Exploring and teaching music with children and artists all over Colombia, in order to write an album
Project summary
- My aim is to create a musical recording which captures the diverse soundscape of Colombia which will promote their fresh and vigorous music culture.
- All contributors will be able to download their own 'free' digital copy of my album.
- I'm confident this will stimulate and resonate with many western listeners (even former choristers like me).
- Colombia is attracting a global music audience and I want to help shape its future in this exciting and pioneering phase.
- I will use mobile recording equipment and dynamic microphones to gather musical material and create a short album.
- Recordings will be made while learning, sharing & teaching music around Colombia. I will then refine and remaster these recordings in the very well equipped studio facilities at the University of York.
- The final album version will be completed and submitted in October as part of my master's dissertation in music production.
- All donations, no matter how small, will make a huge difference to the success of this project. Funds will allow me to travel widely and collect a greater diversity of music samples.
- I need to raise £2500 in total. I have already raised £500 through winning the International Connections award from Santander. If I can raise £1000 independently the university will match this figure.
- In addition to researching for the album, I plan to share my music knowledge and skills with the Colombian community; in particular, teaching children and musicians in short volunteer sessions in schools and colleges. This will be aimed at stimulating students to love music and to learn more.
- Working with charities Barefoot Foundation and Caring for Colombia will help me teach my music to children in the cities of Cali, Cartagena and Medellin.
- Barefoot Foundation is a charity set up by Colombian musician Shakira, who I aim to collaborate with in order to find out more about Colombian music.
- Further collaboration with teaching institutions such as University EAFIT will enable me to compose and produce music with local musicians.
- I have been inspired by the works of musicians such as Quantic, Mala and Bjork and their unique multicultural fusions. I want to conduct my own research into Latin American music in order to be the first MA music student at York University to travel abroad for their dissertation.
Your help, networking and donations can turn this dream into a reality.
- One months music expedition around Colombia (July) £2,500 includes flights (2 external + 4 internal) + accommodation
- Two month production process in York (August-September)
- Funding for a Album launch party with the possibility of a performance. Location to be confirmed!
!PLEASE READ BELOW TO FIND OUT MORE DETAILS!
Who am I?
Hi, I'm Matt Thorns and I am a music production Master's Student at The University of York, England. I have been a professional singer since the age of 7 and also play a variety of instruments.
From the age of 7, music has been my life's passion, as this is when I became an Oxford New College choir boy, singing every day and touring 8 weeks a year in America, Japan and Europe.
Since the age of 15 I traveled to countries like Venezuela and South East Asia where I have enjoyed multiple aspects of their culture. Last summer I traveled around parts of Cambodia and Vietnam where I was exposed to a rich spiritual and musical culture. I motorbiked across these countries and felt compelled to make a music video with the footage I took.
'From the age of 16 I have composed, recorded and produced my own music.'
Whilst at York I formed a band - Orange international. We have played for almost 2 years across a variety of York music venues. Our music style is constantly evolving with each new project. In March 2014 we released an EP as part of my undergraduate dissertation and our now releasing our second this April 2015.
As a band, we have a variety of influences. Our members are from Mexico, Guatemala and Malaysia (as well as the UK). This cultural 'melting pot' provides a wealth of inspiration from which to create music. We are constantly experimenting with new forms of music from Latin, Gamelan, Orchestral to the more conventional Rock and Funk. This allows us to create music with a unique blend of sounds. To this day we still find it difficult to pin-point our style (its sort of heavy, funk, latin, rock.) I am always trying to involve as many musicians as possible in our recordings and performances. I feel the band grows with each musician we encounter as they bring new ideas that often inspire us to compose in different ways.
"Music truly is the universal language" - Herbie Hancock.
At the age of 22, I am an aspiring young musician studying the art of music production. This new avenue of musical creativity has taught me to take my compositions, solidify them from raw recordings, and turn them into products suitable for release to the general public. This insight into the music industry has inspired me to take on my biggest challenge yet:
To travel to another country, become inspired by the musical culture, and pioneer something altogether unheard of before.
'I’ve always wanted the chance to go to another country and explore the depth of their musical culture.'
Now that I am a master's student I feel like I have the ability and confidence to take on this musical exploration. Furthermore, being at a top University, with access to music studios and musicians, I feel as though I have the tools and opportunity to turn this dream into something tangible: Taking my study of Colombian ethnomusicology and turning it into a record!
'This is a hugely ambitious project which can not be attained alone.'
I decided to turn this album into a crowd funded project because I want other people to share in its success. I need your money to raise £2,500 in order to work with charities, produce the album onto CD and conduct research in Colombia. Money is needed for video/recording equipment, insurance, travel costs, production, postproduction, distribution, release etc.
HOW TO HELP ME SUCCEED?
- Your donations are what will make this album possible - any amount will help!
- Your donations will go directly into teaching, planning and funding of an album that promotes Colombian music!
- You, the donors, will receive rewards or donate anonymously.
- Its a chance to make something we can all be proud to be a part of.
FURTHERMORE,
- As a reward to each donor I will make a pledge based on the amount you donate. (see pledges)
- This will range from a personal thank you on social media sites, to a copy of the extended album, to access to my personal research information, to a copy of my music diary film, to special mentions on the album's credits and many more.
- All donators will be credited as being part of the support for the album. Thank you in advance!
Even though I ask for your money, I would like to thank you for reading through this crowdfunded page. It means a great deal to me that I can share the word on the most exciting project I have ever created!
COLOMBIA
I’ve chosen to focus on Colombia as it has one of the most rich and varied music cultures in South America. Ranging from Salsa to Cumbia, Champeta, Vallenato, Rock to urban Hiphop and many other genres. Traveling to Colombia to do my research will give me a varied musical portfolio of field recordings, which I can then transform into music in the UK. The opportunity to work with EAFIT University in Medellin and teach children, musicians and producers the music skills that I have learnt as part of my study, will be a hugely rewarding process. I will go with my own musical ideas, to show local musicians, in order to gain their interpretations and stylistic influence, hoping to enhance the songs I have already written. I aim to perform this music with musicians in Colombia in order to gain their insight and opinion. This will be an excellent way for me to edit, re-write and critique music for the album whilst in Colombia.
Caring for Colombia is a New York-based charity committed to improving the quality of life for Colombia's poorest. In cities such as Cartagena and Cali they have set up a network of schools that specialise in supplying music to students who wouldn't normally have access. I will help teach within these schools teaching my own knowledge of music to children.
'What most excites me about this project is the opportunity to work with musicians of all backgrounds and feel completely focused on their music...'
Working in another country will immerse me in a music making environment where I can be completely focused on learning and research. I cannot wait to work with passionate Colombian musicians and learn about the way they write music. I’ve always loved the way music brings people together to create something that feels bigger than themselves.
I am not the first musician to travel to Colombia for inspiration. Other British musicians have been inspired by the sounds of Latin America. For example British producer Quantic (Will Holland) travelled to Colombia in 2007 and loved the culture so much he created his own recording studio (Sonido del Valle) in Colombia. He now travels between America and Colombia producing and DJing.
Your help, networking and donations can turn this dream into a reality.
Ultimately I aim to bring back the sounds and music of Colombia for donators, fans and listeners in the UK. I hope that I will have the knowledge, research and field recordings to be able to develop a unique album of latin fusion music inspired by my visit to Colombia this June/July. Furthermore I hope to have earned my place within the community and feel I have done justice to a country with such a rich music history.
PLEASE before you leave, would you be so kind as to pass on or share this page & web-link with anybody you know!
Whether you can help me directly or if you just love music I would be eternally grateful. You never know who will be willing to help this project, even if you are currently not able. :)
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