The Wisconsin Conservatory of Music is offering people a chance to see and experience how a song is written and recorded at their MusicCreation Station at Summerfest. Mike Standall and Mitch Shiner, instructors at the conservatory, are bringing recording equipment, a variety of instruments and microphones to the Summerfest grounds and inviting people to join them in creating music.
The Wisconsin Conservatory of Music has been around for 125 years now. Shiner explains that the conservatory has shifted its focus to electronic and digital music in addition to acoustic instruments and voice. "And this is a pretty big deal for our community, to have this kind of region, this kind of music, it's pretty cool," Shiner says.
The MusiCreation project is designed to be inclusive, no matter the skill level. Everything from the tempo to the key of the song was selected to be approachable. "One thing about this, we don't want anybody to feel intimidated by the technology or the music," Standall explains.
The instructors say they worked hard to make the experience interactive. Shiner says that getting the audience involved by recording in real time makes the process more relatable. "So we are really able to kind of demystify some of the things that go on behind the glass, I guess, and bring that to our community in a really accessible way," Shiner says.
For Standall, music creation isn't just done in a studio anymore. "Just to get in and start creating can be immediate, and that's something we want to get across to the community and offer them an opportunity to study with us," he says.
