-to train youths in becoming independent emerging music producers

TWENTY youths between the ages of 13 and 17 will undergo a four-month training in music production and recording engineering, with the objective of becoming independent emerging producers capable of creating professional sounding rhythm tracks.
Of this number, five will eventually be granted mini studios to create their tracks, meaning that they will be provided with all of the equipment needed to facilitate more of a mobile studio.

This is all thanks to a grant that is being awarded to Kross Kolor Records through UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) and CARICOM; it is being administered by the University of the West Indies.
The course will cover basic music theory, and use of keyboard controller to make rhythm tracks within standard music creation/audio software. It will also feature audio engineering basics for sound recording, music marketing basics, and understanding the functions of music industry specialists like producers, arrangers, publishers, road managers, music managers, etc.

“There’s a chronic lack of training of persons in the field…to make rhythm tracks and standard music creation; audio software, audio engineering, and stuff like that,” Manager of Kross Kolor Records Melissa Roberts, well-known as ‘Vanilla’, told the Sunday Chronicle, adding, “We are very low on people to build tracks, so we are creating an incubator programme and the idea is to work with teenagers; secondary school students.”

According to her, the idea is for the participants to be able to utilise the skills learned for commercial purposes also. “It’s not just for them to just go to school, but to acquire a skill that they can earn from.”
The intention is to start the programme by the end of July. “Even though it will start with 20 persons, it will come down to five whom we will be giving a mini studio; your own computer, keyboard, microphone; a small production studio for them to be able to build the tracks; they wouldn’t have to buy anything,” she shared.

“We will have an audition period where we will be choosing 30 to 40 students to bring it down to 20; then down to 10, and five for the mini studio prizes, although the others will get other prizes. We really want to ensure that we get the best persons,” she added.
The project will be advertised by Kross Kolor Records, and secondary schools will indicate their desire to participate in the project by filling out an online form.

The schools will then put out a call within the school and send a list of four interested students. Experts will subsequently invite the students to an audition where they will go through an aptitude and attitude compatibility test. Following this exercise, two students from the 10 participating schools will be selected for the project.

On successfully completing the course, the top 10 students will be selected for internship at various institutions for two months during the August holidays. Additionally, the top five will be presented with music production equipment and non-exclusive licensing contracts to become Kross Kolor Records generation next music producers.
The contract will be non-exclusive since the objective is to allow them to sustain their craft by working for and with as many clients as possible. Kross Kolor Records will continue to be available to assist all participants beyond the project.

The music company will engage in this project for two years following the initial project in collaboration with corporate Guyana and the Ministries of Culture, Youth and Sport, and Education.

Roberts shared that head of the training will be Director of Kross Kolor Records, Burchmore Simon, a local music teacher and producer with more than 30 years in the industry. His vast experience and expertise in the field include teaching music for many years, touring with bands; arranging, producing, writing, and publishing music, and running the company located on Duncan Street, in Georgetown.
“We believe that there’s a lack of trained persons within this field. Our aim is always to grow the music industry in Guyana,” Roberts expressed.