CDR, a black-led community-first music organisation with a deep heritage in the UK’s grassroots electronic music scene, are launching a new project called Process to celebrate and develop women, non-binary and trans music makers…
Taking the lead from the real life experiences of women and marginalised genders in the music industry, aiming to tackle the challenges and barriers they face, with a strong focus on learning music technology and inspiring a new generation of music makers.
Process will take a group of aspiring producers to the next level through a month-long programme taking place in London across February/March 2024. Targeted workshops, masterclasses and direct mentoring from leading practitioners will help new and experienced music makers alike to achieve their goals.
This will be a welcoming inclusive space to ask questions, develop existing skills and to learn new ones, whilst building networks with other participants, mentors and the CDR community. It will offer practical, technical and emotional support, built around participants’ specific needs and aspirations. It will be completely free of charge for participants.
Photo: Kat Friar
Tony Nwachukwu, CDR Founder and Director said: “I’m really glad to be taking this important next step in CDR’s journey. It’s clear to everyone in the industry that the music production space is still far too male dominated and we’ve been thinking for some time about how we can best use our position to tackle that. Over lockdown, we undertook some amazing roundtable discussions with inspiring female practitioners in the CDR community and got their input on what would be most helpful. This project is the result of that process – a proactive, targeted attempt to push towards an equitable, diverse industry where everyone can develop to their full potential.”
THE PROGRAMME:
The programme will be arranged around three distinct streams, which participants choosing their preferred focus area depending on their experience level and goals:
- CREATE: HOW TO CREATE MUSIC!
For those at the very start of their music journey – an impactful course giving you the foundations of producing music.
- DEFINE: HOW TO PERFORM MUSIC!
For those who are confident producing and want to move from the bedroom to the stage – hands-on training on how to perform your music.
- RELEASE: HOW TO RELEASE MUSIC!
For those who want to get their music out into the world – targeted support in developing your artistic identity and release plans.
THE MENTORS:
Process will be led by three brilliant mentors, experienced female practitioners from the CDR community with unique experience to support participants in each of the three streams:
Mel Uye Parker – Mentor for the ‘Create’ stream
Mel is a songwriter, vocalist, and electronic music producer who’s studied music both academically and through Manchester’s vibrant music scene. She refined her distinct fusion of soul, folk, and trip-hop, leading to collaborations with the likes of Yesking (BBE), Rae & Christian (Late Night Tales). She is also an experienced music educator who has lectured at Berklee College of Music, Point Blank Music School, and Guildhall School of Music & Drama. Most recently, she ran the Master’s in Creative Music Production at the Institute of Contemporary Music Performance and is a certified trainer for Ableton.
Pops Roberts – Mentor for the ‘Define’ stream
Pops is a producer, vocalist and Ableton Certified trainer specialising in workflow and creative strategies in production with a particular focus on vocalists in production. Pops has worked and mentored for establishments such as the Arts Council, Saffron Records and Create Define Release along with multiple other CICs and brands. As a producer and vocalist/topline composer Pops goes by the moniker of Private Joy and is bandleader to the ‘Love scene’ collective, with critically acclaimed, and award-winning releases with labels such as WOLF Music, International Feel Ibiza, Apollo R&S, Audio network and many more. Pops has collaborated with artists all over the world such as Ruf Dug, FINN, Lenzman Mera Bhai, Zed Bias, DubPhizix, Redeyes and Swing Ting to name a few.
Ruby Savage – Mentor for the ‘Release’ Stream
Ruby is a London based DJ and Music & Culture Curator. She has a BA in Production Design from the Dutch Film & Television Academy and an MA in Photography and Urban Culture from Goldsmiths University. Ruby has worked with record labels Honest Jon’s and Sound Signature and founded Wildheart Recordings. Her stewardship as label manager and creative director at Brownswood Recordings (2016-20) was instrumental to the label’s growing success earning her a ‘Best Vinyl Art’ nomination in 2020. During the pandemic she founded Artist Recovery Club where she facilitates creative healing and artistic discovery through courses and workshops. The platform continues to grow as a space for like minded people to connect, inspire, and gently challenge and unblock their inner artist.
THE APPLICATION PROCESS:
To apply to be a part of this project, prospective participants can fill in an application form here before 10pm on Sunday 17th December. Applications will be reviewed by a panel made up from the CDR team and the three mentors.
As this is the first phase of this project, and budgets to support travel are limited, the course is initially on offer to London based individuals with the ambition to grow the project to support producers around the country in the years to come.
If you need additional help or would like more information, please contact Kacherelle Brown – Kacherelle@createdefinerelease.com
ABOUT CDR:
CDR is a black-led community-first music organisation with a deep heritage in the UK’s grassroots electronic music scene. We are a community made up of generations of music producers, practitioners and fans. Our purpose is to nurture independent music makers and progress black electronic music across many genres: from Hip-hop to Brokenbeat, Techno to Jazz, Garage to Grime and the many fusions in between. We work with children and young people in schools and youth centres, as well as the older heads in clubs and venues. London based with an increasing national & international footprint, we’re operating in towns and cities around the country and the world, from Bristol to Nairobi. In April 2023 we became an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation, which means funding thanks to taxpayers plays a huge part in supporting our work and projects like Process.
