“Who are we going to hear from first?”, musician Jackson Phelan announces, as a group of senior secondary students are seated in a circle in a music room at Albert Park College.
As the first notes of Freeway ring out on the speaker, the students glance at each other furtively as the crisp sounds of flute punctuate the singer’s captivating voice.
The song ends and the room erupts in thunderous applause.
Only half an hour earlier, a group were huddled in a snug recording room, putting the final touches on the track.
This is day 2 of the final Victorian SongMakers workshop for 2024, the largest songwriting in schools program in the country.
The 2-day program gives students in years 10-12 with a passion for music the chance to compose and record original music with highly acclaimed artist and producer mentors.
Run by music rights management organisation, APRA AMCOS, the program is inspired by Sweden, where embedded music education has produced the likes of ABBA and Max Martin.
Since launching in 2013, the program has taught over 5,000 young people and their teachers at more than 280 high schools nationally and created more than 1,000 original songs. Famous alumni include Taka Perry, ARIA winners Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers and Tia Gostelow.
In the 2024 and 2025 school years, SongMakers will roll out to around 60 schools across the state, thanks to $2 million in funding from the Victorian Government – the largest state-based program in the country.
The program also includes a flexible learning program, teacher professional development, holiday program events and a SongMakers Academy, where standout students attend an intensive 3-day program to produce 3 new songs.
At the Albert Park College workshop, 16 participants worked with artist/producer Elizabeth E Drummond, singer/songwriter/producer Jackson Phelan and producer Hayden Lauersen, watched on by SongMakers mentor Alice Ivy.
SongMakers Victorian Program Manager Al Parkinson said: "It’s incredibly inspiring to see the positive impact of the Victorian SongMakers program, which has been made possible thanks to the $2 million in funding from the Victorian Government.
"Albert Park College is a prime example of how these songwriting workshops are bringing students together to create original music with the guidance of industry professionals. The opportunity for students to collaborate with mentors like these is invaluable,” she said.
"Songwriting, as part of music education, not only develops musical skill but also supports literacy and numeracy, fostering creativity, critical thinking and effective communication, nurturing the next generation of songwriters and music producers across Victoria."
To hear songs from the workshops visit https://songmakers.com.au/workshops-2024/
SongMakers is funded by the Victorian Government through the Community Support Fund. The program sits alongside Creative Victoria’s Creative Learning Partnerships program, which supports artists to work in schools across the state.