Education and Contemporary Urban Music: DJ skills and more. Workshop 3 from Contemporary Urban Music for Inclusion Network (CUMIN)

Contemporary urban musics (hip-hop, grime, contemporary R&B, EDM and more) are arguably the most listened to musics in the world (The Independent), with an estimated global audience of 1.5 billion for dance/electronic music (IMS report 2019). Nonetheless, hip-hop is ‘frequently excluded’ from even popular music education (Journal of Popular Music Education, 2(1/2)), let alone the mainstream music curriculum.

In the UK, the current National Curriculum for Music places emphasis on ‘music from great composers and musicians’. Some rock and pop has found a place in schools over recent decades, but contemporary urban music (a far more ethnically/ racially diverse music, typically) remains marginalised, not only in schools but also in mainstream culture.

This workshop, held in the Department of Music at the University of Leeds, brings together a range of experts on DJ education, hip hop and more to explore the state of the field today not only in the UK but around the world. The day begins with a Keynote presentation from Alinka Greasley of University of Leeds, who is unusual in that she continues to play regularly with orchestras and other ‘classical’ ensembles and yet, on other nights of the week, she can be found DJing as ‘DJ Linkz’.

This will be followed by a practical demonstration from DJ educator Jim Reiss (DJ School UK) explaining a range of DJ skills and the ways they can be used productively and effectively for teaching and learning in both schools and extra-scholastic environments.

An international set of speakers then explores the variations of hip hop in China (Ya-Hui Cheng, University of South Florida), in Mexico (David Guardado) and Sweden (Johan Söderman, University of Gothenburg) mixing educational foci with some analysis of the music itself from Dr. Cheng.

A panel discussion follows this looking at DJ education from the point of view of school-based teachers (from the Pupil Referral Unit to the mainstream school) and peripatetic DJ experts, featuring Austen Smart (Future DJs/Virtuoso), Adam Bell (Springwell Academy, a specialist school for young people with SEMH needs), Pete Dale (academic and former school-based music teacher) and Jim Reiss (DJ School UK).

The day concludes with a performance from Mr Switch and members of his orchestral group Symphonica, alongside University of Leeds student musicians.

Free sandwiches and snacks will be available at 6pm, at which point the (paying) bar will also open and tea/coffee will be available at several points during the day.

If you prefer to join us virtually, please use this link instead https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/education-and-contemporary-urban-music-dj-skills-and-more-virtual-sign-up-tickets-390031042347