Young Learners Go For Gold

To look at Gavin and Lewis today you would never believe that little over a year ago these two young men had been flagged up as being at risk of underachieving and predicted low grades at GCSE. Today they are on their way to achieving a Gold Arts Award (which is the equivalent of an A Level qualification!) and are making their own tracks which they play in some of the most prestigious night clubs in Leeds on the under 18’s circuit, building up a loyal and dedicated following under their DJ name The Bassline Brothers. Their entrepreneurial spirit has seen the boys go from strength to strength, securing their own gigs in and around Leeds and even one in the South of England!

Gavin Smith is a Year 11 pupil at Swallow Hill Community College and met Lewis Smith, a Year 10 pupil from Abbey Grange outside of school. They were bound together by their similar taste in music, a passion to learn about the music industry and a united sense that the traditional curriculum was not teaching them what they wanted to learn. Both approached their teachers and requested to come to Interplay one day a week for the Tools for the Trade program. The boys began attending the sessions on Thursdays, working closely with lead artist and professional musician Lee Smith in the recording studio. The dedication and passion for learning they showed meant that they progressed quickly through the modules, learning degree standard studio skills such as recording bands, mixing and mastering techniques, music theory, as well as an insight into how the music industry works.

Gavin and Lewis now run their own afternoon teaching sessions as part of their Arts Award qualification with a group of Year 10 students showing them how to produce their own tracks. The boys are learning how to plan a lesson, deliver sessions effectively and achieve targets and objectives with their learners.

Gavin is preparing to take his GCSE exams and will be leaving school in July. His plans for the future include producing music and continuing to DJ in the clubs of Leeds. He has been offered a conditional place on Leeds College of Music’s Music Technology and Production course. Lewis is a Year 10 student so will be returning to Interplay for another year on the Tools for the Trade Program. He will assume a mentor role within the program helping newer learners learn the skills and techniques he has mastered this year.

Gavin and Lewis are both focused, ambitious young men who have, against all the odds, triumphed and made a successful enterprise out of their love of playing and producing music. They both say that attending sessions at Interplay has given them a boost of confidence in their ability to be successful within the music industry and the focus and determination to stick to their goals.

Executive Director Jude Wright says of the boys success “Gav and Lewis have achieved fantastic things this year and the company are extremely proud of how hard they have worked. They have shown outstanding leadership skills and really moulded the course to get as much out of this year as they can. We are excited to see what great things they will go on to achieve as The Bassline Brothers and in their own individual music projects. I have no doubt that these are two to watch!”

Interplay has a reputation for working with hard to reach young people in and around Armley for the past 40 years. Tools for the Trade started as a vocational training program for young people who were at risk of underachieving or becoming NEET (Not in Education Employment or Training) whilst at school. Learners work in small groups with professional artists, exploring music, drama and film as a route back in to education, learning new skills and in turn raising their self esteem. Young people leave Interplay with renewed self belief and confidence in their abilities which can be taken back into school.