered “Mixtapes & Mashups” to non-NaAC registered artists at no cost.
Since our initial workshop, the ripple effect of our Audio/ Music programming has been profound. The community workshops, modelled after this Capstone-funded initiative, have become a cornerstone of our audio and music division. NaAC audio and music programs are consistently some of the most sought-after community-based programs we offer each semester. The registration for each class since our first workshop has been either full or at 90% capacity, with repeat non-NaAC registered artists signing up each semester.
Overall, my Capstone Project built my confidence in developing and implementing programming at the NaAC. I solidified the importance of including our artists in program discussions, decision-making, and direction, making it a “best practice” for all multidisciplinary programs designed at the NaAC.
By prioritizing time and space for critical reflection, hiring artists with disabilities as program developers and leads, and actively seeking feedback from program participants, we improve the chance for our programming to be respectful and beneficial for our artists, the organization, program partners, co-workers, and NaAC extended supporters. My advocacy for the disability community can come in the form of thoughtful organization, efficient communication, and aligned goals, and that’s an excellent trajectory for my foreseeable future at the NaAC.
Carefully crafted over multiple online and in-studio collaborative sessions, The Science Fiction People’s Robot Revelations is the product of a profoundly unique and experimental creative project exploring individualized and peer-to-peer approaches to Disability-led music creation. The project, made possible with funding from the Canada Council for the Arts, explored new frontiers of accessible music-making, remote technology, and accessible digital instruments.
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