GemArts East by North East – BLOG BY MUSIC LEADER - George Otigbah (July 2023)
Here is a blog by George Otigbah, who is one of our music leaders on GemArts’ Youth Music funded East by North East music project. George started on the project in May 2022, and he gives a valuable look into working with The Soundroom's community. George discusses how sharing music is often the foundations for building a community and how his own artistic development has been encouraged through this role.
Music has long been one of the most treasured forms of expression, and it continues to bring people together. GemArts’ East By North East project is a prime example of this, and it certainly shows through the content in which it delivers. This is achieved by using music in the community which focuses on how young people are developing musical, personal, and social skills by working with mentors and each other, for experience and personal development.
“East by North East is a Youth Music funded project led by GemArts and working in partnership with the Sage Gateshead, The Soundroom, Excelsior Academy, Life Transformation Church, North Benwell Youth Project, Benfield School and Gateshead Council. Established in 2013, this project has gone from strength to strength and now offers music making opportunities for over 270 young people across Newcastle and Gateshead each week.”
Music plays an essential role in developing the musical, personal and social skills of young people. Through music, young people are able to develop their creative expression and learn about rhythm and tone – vital components for any aspiring musician or artist. But beyond simply playing an instrument, music also helps facilitate emotional intelligence, allowing young people to explore feelings that can otherwise be difficult to process. This is an important factor in the way Gem Arts facilitates its resources. Over my nearly two years at The Soundroom, I have seen strong friendships form and individuals grow not only in musical skill, but also in social and personal confidence.
Music also fosters a sense of community and belonging by connecting individuals around common interests and shared experiences. Such as Gem Arts’ sharing events, in which I’ve had the pleasure of being part of two up to now. One being held recently at Sage Gateshead and the sharing event held at Life Transformation Church back in December. By embracing its power to teach valuable skills, Gem Arts continues to value music’s importance in communities and uses it imperatively to help them develop.
Working with other mentors is essential for my development as a Music Practitioner in the community. I’ve been working alongside Georgia, another practitioner for GemArts. She has taught me important skills and valuable lessons, which have helped me grow as a practitioner. After getting comfortable with my surroundings at The Soundroom, I wanted to get a better understanding of how different settings incorporate different structures. This led me to attending sessions at North Benwell, where I had the chance to watch how Adam and Fred (two of the Music Practitioners at Gem Arts) execute their sessions. I had my first experience of Czech music being played live by the guys who attend the sessions there, and the way their community functions. It was an extremely pleasurable experience and taught me a lot about the influence music has in their community. Experiential learning is a great way to stay up-to-date and abreast of trends and styles, while also giving young people access to diverse music communities. With collaborations come creative energy and new ideas which can help create an environment where everyone is able to enjoy different styles of music. Mentors can offer guidance on techniques, performance skills, industry knowledge, and even managerial assistance. I also had the chance to get to know other participants from a whole different community, and them me. I could see how simply being in my presence (me being a rapper), inspired some of the participants’ creativeness and overall psyche. The collective experience that mentors bring can be invaluable for both students and the community as a whole.
It is undeniable that music plays a significant role in bringing people together and creating strong bonds within the community. GemArts recently held an incredible Sharing Event at Sage Gateshead to bring the local music communities together. Attendees enjoyed the exceptional performances of a variety of talented artists, and shared stories about their experience with music through performances on a professional stage. More importantly, attendees realised the power of music in uniting people and making meaningful connections that will last for years to come. The event truly demonstrated how important it is for us to recognise, embrace and celebrate our varying musical tastes within our communities. Especially how powerful music can be, at bettering the future of the lives of the young people who attend the weekly sessions and how influential music is in building communities.
