School of Funk launches music program in Lynchburg – Lynchburg News and Advance

Running through March 2, the School of Funk is designed to be an immersive experience for young musicians ages 10 to 17. Participants have the opportunity to form a band, record, produce and release a song, culminating in a live performance before an audience.

“We wanted to focus on the jump to funk genre, because of it’s rhythms and live instrumentation and then the dance factor,” Camm said.

Camm, co-founder of the School of Funk, said he has a passion for providing opportunities for young people to engage with music.

“We launched a philanthropy division because we wanted to use our money to give back to some kind of cause that would better humanity,” he said. “Our goal is to introduce young performers to the world of recording, production and performance.”

The project is a result of their philanthropic endeavors aimed at supporting youth development through music education. Joining forces with Building Bridges Productions and Music Is Forever, the project brings together a team of experienced instructors, including musicians Chris Schmitt, Jimmy Jamz Young, Zack Roberson, Patrick Street, Latonya Lee and Terre Holland.

When Camm was a teenager, he remembers sneaking up the street to listen to a local R&B funk band practice.

“I was amazed that the songs I was hearing on the radio like Earth Wind & Fire, these guys were playing it just like the record,” he said. “So I got exposed to live music as a teenager and that planted the seed in me that I wanted to do that.”

The problem he sees now is that teenagers don’t get that same exposure that he once did.

“So when we put the casting call out, we didn’t know what was gonna happen and thought maybe no one would say yes but we had a lot of people responding we narrowed it down to the eight that we picked,” he said.

The project’s curriculum includes hands-on workshops, recording sessions and rehearsals aimed at honing the participants’ musical skills and fostering collaboration. Under the guidance of music producers Jordan Preston and Keith Thomas, students will learn the ins and outs of recording, producing and releasing music.

The project’s culmination will see the young musicians releasing their recorded song to the world for streaming, download and purchase, followed by a live concert performance. This hands-on experience aims to give participants a taste of what it takes to succeed in the music industry.

The students are recording a cover of the song “One Nation Under Groove” by Funkadelic and Camm said they will pose for a photo shoot and create an album cover.

“Then we’re releasing the song,” he said. “I’ve got the rights to do a covers of the song and we’re gonna release it out on all streaming platforms and downloads.”

Haley Piercy, 18, who plays electric bass, started playing at 12 years old and over the past two years has became more involved with the instrument and started taking it more seriously.

“I primarily played rock music, but in the back of my head, I knew I was at some point going to need to expand my horizons to improve,” Piercy said. “My parents heard about the School of Funk workshop through the Academy of Fine Art’s website, and they informed me of it and signed me up.”

In the workshop, the students worked on several songs and Piercy learned more about the techniques of funk and the culture it comes with.

“Going forward, we will be recording a cover of one of the songs we worked on in the workshop. From this, I hope to learn more about music production and the recording and release process,” Piercy said.

Laila Boyd, 11, said a close friend of her mom recommended her to Camm for the School of Funk project.

“I have not regretted one second of participating in this program,” she said. “My experience so far has been phenomenal these past months and I can’t wait to see what’s in store next. Not only have I enjoyed the band and singing but also meeting new people and making friends. I look forward to singing more and more in the community and learning more of the music industry.”

School of Funk plans to hold a Summer 2024 Project in a few months.

“The next step is original songs. So a couple of kids already have started on a concept for original music which will be a different process than doing the cover and then the fall and winter will focus on bringing in new kids that can be mentored by these kids,” Camm said. “So the plan is to keep this thing going into perpetuity as long as there’s some interest and involvement and people are enjoying themselves.”