We caught up with ACMF Teaching Musician and music workshop maestro Dan, who runs the ACMF Music Program at the Owen Springs School located in the Alice Springs Youth Detention Centre. Dan talks to us about the effects of music on youth-at-risk and the positive impact it’s having.
“Hi, I’m Dan, ACMF Teaching Musician and Hip-Hop artist. I grew up in Buffalo, New York and now live in Alice Springs in the Northern Territory, after moving to Australia in 2005. I fell in love with Alice after accepting a job running music workshops in remote Indigenous communities and I decided to stay.
The ACMF Music Program I oversee is within the Owen Springs School which is based at the Alice Springs Youth Detention Centre. I work with young people and go through all aspects of making music including songwriting, creating a backing track, and production. We make all kinds of music but especially Hip Hop and Desert Reggae.
All students write their own lyrics as this provides the opportunity for them to tell their story in their own words. Some songs are in English while others are in local languages. We of course lend our professional opinion and help with the technical aspects of writing but mostly allow the students to explore songwriting as a personal journey. We also help the students record the song and make sure we get the best out of their recording session.
Overall, the program is therapeutic in nature and very beneficial in self-esteem building.
It’s been really rewarding seeing first-hand the positive impact the music program has had and is having on the students I teach. I had a young person that was refusing to participate in school and wouldn’t leave their room in the morning. One day the teacher promised that if he came to school the following day, he would get a chance to do a one-on-one session with me in the break between recess and lunch. That next morning, he engaged in school for the first time since being detained. We had such a great session and he recorded a reggae song in his language. He continued engaging with school and with the music program on a regular basis.
In general, there is a buzz of excitement when I arrive. There is always a list of young people who have been working hard all morning and want to make music. I love hearing the raw expression and helping them convey their ideas into something they can be proud of, and I will often hear the songs playing at full volume in the yard when I’m leaving for the day.”
📸: Xavier Martin
