Genelec has launched G SongLab, part of the Genelec Academy that offers free access to a safe on-line learning community, through which they can collaborate and engage with others in developing their skills in songwriting and music creation.
Launching in Helsinki, the initiative is a collaboration between Genelec and a number of operators including the Tiuku Public Information Cultural Factory, the City of Helsinki, University of the Arts Helsinki and the ArtsEqual research initiative, all of which encourage and support young people’s active participation in music creation.
The G SongLab concept has been developed by a team of songwriters and music educators led by Petter Korkman and Anna Kuoppamäki. The project provides an international online learning community for songwriters aged between 13 and 29, allowing them to participate from the comfort of their homes and share their songs with others – which is particularly beneficial in view of the recent Covid–19 outbreak. Additionally, Genelec will contribute to the educational programme by teaching some of the basics of sound and audio monitoring, so that participants can learn how to evaluate and improve the quality of their work.
A selection of the music created during the workshops will be shared with the wider public via the Genelec Music Channel on YouTube, along with live performances by workshop participants being broadcast from Helsinki via the Genelec Artist Room in the future.
Genelec has a tradition of supporting educational programmes that help young people realise their dreams through the creation of music. With a partnership already in place with the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus in the US and Europe, and the establishment of the Ilpo Martikainen Audio Visionary Scholarship in conjunction with the Audio Engineering Society, G SongLab is a natural extension of this commitment to global music education.
‘This is an excellent way to express our values of enthusiasm and justice,’ Genelec’s Juho Martikainen explains. ‘Music creation belongs to everyone, and if we can help young people to learn and find their own way in life, then that is the best prize there is. In the difficult times we currently live in, we believe that music can help create hope, a sense of belonging and a shared determination to support each other and survive.’
‘Anyone can write a song just as anyone can draw a picture,’ add Petter Korkman and Anna Kuoppamäki. ‘Songwriting is a powerful means of self-expression and connecting with others through music. It’s a way of sharing your views, experiences and feelings, and a way of spelling out who you are. We want to be both ears and loudspeakers, as it were, carefully listening but also actively projecting this polyphony of voices out into the world.’
To mark the launch, Genelec will stage the G SongLab Songwriting Challenge, inviting young music creators to submit their original songs. The challenge will be open to young people worldwide, with the three most innovative entrants receiving a premium quality home studio recording package, and the chance to perform their song live at the Genelec Artist Room. More details will follow soon.
