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press

The Guardian

Spotify News Room

Spotify News Room

DJing formally offered at GCSE: a challenge to a 'colonialised curriculum'

Spotify News Room

Spotify News Room

Spotify News Room

Spotify Tests Video-Based Learning Courses in the UK

Music Week

Spotify News Room

Music Week

Music education platform Whatclass launches to change 'fragmented' landscape

Billboard

Billboard

Music Week

How Will New Artists Learn to Navigate the Music Business?

UCL

Billboard

MusicTech

Shaping Futures: Redefining Music Education for a Modern Era

MusicTech

Billboard

MusicTech

Founders of Spotify’s music-learning partner launch new artist-to-artist learning platform, WHATCLASS

UCL Shaping Futures research

Check out this great video

Music for Inclusion and Healing in Schools and Beyond

Contributor: Austen Smart // Author: Dr Pete Dale

Contemporary popular musics such as hip hop, techno, grime, EDM, drill, house and so on are among the most listened to in the world and yet, typically, they are barely covered in the music classroom if at all.


This needs to be better reflected in educational, cultural, and social terms. In wider society, these musics are often treated as if they are the causative for the social dysfunction that, in fact, they merely reflect. At the same time, projects, programmes and practices of such contemporary popular musics can and have supported wellness and healing.


Editors Pete Dale, Pamela Burnard, and Raphael Travis Jr. argue that there is huge potential here for enhanced inclusion. Music for Inclusion and Healing in Schools and Beyond explains that when this music is included in the school curriculum or utilised in therapeutic contexts, huge leaps in healing and wellness can be achieved, as well as educational attainment and enjoyment in school contexts. This unique book seeks to account for those positive impacts, theorise them and help to extend and advance their impact.


Contributing authors, including Austen Smart invite readers to re-think the possibilities and potentials for contemporary popular musics to gain the prestige that their actual popularity would suggest they should already command.


The various contributors of this book are from diverse ethnic, social and academic backgrounds, and this title includes several chapters from practitioners who have not written about the work they do before now. Readers will learn not only about the impact of projects that utilize such music but also ideas about how that impact can best be measured.

FutureDJs: How to DJ (Theory)

Authors: Scott Smart, Austen Smart, Tom Dent

FutureDJs: How to DJ is the ideal resource for anyone interested in the alchemy of mixing records. Perfect for the aspiring student with no prior knowledge as well as DJs looking to extend their skills and explore new genres.


This complete guide covers all the technical foundations for DJ-ing in any genre or style, from fundamental skills such as beat-matching right through to using effects, scratching and beat-juggling.


Featuring clear step-by-step instructions, stunning diagrams, at-a-glance guides to genres and packed with comments from professional DJs, this book will inspire and guide you through the creative and thrilling techniques required to become a FutureDJ. Every skill can be practised over and over in a range of genres from House, Techno and Trance to Grime, Trap, Hip-hop and Drum and Bass. 


“At last, a comprehensive and authentic book on the art of DJ-ing. The FutureDJs team have delivered a must-have book for anyone aspiring to become a DJ or enhance their existing skills.” Mark Brown (Cr2 Records) 


“This brilliant handbook will help you to develop your skills, musical understanding and sense of what makes DJ-ing unique, exciting and important as a modern musical skill. Dig in and enjoy.” Dr Pete Dale 

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