In July, Kirklees College hosted a four-day music workshop for local 16–24 year olds in partnership with Kirklees Year of Music 2023. Using the recording studios, instruments and equipment at Huddersfield Centre, young people from across the region were able to come together, experiment and make music.
Across the four days, participants wrote songs from a range of genres and were able to meet like-minded individuals with similar interests and passion for music.
Yorkshire Youth and Music are a Huddersfield-based charity that aims to improve the lives of young people through music and the opportunities that the industry can afford them, as well as the mental health benefits and sense of community. They have been key players in the organisation of the Kirklees Year of Music 2023 and helped organise the four-day workshop to give young people the opportunity to produce their music for free.
Speaking about the event, Gail Dudson, the Director of Yorkshire Youth and Music said:
“Partnering up with Kirklees College and having access to their resources has been great. Using the recording and production facilities at the college over the four days of workshops in July was a great success.
Participants made music tracks and DJ mixes together. They played instruments, sang, rapped and used the production suites to make music in different styles, guided by professional performers and producers from around Kirklees. They learned recording techniques, signwriting, sound systems and set-up, and other skills essential to working as a musician.”
Warren Dunn, the Curriculum Area Manager for Creative Industries at Kirklees College added:
“It is great we can support events like this and something which we are looking to develop. The event was attended by a diverse group of individuals who all came together to write, produce and perform music. The support given by local industry professionals was fabulous and added a real buzz to the event and workshops.”
The Kirklees College music department continues to support the Kirklees Year of Music 2023 and Yorkshire Youth and Music to offer exciting and accessible opportunities for young people in our community.
Find out more about the range of music courses on offer at Kirklees College and Kirklees Year of Music 2023 events.