Programmes get youth into music
Youth programmes aiming to use music to better equip young people for the future are looking for new band members.
Youth worker Pauli Horgan runs the Beats and Pieces programme and the Basement Programme at the Oranga and Onehunga community centres three afternoons a week.
The programmes give young people living in the area the opportunity to use musical instruments and recording equipment to make and produce their own sounds.
Mr Horgan runs the programmes with help from Maungakiekie-Tamaki youth representative and Auckland Council youth advisory panel member Georgina Vakaheketaha-Nelisi, 18, and aspiring rapper and music producer Paul Smith.
‘‘I first met Gina two years ago in another programme bringing students together to create music and when we finished I realised there was nothing left to carry on with,’’ Mr Horgan says.
‘‘We had the space and opportunity to provide another programme so we started this.
‘‘It’s a chance to spend time with like-minded people and create music from scratch.’’
For kids interested in music, the programmes offer the opportunity to learn more about how song structures work, how to craft lyrics, polish their performance skills or use audio engineering equipment and software.
But while music is the focus Mr Horgan says the programmes also have a wider purpose.
‘‘I wanted to use music as the vehicle to teach leader- ship, teamwork and to get them to improve the skill of committing time and effort.
‘‘Music is bringing people together, but it’s not just learning music.’’
Since the programmes began several former participants have gone on to higher education at the Music and Audio Institute of New Zealand.
Mr Horgan is helping a further two navigate the process of heading into further study.
‘‘The most important thing is to help young people recognise pathways into careers.
‘‘Forty per cent of our people are not in school so we try to help them get into a position where they are in contact with other education providers.’’
It’s also an outlet for those less sports oriented than their peers.
As the winter season kicks off Mr Horgan says the programme has lost some of its regulars and he is keen to let people know what they offer.
‘‘We just want to get word out there that we have this available.’’
Musical experience is not required, rather just an interest in finding out more about what goes into making a song or the wider music industry.
‘‘They need absolutely no experience at all, just a willingness to participate. And whether they are musical or not they just come along and get caught up.
‘‘They might think they are only into music, but they’re actually into electronics or stage management or production.’’
The free programme runs from 4pm to 7pm, Monday and Wednesday at the Onehunga Community Centre, and Tuesdays at the Oranga Community Centre. Those interested can just turn up.