A group of high school students from across New Brunswick and Nova Scotia spent this week writing music alongside well-known East Coast musicians, capping it off by recording an original song inside Joel Plaskett’s Fang Recording Studio.
The songwriting program, a collaboration between Anglophone North School District and Brilliant Labs, brought together 22 students from a variety of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia high schools.
They participated in a songwriting camp for more than three days led by several professional musicians including Chris Kirby, Terra Spencer, Matt Andersen, and Ian Sherwood.
Students were split into groups and asked to write original songs, with mentorship from the musicians. The professionals later chose one of the songs to be recorded professionally at Fang.
“We’re showing the kids how the pros lay it down in the studio,” said Kirby, who produced the track. “I wish I had this when I was a kid. I grew up in a small town and we didn’t have opportunities like this.”
“It’s insane. Even being in the studio and listening to them play and then realizing, ‘Oh, my god, these people are such a big deal,’” said Chloe Sampson, a 15-year-old student from Fall River, N.S.
The camp is designed to help students explore creativity and learn how to use modern technology to develop and record music. In addition to songwriting and performance, students also received hands-on experience in audio production and collaboration.
“We want them to be able to express themselves, get their ideas out there — but also learn how to use the tools that make it possible,” said Jamie O’Toole, subject area coordinator with Anglophone North School District. “Many of them haven’t been in a recording studio like this, and many of them, some of them, haven’t been out of the province.”
Claira Blanchard, a 17-year-old student from Saint Andrews, N.B., said the experience has unreal.
“Some of these people I never would have dreamed of working with,” she said. “So I’m just kind of in awe a little bit.”
For Terra Spencer, it was a chance to give back.
“I’ve had so many doors held open for me,” she said. “It only makes sense to try and hold it open for the people behind.”
Kirby says the students have been great to work with, and have bright futures ahead.
“These kids are fantastic. In a few years, they’ll be in rooms like this doing exactly this,” he said. “I might be teaching myself out of a job.”
