SIX secondary school students were chosen from among 120 to receive music kits in the ‘Kross Kolor’ Music Producer Incubator Programme, having undergone training in music production and recording engineering to become independent emerging producers, capable of creating professional-sounding rhythm tracks.

Director of Kross Kolor Records and veteran music teacher, Burchmore Simon, who led the training, told Pepperpot Magazine that all of the objectives were achieved. Of the 120 interviewed, 30 were shortlisted, and the final six were presented with kits made up of music production equipment. Notably, one of the winners took home a keyboard presented to the Ministry of Education by music sensation ‘Bussy Signal’.

The course covered basic music theory and the use of keyboard controllers to make rhythm tracks within standard music creation/audio software. It also featured audio engineering basics for sound recording, music marketing basics, and understanding the functions of music industry specialists like producers, arrangers, publishers, road managers and music managers.
In coming up with the idea to train the youngsters in this manner, Simon said he thought of the fact that most producers and studio owners only focus on recording music. “In my opinion, they don’t look at the longevity of the industry. For there to be longevity, you have to get young people coming into the industry with skills that are relevant,” he shared in an interview with Pepperpot Magazine.

On a more practical side of things, he said the youths must also be provided the tools to develop those skills, hence the idea to present them with a production studio upon completion of the training.
“I believe in education in the music industry; in the creative industry generally and all the grants that I’ve had so far have been for the training of people; the grants were never about me. My main motivation is the passing on of my knowledge to the people of Guyana and equipping them to be creative and start their own business,” Simon expressed.

And it doesn’t end here for the children. “From this, they will have a lifetime partnership with Kross Kolor in that we will always be there to guide them and help them along. So it’s not that we train these kids and leave them on their own.”
The Unit of Allied Arts in the Ministry of Education (MOE), which is responsible for expressive arts in schools, greatly assisted with the project and Education Officer – Music Joel Gonsalves said the MOE was the host location and was responsible for auditions, along with monitoring and evaluating the programme.

Head of the Unit, Nicholas Fraser, was especially supportive throughout the programme. “Anything we needed, we just called on him, and he was willing to lend support,” Gonsalves related, adding, “We were happy when the approach was made by Kross Kolor, and since it is a unique idea towards music in Guyana, we felt that it was extremely necessary to be a part of the programme.”

Sixteen-year-old Tasiyelle Paul of Hopetown Village, West Coast Berbice, didn’t know at the time of her interview with Pepperpot Magazine that she was among the six winners. “I am hoping and praying that one of those kits would be mine,” she said.
“The course offered me a safe space to express myself; it improved my musical knowledge and gave me a lot more new talents and skills. What I enjoyed the most was the people that I met there. It was like a family; it was the togetherness of it. The training from Mr. Simon and others was amazing.”
She wants to use her kit to promote positive music in her community and help others who are interested in the industry while at the same time advancing her own goal to become a singer. After the training, though, she decided she wanted to add something to that goal. She now wants to become a producer.