Band hits the road to spread word to students about Brierley Hill music institute
A group of musicians who have toured the world will be hitting the road on a UK tour to showcase the possibilities at new Dudley music institute Resonance.
The Resonance Roadshow band will visit colleges up and down the country to show prospective students what the brand new state-of-the-art music institute in Brierley Hill is all about.
Based at the Waterfront, Resonance will be opening the doors to its first cohort of students in 2020 and it kicks off its roadshow with local colleges Halesowen College and Walsall College.
Organisers of the roadshow will use the tour to highlight careers available in the music industry - many of which are covered by the degree courses on offer at the centre.
Co-director Rick Benton, who currently plays keyboard with West Midlands icons Magnum, has assembled a band of musicians to help demonstrate how Resonance could kick-start a career in the music industry.
Singer with the roadshow band is Samantha Dorrance, 27, who while being a singer/songwriter in her own right, is also a children’s TV presenter and face of the Disney Channel.
She is joined by guitarist Greg Platt Lake, a session musician who has been working professionally since leaving school at the age of 16, and has worked all over the world with acts such as Steve Winwood and Robert Plant.
They will be joined by session drummers Lloyd Draker and Richard Kirk, who has played with the likes of Scorpions guitarist Uli Jon Roth, Limehouse Lizzy and the Grey Goose Blues Band; bassist Dan Clark who has played alongside Steve Vai, Scott Matthews and Beverley Knight; and Rick himself on the keys.
“We’re all looking forward to packing up our instruments into the back of a van and heading off around the country to spread the word of Resonance,” said Rick.
“For us it’ll be like gigging as many of us have done for years, but these roadshows will be a unique way for us to demonstrate to young people considering a career in music how great coming to Resonance will be for them.
"It will be one of the best institutes of its kind in the country and I have no doubt that a lot of people will thrive in the learning environment we are creating.”
As well as performing songs and engaging students in music techniques, the sessions will also aim to provide a wider picture about careers in music.
“One of the things we are keen to stress here at Resonance is that while a career on stage is something that many will aspire too, there are lots of other careers in music you can follow,” said David Barnard, fellow co-director at Resonance.
“From the expertise needed for a live show to happen, to things like music teaching, the opportunities within the industries are endless.
"The point of these shows is to show the students that whatever their ambition is within music, Resonance can help them achieve it.”
Resonance will be offering degree courses in Popular Music Performance, Popular Music Production, Popular Music Performance and Production, Digital Music and Music Business from 2020.
Councillor Ian Kettle, cabinet member for regeneration and enterprise at Dudley Council, said: “The roadshows are the start of an exciting journey which will bring hundreds of students to the new music institute in the borough, really putting Dudley on the national map.
“Resonance will be at the heart of DY5, Dudley’s Business and Innovation Enterprise Zone, and will massively boost both our local and regional economy.”
Alan Tyler, Curriculum Manager for Creative Industries at Walsall College, added: “The Resonance Roadshow band are a great example of the types of career journeys that our students can aspire to.
“The increase in the number of people working as performance, production and technical artists over the last decade inevitably means further demand for the specialist skills to fulfil these roles.
"It’s exciting that local students will have the opportunity to further develop their talents beyond Level 3 and wider their understanding of the industry.”
Jacquie Carman, Director of Finance and Corporate Services at Halesowen College, said: “We are delighted to welcome the Roadshow to inspire our learners to pursue a career in the music industry.
"The courses on offer in September 2020 provide excellent progression routes for our Level 3 music students.”
To find out more information visit www.resonance-edu.org, search ‘Resonance Education’ on social media or email info@resonance-edu.org
