From the Islands to Africa - the new sounds of Sydney
A new double CD featuring the creative sounds and music of local young people was launched on June 23 to an enthusiastic response at Granville Youth and Community Recreation Centre.
The event was the culmination of two urban music programs supported by the Granville Outreach Unit of South Western Sydney Institute of TAFE, delivered in partnership with Information and Cultural Exchange, Granville Youth & Community Recreation Centre, and Baulkham HIlls-Holroyd-Parramatta Migrant Resource Centre.
Island Beatz 2 was a free 12-week urban music course for young unemployed Pacific Islander and Maori young people aged 15-25 years with an interest in music. The program was developed following the success of the previous Island Beatz 1 held in 2005.
Afro Beatz was an urban music weekend program which provided free training in music production, song-writing and hip-hop dancing to high school students from local African communities.
The programs, delivered through local community-based organisations in partnership with Granville TAFE Outreach, were about helping at-risk young people find creative ways to express themselves and find pathways to create new futures.
The CD is a compilation of Island Beatz 1 & 2, and is a testament to the level of local talent among young people involved in the programs.
Rhymers, rappers, singers and dancers kept the youth centre jumping – the big turnout of local young people from Pacific Islander and African communities provided for a vibrant atmosphere where songs and words were traded. The event culminated in an open-mike session featuring almost half the room.
Deputy Lord Mayor of Parramatta the Hon. Maureen Walsh addressed the audience, sharing her concern that the South Western Sydney Institute of TAFE had recently frozen all of the vocational access programs, and noted that Parramatta Council would be discussing this issue at its next meeting.
Deputy Lord Mayor of Parramatta, Clr Maureen Walsh
“Without the support of TAFE Outreach, these programs couldn’t go ahead,” said MC Trey Thomas, Urban Music Program Coordinator of Information and Cultural Exchange.
“This was a great night, and showed just how life-changing urban music programs can be. The young people involved have found new confidence, and ways to express themselves. But we’re also seeing the emergence of some talented musicians making an impact with their own music. These are names to watch out for,” said MC Trey.
Email ICE for a copy of Island Beatz
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