SUPAJAM
“ WE TEACH THEM ALL ABOUT THE MUSIC INDUSTRY, EVERY LEVEL OF IT, FROM PUTTING ON GIGS TO MARKETING, SOUND RECORDING AND PODCASTING.”
When asked if there is room for further growth Stillwell says,“ We think there’ s room for another two or three SupaJams in London, and then after that we’ ll start to look at how we can grow this out nationally.”
Music as community
For staff and students alike, music is someth that goes way beyond education.“ Music has so much cultural and historical relevance to various movements and freedom and expression. It crosses cultures, ethnicities, sexuality, background. It is a language that we can all speak,” says SupaJam teacher Tom Johnston.
He says that for students, that universality matters because music often becomes the first point of connection, both to each other and to learning itself.
“ I love any kind of music,” says Alfie.“ That passion came from a young age, from when I was an infant, hearing my first sounds. I was thinking,‘ wow, all these little sounds’. Then I got into school and I started finding my love for music learning. I always had music around me.”
“ Music is a great leveller,” says Court.“ You come in your tribe and you’ re into metal and you see somebody who’ s maybe into a genre of music that you hate, but actually most songs have an intro, verse and a chorus … the language of music is universal.”
Music enables the students to come together and connect in ways that would not be possible at a regular school. Despite the diverse tastes of the students, which Court says range from heavy metal lovers to Disney lovers, ideas are enthusiastically exchanged and the creativity often proves contagious. With a community there to support and help the students grow, SupaJam illustrates the universal truth that music brings people together.
Looking ahead
A key element of SupaJam is preparing its students for the real-world. The syllabus is not only music-focused but also designed to equip the students with key practical knowledge of the outside world.
“ We also do a preparation adulthood syllabus as well,” explains Court.“ We teach them all about life beyond college.”
In a single day, students at SupaJam might learn how to play a bar chord on the guitar and gain an understanding of the key principles behind a rental contract, reflecting the breadth of the organisation ' s curriculum.
Ultimately though, music reigns at SupaJam, and music performances are not confined to the walls of the colleges.
Tee’ s Black Deer Festival, which ceased operating last year, hosted a stage dedicated to SupaJam and its students. Playing at a festival provided the students with valuable experience of public performance, and helped aid their career progression.
Says Court,“ When they went to Black Deer, and they saw all these amazing artists, and the power of storytelling with country music and Americana music, you would get that penny drop moment where they ' d go,‘ I now know what I want to do for the rest of my life.’”
Alfie has exprienced firsthand the opportunities and progression SupaJam offers.
He says,“ I’ ve worked with a student who is now signed to Marshall Records and touring this summer. It shows how far you can go in the industry, and the impact that SupaJam can have.”
Tee says that for everyone involved, and particularly with the opening of the new college, now is the time to push the message even further among the live events and music industry. She believes that getting more students involved not only in performing but in areas like production, content and event management, will be a crucial step.
Stillwell sums up SupaJam’ s mission:“ Our job is to bash down the doors of the music industry and encourage people to take on our students. They are brilliant, they have a skill, and they’ re all wonderful people, they just need that opportunity.”
accessaa. co. uk 47