Testimonials

I recently had the privilege of welcoming Powys from Songcraft Academy into my band class to introduce my students to an aspect of modern music we don’t typically cover—digital music production. Given that some of my former students have even earned income from producing beats, I knew this was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up. While many students may not continue playing traditional instruments after this year, learning a transferable music skill, like digital production, allows them to explore and engage with the genres they already love.

Powys was phenomenal in every sense. His warm, approachable demeanor instantly resonated with my students, and he effortlessly connected with them on a personal level. His passion for Hip-Hop, songwriting, and music production shone through every minute of his presentation. Despite the limited time, Powys packed in a variety of engaging activities, from guiding the students through object writing exercises to facilitating the collaborative creation of an original song—all in a matter of minutes!

The next day, my students couldn’t stop talking about the experience. Some of their feedback included:

“Powys was so knowledgeable! When I went home, I immediately jumped on bandlab.com and started producing my own music. I didn’t realize how accessible it was!”
“Powys had so much rizz! He was so easy to connect with and brought such a great vibe to the class.”
“It was so much fun! I wish we had more time and individual tech so we could create our own songs alongside him.”

Powys not only shared his expertise, but he also left a lasting impression on many students. His ability to blend professionalism with authenticity made the session both inspiring and relatable. While we only scratched the surface of what digital music production has to offer, he provided the spark that I know will encourage some students to dive deeper on their own.

I would absolutely invite Powys back, and next time, I’ll ensure we have more technology available so students can engage even further. If you're looking to connect with your students through the music they listen to, I highly recommend Songcraft Academy. Thank you, Powys and Songcraft Academy, for an outstanding session!

***

Our Grade 6s and 7s were totally engaged start to finish with Powys’ song crafting workshop. He brings an unmatched energy and a positive message to our most impressionable youth. He provided a safe space to bring some of our quieter students out of their shells, while at the same time, giving our extroverted students a creative platform to channel their energy and express themselves in a new way. I highly recommend Powys’ workshops to all teachers and parents who are looking to provide a fresh new experience and opportunity for creativity to their kids. Thanks Powys!

***

We had the privilege of having Powys visit our classes at Tecumseh, and it was an incredibly enriching experience for the students. He introduced the kids to BandLab, a powerful website for music creation, teaching them how to use its features with ease. The students were immediately engaged, and it was clear that Powys has a gift for making the process of music creation accessible and fun. He also led a fantastic session on creative writing and the use of the five senses to inspire music. Powys encouraged the students to experiment with different beats, rhythms, and sounds, emphasizing the importance of creativity and exploration in the music-making process. The kids were inspired to think outside the box, using their imaginations to create unique and beautiful pieces of music.

Overall, we couldn't have asked for a better workshop. Powys was patient, inspiring, and brought out the best in each student. We look forward to more opportunities to create and learn with him in the future!

***

Powys recently came and ran a workshop with my grade 4 and my grade 5 students. It was such a dynamic and unique learning experience for all of us! Powys is an engaging facilitator who inspires creativity and optimism in our youth. My students learned how to use online resources to create beats and add lyrics that resonated with them. Our class created a song that was full of personality and representative of our community. All students were able to participate and felt a sense of ownership towards the music that we created together. Many students were eager to share this experience with their family and friends, and to continue exploring the world of song making in their own lives!

***

Questions

Here we look to answer the often wondered questions about SCA

Why should my kid make music? There's no money in that!

Well, there certainly is money in music. There are loads of opportunities to earn in the music business. Many artists aim for global fame and stadium tours and the money and validation that comes with that, but being a famous musician is only one avenue.

Other avenues include writing music for sync placements (Film, TV, commercials), performing live originals or cover songs, online content creation, selling music to consumers, writing songs for others, selling beats to other artists, teaching, selling merchandise, etc.

Most importantly, there is more to music than making money! If someone enjoys making music, and can remain in a flow state, it will sharpen their concentration and stretch their attention span. Continued, focused attention is central to success in songcrafting, and it's a trait that helps people in any walk of life.

Also, one of the easiest and most socially acceptable ways to feel and release emotions is through music. Whether it’s a classic song someone has loved their whole life or a demo they've created using instruments that guide their feelings and make them feel seen, music is foundational to emotional healing.

Making music, for so many across human history, has led to healing, friendship, networking and an enjoyment of life.

How expensive is the software?

We will be using Bandlab which is free and contains loads of royalty free loops (melodies and beats that are free to use, even for published songs). It is the most accessible music creation software as it is available on the Apple and Google play stores as well as web browsers.

Why do the instructors care about youth learning music?

We cannot understate the love of music we have at Songcraft Academy. It's an emotional toolkit, a guiding light, a form of journaling, a reason to have self respect and be proud of yourself and also, sometimes it sounds good!

Going through the portfolio of our own music makes us reflect on how far we've come.

By opening a laptop or an app, clicking, dragging and cutting a few things, writing some words to it, recording it and playing with the effects, we can create something, a work of art, that gives us self esteem for as long as computers work (until our skills expand so far and we look back at old works and wince, but that's another story...).

Giving the youth the chance to earn self-respect through making music would be the highest honour any staff at Songcraft Academy.

What are your thoughts on the music industry today?

While unique, the music industry is going through a similar transition period like many industries. Influenced by the rise in importance of social media and 'virality', music and songs have changed; songs are shorter to try to boost stream numbers, social media algorithms promote conflict and most musicians are also content creators for Instagram, TikTok and SnapChat.

Our thoughts? So be it. We can control what we can. Is it ideal that a song needs some sort of conflict or controversial opinion to pop off online? No. Has the music business ever been a true meritocracy? Not really. It's a game. The highest masters of the art are able to satisfy the cultural needs (give record labels what they want or satisfy the criteria for going viral) while still getting their message across. (See: swimming pools by Kendrick Lamar)

Let's make the best art we can with the best tools and personnel available and see where the chips fall. We'll respond accordingly.