Upon meeting this group I felt like I had found magic, they were a collection of young ladies and two teachers who were eager to learn how to perform and develop their talents with confidence. I wanted to know more about this group so asked them to each tell me a couple of things about themselves and the answers really varied;
ABOUT THEMSELVES AND THEIR INDIVIDUAL SKILLS
“Singing Low & Keyboard Skills”
“Teacher with Guitar and Bass Skills”
“Partying with a Love of Music”
“Laughing and wearing a hearing aid”
“Football and Music”
“Singing and Guitar pass grade one”
“English and Drama Teacher”
“Football, Recorder & Silver Viola”
“Singing but not High Pitch”
“Twin and Dancer”
“Teaching Assistant with passion for Arts”
” Playing Trombone”
“Singing”
During the first session they showed me how coy they were, this motivated me to help them build their esteem and turn them into Songstress’s. So I began by teaching them some vocal techniques, then spilt them in half and made them do a cannon of what they had learn, this was in a bid to let them hear how they sounded.
After this had been achieved we started to discuss what they wanted to do for the Creative Minds Festival, the ideas were genres of R&B or Slow Jams the songs they chose to look at during songwriting were;
Rhianna Stay, Adelle Someone like me and Duffy Mercy, I was reluctant to use another Adelle song and was honest with the group so they voted on Mercy and Stay and it was decided.
Over the next workshops we began songwriting, I shared with them the knowledge of writing a good song and what ingredients it needed, I then played “Stay” by Rihanna and gave them the task of counting the syllables in each line and then writing a line with the same amount of syllables, sound simple but the catch was it had to either be about Stoke or themselves. I spilt them into groups of threes and this is what they came up with:
“Came here to try something new
singing is what we shall do
almost every-night starting a new song
were practicing to be professional
Just wanted to be a crew
Singing is what we shall do”
“In Birches head the air is fresh
In Birches head I feel at my best
I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else today
In Birches head I reckon Im on my way”
“As we grew were getting stronger
wanted to be part of something new
wanted to try something singing
walked in turnt around it was’nt easy for me dude
Empty in my head, thinking only one thing
as clueless as I was, I turned smiling this is what I wanna do
Buried in my faith I did really struggle”
“All along Stoke was a pleaser
Although we have no Julius Caesar
If we look around we have our very own gems
the staffs hoard, Stan and Robbie Williams”
“When Your singing you can put your own message out
The way your voice goes with the music
how you feel goes with the tune
maybe were hitting the beats too soon
When your singing you can put your own message through
the way your voice goes with the music too
how you feel goes with the tune
maybe were hitting the beats too soon”
Three out of the four groups excelled at this task and so they went onto the next sixteen bars of music, They seemed to flourish with ideas and enjoyed the songwriting.
We had one week left before it was their half term so I promised that the following week, the song would be composed and they could rehearse it over the holiday, with a instrumental backing track……
Stay In Birches Head
All along stoke was a pleaser
Although we have no Julius Cesar
If we look around we have our very own gems
The staffs hoard, Stan and Robbie Williams
Walked in turned around it wasn’t easy for me dude
Oh now tell me now tell me now tell me now you know
Came here to try something brand new
Just wanted to be a crew
Singing is what we shall do
Almost every night start a new song
We are practising to be professional
Wanted to try something different singing
Empty in my head, thinking only one thing
Walked in turned around it wasn’t easy for me dude
Oh now tell me now tell me now tell me now you know
You can put your own message out
How you feel flows with the tune
The way your voice goes with the music
I turned around smiling
Buried in my faith
(ooooh) As we grow we’re getting stronger
(ooooh) As clueless as I was
Wanted to be part of something new
this is something I wanna do
I really did struggle When I was singing
Maybe we are hitting the beats too soon
In birches head the air is fresh
In birches head I feel at my best
I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else today
In birches head I reckon Im on my way
I want to stay, stay
In birches head stay ooooh
After the week break I was shocked at the next workshop, four people had rewritten “Don’t Stop” by Glee and performed it for the rest of the group, I was astounded not only was it good but they had excelled in taking ownership. The others in the group were surprised we now had two songs ready below is a short edit of the composing;
“Just a small town girl
Living in a Stokey World
She took the midnight bus going Hanley
Just a City girl
born and raised in London
She took the midnight train going Stokey”
Okay so the next workshop we looked over some Instrumental R&B tracks, I had written some chorus lines and asked each group to pick what they wanted to work with and in groups they picked what they wanted to compose to next, they worked diligently through this task, as they paired up into groups of three and as the workshop continued another song was composed….
But you gotta try
Make yourself try
Said you gotta try
To reach the sky
If you take the time
To make an effort
Have the confidence
State your place
It will bring
Warmth to your heart
But be strong
Try to be happy
Be you no matter what
Even though your down
Learn to stand on
Your own two feet
Rpt 2
But you gotta try
Make yourself try
Said you gotta try
To reach the sky
It was really getting inspiring the self assurance had continued within the group,the young ladies now embraced each other quite well. We began working on the last piece which was to be called “Shooting Star”, what I wanted them to achieve through this last song was the same sense of unity they exuded, in the workshops by telling the viewers something about themselves that they did not know, I gave the free reign letting them choose a Instrumental first, as the song continuously played in the background they began composing.
“Shooting star up in the sky we fly
shooting star up in the sky we fly
ooh ooh so high
ooh ooh so high”
After they had finished writing we began gluing it all together, individually they told me their lines I then sang them back to them until they got the tune. one by one I let them flow, moving them around according to the drop in the instrumental. By the end of the session they had nailed it, they knew who was singing before them and who was singing after the tenure of these young ladies was commendable. They supported each other superbly nudging each other when necessary, throughout these workshops the groups buoyancy had shined and surpassed their highest hopes.
“Shooting Star” became their favorite, as the date drew closer they began planning outfits and the color gels they wanted to use as we began rehearsing the songs, there was to be an interesting twist,the shyest member of the group stepped forward and began to lead “Stay”.
She had learnt all the words and where the others struggled following the tune she outshone and so the young ladies decided that she should do a duet with another and so we began working on Choreography for the songs….
Stay
Don’t Stop
Try
Shooting Star
“Bouncing From A Boombox”, was oozing with musical talent, which is just waiting to explode.
This united group enjoys singing, “Bouncing From A Boombox”, insist that their forte is R&b and Slow Jams (soul), are what they enjoy most. And when they harmonise they sound like sugar and honey, the ranges within this group of young ladies are easy on the ear and delicious in sound to any listener. “Bouncing From A Boombox”, has a lot of melodic energy, and a fantastic affinity for song writing.
These darlings have tonality to envy, when they take to the stage prepare to be harmoniously amazed.
creativebeginnings2047 
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