Burr and Burton Academy (Manchester, VT)
- Instructor: Neil Freebern
- Location: Manchester VT
- School Profile: Rural Independent School 9-12
- Class Title(s): Foundations of Music Production; Studio Music Production; Advanced Projects in Music Production; Film Scoring; Digital DJ; Advance Composition and Arranging
- Structure of Your NTM Class(es):
Semester Program; 15-20 Students Per class; Blended Learning Classroom, multiple levels and courses meet at the same time. - Class NTM Activities: We attempt to start from where the students are by following the natural evolution of musical study:
Consumer: Where do we consume music, what tools are available beyond Spotify?
Curator: Playlist creation, DJ mixing exploration
Editor: Using DAW's to manipulate audio and midi information
Creator: Developing skills to compose, capture, mix and produce music
Engineer: Mastering
- Software Used: Logic Pro, Ableton Live, Finale, FL Studio, Ai Tools
- Hardware Used: Mac, Keyboard Controllers, Ableton Push, Pioneer DJ Decks
- History: As a music technology educator with over 25 years of experience, I have had the privilege of contributing to the growth and development of many aspiring musicians. At our school, we have establishing a state-of-the-art music studio equipped with the latest technology, including a single ISO booth, a fully-functional recording studio, and a traditional classroom equipped with cutting-edge editing software. Over the past 12 years, I have utilized technology as an effective tool for delivering instruction in a blended format, enabling me to teach multiple courses simultaneously. Our approach to music education places a strong emphasis on personalized learning, where students are able to further hone their skills after mastering the fundamentals.
- Key Success Stories to Share: Our advanced level courses offer substantial opportunities for personalized learning, allowing students to take an active role in creating their own curriculum based on their interests within the field of music education. We strive to empower students as self-directed and self-regulated learners, teaching them the skills necessary to continuously engage in their own education. As a result of this approach, we have a large number of successful graduates who enter the music industry.. Additionally, this personalized approach to learning has been shown to increase learner motivation and improve performance, as the curriculum is directly connected to each student's interests and job-related needs.
- Advice to Others Starting NTM Project: It is crucial to comprehend the fundamentals of blended learning to enable the customization of education for music production. The first step is to establish the foundational elements, familiarize students with the realm of production, and guide them towards enhancing their musical abilities through a combination of self-directed and facilitated study. Take the time to understand how students interact with information and the research process.
- Key Metrics/Data % of Students in Music Tech Classes: 10-15% of student population (700 Total Enrollment)
- Additional Comments?: As an extension of our production curriculum, we have also developed an electro acoustic ensemble outside of school that performs and records on a regular basis.
- Date Submitted: 11 Feb 2023