In 1994, Dr. Jack Gremli and I developed a course to give middle school students at A. MacArthur Barr Middle School in Nanuet, N.Y. a chance to learn music by creating music. The Recording Studio Experience offered 8th graders an opportunity to learn the elements of music by writing and recording songs: from the initial concept, to the completion of the lyrics, to the development of the melody and harmony, to the instrumentation, to the rehearsal process, to the actual recording of the song, to the development of promotional materials, the students were in charge. Our job was to teach them the basic skills and to encourage them to trust their creative impulses.
The AMBY AWARDS, a celebration of the students’ work, was the culmination each year of The Recording Studio Experience. Red carpet, multiple song categories, live performances, “the envelope please,” videos and the Song of the Year awarded by Grammy Award-winner Larry Alexander.
