Genelec has helped award-winning British charity The Music Works launch its latest initiative. The Music Bus is a state-of-the-art studio on wheels that takes the transformative power of music-making to new communities throughout Gloucestershire, giving disadvantaged and underrepresented young people the opportunity to collaborate and learn how to play instruments and write songs together, as well as offering music production and recording skills to help them access the music industry.
The charity believes that the Music Bus can ultimately reduce anti-social behavior incidents in the area by giving young people positive opportunities to participate and a chance to make the music they love.
“Having young people piling onto the bus, creating a beat and writing lyrics and seeing their excitement confirms this will be a great opportunity for young people to be creative in so many ways. One young person said they ‘couldn’t believe how good the bus sounds!'” says Mikel Medley, youth support manager at The Music Works, after a pilot session with the Music Bus at the Opportunity Fair at Gloucester Academy.
Barriers and opportunities
One of the barriers young people face in Gloucestershire is traveling from suburban areas into the major towns and cities where there are more opportunities to access music. The Music Works’ educational team already works throughout the county in schools during term time, but there are many opportunities to support young people with activities outside of school in their own community and out of term; this is where the charity believes the Music Bus will make a real difference.
The Music Works says it is grateful for the generous support from several organizations that have made the Music Bus possible, including high-profile sponsorship from Genelec, whose studio monitors are relied on by many of the world’s top recording artists. Genelec monitors are already a crucial part of The Music Works facility in Gloucester, and now the new Music Bus features Genelec’s highly respected “The Ones” monitors.
“We have a long history of supporting organizations dedicated to educating and nurturing the next generation of music makers,” says Andy Bensley, Genelec’s U.K. business development manager. “The Music Works’ commitment to empowering, uniting and inspiring young people through music is astonishing. We are thrilled to be part of the next chapter that will see their valuable work reaching the wider community.”
