Twenty years ago, Bobby Griffith died instantly when he threw himself off an overpass, unable to reconcile his self-loathing and his religious mother’s determined quest to heal his homosexuality.
Posts Tagged ‘youth’
Jason Mannino: Emmy Nominated Prayers For Bobby Saving Lives of LGBT Youth
July 22nd, 2009 |
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Melody machine
July 17th, 2009 |
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By Jason Palmer
Science and technology reporter, BBC News
A music-making game and technology installation that allows anyone to create a music track and video in just six minutes has been unveiled.
Youth Music Box allows four people – of any age and musical ability – to play electronic instruments and collaborate on digital music projects.
Finished pieces are uploaded to a music sharing website.
The system has been developed by music charity Youth Music and was unveiled at London’s Southbank Centre on Friday.
It will remain in the capital until September, when it will travel to Bristol and then Gateshead.
The project is to celebrate the 10th birthday of the Lottery-funded charity, which exists to get children up to the age of 18 interested in music.
Many children first presented with an opportunity to make music are daunted by the complexity of playing a traditional instrument.
"We’ve found that for a lot of kids that their first go at making music is via technology," explained Youth Music’s Michelle James, "and over the last couple of years that has meant kids playing console games like Wii Music and Rock Band."
"It’s kind of a rhythmic game with a musical output"
Nathan Prince
Silent Studios
"We did some research that demonstrated that a large proportion of those young people trying out music games were inspired to go off and learn an instrument.
"We were looking for a way to capture that and make it available publicly over the summer holiday so loads of kids can come in and try it out."
Youth Music contacted music-based design agency Silent Studios and interactive artist Chris O’Shea to come up with a project in which kids of any age can make music, without having any training.
Audio+visual
Inside the box is a seamless mix of high-tech instruments built into a round table: two electronic keyboards, electronic drums, and a digital turntable.
Four people sit down at the table and are offered six music genres to choose from to make their song, providing them with a basic rhythm to start with.
"We did a lot of testing with this and for non-musicians, if it’s just about playing an instrument they get turned off really quickly," said Nathan Prince, Silent Studios’ creative director.
"They don’t know to structure a song or to write a melody. I didn’t know how to create a beat, for example. So you need a certain amount that’s a given that you can paint on top of."
What makes the instruments playable for anyone – and the resulting music to sound good with ease – is that the rhythms, percussion, and instrumental and vocal samples have been recorded by 15 professional musicians.
Each key on the keyboard launches samples that fit the chosen genre and were written to work together melodically.
"It’s kind of a rhythmic game with a musical output," said Mr Prince.
Adding to the experience are the visual effects that happen in the middle of the table as the instruments are played. Each sound is accompanied by a stream or explosion of colourful pixels near the instrument, projected onto the table from above.
"We really wanted something that had a real audio-visual effect.
"We felt that if it was just music alone, it was just half the story," Mr Prince said.
After two minutes of practice with the instruments, recording begins and remotely controlled cameras in the box film the proceedings.
During the one-minute recording, two technicians behind the scenes do a live video and audio mix, making a complete music video that is uploaded straight to the Youth Music website.
"It’s almost like [a theme park] where you get a photo at the end of the ride – we wanted to do that in a way that’s more shareable."</p
This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
Music made simple by machine
July 17th, 2009 |
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By Jason Palmer
Science and technology reporter, BBC News
A music-making game and technology installation that allows anyone to create a music track and video in just six minutes has been unveiled.
Youth Music Box allows four people – of any age and musical ability – to play electronic instruments and collaborate on digital music projects.
Finished pieces are uploaded to a music sharing website.
The system has been developed by music charity Youth Music and was unveiled at London’s Southbank Centre on Friday.
It will remain in the capital until September, when it will travel to Bristol and then Gateshead.
The project is to celebrate the 10th birthday of the Lottery-funded charity, which exists to get children up to the age of 18 interested in music.
Many children first presented with an opportunity to make music are daunted by the complexity of playing a traditional instrument.
"We’ve found that for a lot of kids that their first go at making music is via technology," explained Youth Music’s Michelle James, "and over the last couple of years that has meant kids playing console games like Wii Music and Rock Band."
"It’s kind of a rhythmic game with a musical output"
Nathan Prince
Silent Studios
"We did some research that demonstrated that a large proportion of those young people trying out music games were inspired to go off and learn an instrument.
"We were looking for a way to capture that and make it available publicly over the summer holiday so loads of kids can come in and try it out."
Youth Music contacted music-based design agency Silent Studios and interactive artist Chris O’Shea to come up with a project in which kids of any age can make music, without having any training.
Audio+visual
Inside the box is a seamless mix of high-tech instruments built into a round table: two electronic keyboards, electronic drums, and a digital turntable.
Four people sit down at the table and are offered six music genres to choose from to make their song, providing them with a basic rhythm to start with.
"We did a lot of testing with this and for non-musicians, if it’s just about playing an instrument they get turned off really quickly," said Nathan Prince, Silent Studios’ creative director.
"They don’t know to structure a song or to write a melody. I didn’t know how to create a beat, for example. So you need a certain amount that’s a given that you can paint on top of."
What makes the instruments playable for anyone – and the resulting music to sound good with ease – is that the rhythms, percussion, and instrumental and vocal samples have been recorded by 15 professional musicians.
Each key on the keyboard launches samples that fit the chosen genre and were written to work together melodically.
"It’s kind of a rhythmic game with a musical output," said Mr Prince.
Adding to the experience are the visual effects that happen in the middle of the table as the instruments are played. Each sound is accompanied by a stream or explosion of colourful pixels near the instrument, projected onto the table from above.
"We really wanted something that had a real audio-visual effect.
"We felt that if it was just music alone, it was just half the story," Mr Prince said.
After two minutes of practice with the instruments, recording begins and remotely controlled cameras in the box film the proceedings.
During the one-minute recording, two technicians behind the scenes do a live video and audio mix, making a complete music video that is uploaded straight to the Youth Music website.
"It’s almost like [a theme park] where you get a photo at the end of the ride – we wanted to do that in a way that’s more shareable."</p
This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
Antonio Villaraigosa: Summer Night Lights
July 16th, 2009 |
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Last summer, our City came forward with a simple — yet radical — idea. For two months, we dared to challenge the conventional wisdom that gun violence and gang battles plague the summer months.
Hughes continues pursuit of Terry
July 15th, 2009 |
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Manchester City manager Mark Hughes has reignited his interest in Chelsea captain John Terry.
City had a recent £30m bid for the 28-year-old England defender, a product of Chelsea’s youth scheme, rejected.
"We think we could offer him a different challenge," said Hughes, who saw Terry as a youngster when the ex-Wales boss was a striker at Chelsea.
"When you have been with a club a long time, you get to a point when a change of scenery could reignite you."
Hughes spent the majority of his career at Manchester United before moving to Chelsea in 1995 for £1.5m.
He scored 39 goals in 123 appearances over three seasons for the west London club, while Terry was coming through the youth system.
"I have fantastic respect for John Terry, ever since I saw him as a young player when I was at Chelsea as a player myself," added Hughes.
"He’s a great player and an outstanding captain but he’s very much a Chelsea player at this moment in time."
City have reportedly offered Terry a £200,000-a-week deal, but Hughes stressed that money would not be the deciding factor.
606: DEBATEBBC Sport’s Peter Scrivener
"It’s not a question of finance, or money, it is about a different challenge," he said.
"It is about John being at a different stage in his life and career, and maybe that is why there hasn’t been a response (to commit himself to Chelsea) because John is seriously thinking in those terms.
"I went through that process as a player and I can understand if that is the way he is thinking." </p
This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
Patrick Ryan: Chicago Games: Benefits Far Outweigh the Risks
July 14th, 2009 |
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The greatest risk we face is not taking advantage of this unique opportunity to engage and enrich Chicago’s children by hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Cook County Holding $2M In Fees Intended For Youth Courts
July 13th, 2009 |
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If you’ve pleaded guilty to something like running a stop sign or speeding in Cook County in the last year you’ve probably had to pay a $135 in court fees. Some of the fees are earmarked for programs like drug court, mental health court and yo…
Youth Radio — Youth Media International: Super Intentions at Oakland Public Schools
July 11th, 2009 |
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Originally published on Youthradio.org, the premier source for youth generated news throughout the globe. By: Pendarvis Harshaw With unprecedented budget woes, the state of California…