Sound & Vision: These youth music projects encompass it all
Sound & Vision: These youth music projects encompass it all
David Bowie sang of ‘Waiting for the gift of sound and vision’ but the individuals involved in this ‘incredible provision” have decided not to wait. And neither should you.
Words by Daisy Gallacher
Totally Sound and Reel Youth Media are both Edinburgh-based youth projects that work in tandem, offering a wide variety of music-related opportunities to teenagers across the city. Since its inception in 2003, Totally Sound has been hosting workshops in instrumental tuition, recording and performance as well as offering their members countless live performance opportunities. Alongside this, Reel Youth Media gives young people the skills to create an array of digital media content. The Totally Sound family welcomed me with open arms into one of their weekly Saturday workshop/jam sessions and enlightened me about the conception and evolution of Edinburgh’s greatest publicly funded council arts provision.
Totally Sound came about following the establishment of the Open All Hours’ council provision - a partnership between Edinburgh Council and collaborating organisations, which provides Edinburgh’s youth with access to free weekend sports sessions. This initiative dismantled financial barriers to sport, enabling physical activity to become more accessible to young people. Scott Wilkins, a development worker with Edinburgh Council’s Arts and Creative Learning Department tells me “There was a recognition from some youth work staff that not all young people are necessarily into sport and that access to other cultural activity was just as relevant to young people's growth.“ Youth Work staff devised a notion for similar access to a music division. Therefore, Totally Sound was born, initially accessing some industry funding that was geared towards recruiting their instrumental music tutors. Subsequently, the project has received annual funding, earning its place in the same council provision as the Open All Hours Fund. Crucially, Edinburgh Council now recognises music and sport are as equally valuable pursuits, thanks to the persistence of youth work staff.
Since 2015, their sister project Reel Youth Media has recognised how performance and digital media content creation work hand-in-hand in today’s music business. This expanded provision, affords its members the chance to create various forms of digital media content, ranging from live recordings, photography, video, graphic design to music videos. This is an ever-expanding archive that builds on Totally Sound’s output which predates RYM’s conception. Scott Wilkins confirmed, “It means that stands as a kind of testament to the work we've done. But also means that young people also have some presence on the web.” Industry professionals preach that social media presence is an asset essential to achieving and maintaining a successful career as an artist. Both this archive and the knowledge that these kids acquire through RYM suitably equips them with the necessary promotional materials to kickstart their careers and propel them into the spotlight.
Complimenting these opportunities for content creation, Reel Youth Media also offers numerous live performance opportunities. Open to all seventy members, opportunities range from performing to their peers to gracing the organisation’s own stage at the Meadows Fest or Edinburgh’s Youth Pride Stage at South Bridge Resource Centre. Throughout the annual Meadows Fest Weekend, bands consisting of TS members take to the Futures Stage to perform covers of their favourite songs, whilst simultaneously gaining both confidence and invaluable performance experience. When attending this year’s Meadows Fest, I was treated to captivating renditions of Black Sabbath and Green Day and some more modern tunes by Arctic Monkeys and TV girl to name a few.
The organisation’s reach spans beyond the 12 -19 membership age bracket. Totally Sound also conduct pathway work in areas, e.g Pentland Community Centre, where they host music groups to inspire primary school children. Wilkins provides further insight into the impact of this work stating “We're trying to develop a pathway for them in order to then start to look at coming along to our core provision at totally sound and real youth media. And of course we have staff in common across all of that provision. So that means young people are becoming familiar with the faces and the people who run the provision. And so, are comfortable when they come along to somewhere like totally sound at a big building. They know us, they recognise us, they feel comfortable with us and that helps them settle. And it helps them feel safe, helps them feel secure.” Through this sense of belonging, these children feel as though there’s always someone there who can offer them guidance and a helping hand.
For over twenty years, community has remained at the heart and soul of these projects. This became increasingly evident with each member of Totally Sound that I spoke to. One of which vouched "It's just it's so fun coming here every week. Like (it’s) genuinely the highlight of my week. I think it's because it's having a supporting environment. I feel like you don't always get that.” In addition to creating an encouraging environment, at Totally Sound, musical expression is most notably fun. Youth Worker, Liz explains “That's the key, I think to all of it actually…There's music as well, but it needs to be fun and it needs to be inclusive and welcoming and all these things.”
From beginner to pro, there are no boundaries stopping you from being a part of this infectiously loving environment. With no audition process, these projects are open to all levels, unlike most of the city’s school-aged groups and ensembles. All that is asked of participants is a musical inclination or interest. New members are most often introduced by word of mouth – another compliment to the dedicated staff. Liz expands on this “There's quite a lot of people maybe are not doing music at school. Quite a lot of people come on their own and maybe school is quite tricky for them. Here, they can make friends and find a bit of a safe space."
These projects are orchestrated to ensure that all the young creatives involved achieve their full potential, and leave inspired to pursue their own musical careers. Many Totally Sound alumni have done just that, with some former members having embarked on musical routes in further education, including at Glasgow’s prestigious Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. Moreover, Sam Fender’s current guitar technician, Fraser Fulton and Edinburgh-based Alt/Rock band The Citrenes took their musical passions beyond these regular sessions onto the live music scene. Fulton is touring the world with an Indie-Rock phenomenon while The Citrenes are gigging around Edinburgh, having headlined Sneaky Pete’s. Both cases exemplify the successes that projects as multifaceted as Totally Sound and Reel Youth Media can produce.
Other previous members haven’t strayed far from the TS community, having made a full circle journey to become Totally Sound volunteers and tutors. The kids that I spoke to championed their tutor staff as immensely helpful, kind individuals. Their expertise aids the band formation process as they suggest suitable matches based on personal musical preferences. One member of the TS band Purple Sun observed the qualities gained from being in a band, stating ”I think it teaches you a lot of people skills (and) really develops confidence”
Yes, this “incredible provision” exists due to funding, (Edinburgh; Creative Scotland’s YMI Access to Music Making Fund; Local industry partners). However, the musical mastery I witnessed is only accomplished by committed staff, working tirelessly in their relentless search for more benefactors in order to sustain this fruitful resource. Decisions regarding the futures of publicly financed creative projects sit ever more precariously in the hands of government officials. These leaders have revised budget allocations for this sector multiple times now in recent years. Currently, the Scottish Government’s Cultural Secretary has pledged to focus on the “long term development” of the creative arts sector, promising to dedicate an additional £100 million to this sphere over the coming years.
So now is the time to access this ‘gift of sound and vision’, while it is still on offer. the confidence and musicianship these projects have instilled in their alumni as teenagers has motivated them to craft their own thriving music careers. This brilliant provision fuelled by creativity, music, fun and friendship is available to you too, if you choose to access it. I cannot think of any music-based projects that are more beneficial than Totally Sound and Reel Youth Media, but get out and ask what is available in your local area. You have nothing to lose and so much to gain by joining this cohort of individuals who are truly totally sound in every way.