Guided by a professional composer: sound collection, rhythm exploration, and simple sound design, ending in an original piece. 8 to 10 students.
How workshops run
Workshops enroll in rolling short terms: one seat lets a child rotate through 3 to 4 domains in a year, 7 to 8 weeks each, with a finished piece every session.
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Contact a course advisorFrequently Asked Questions
Can a child join without playing an instrument?
Yes, no music background is required at all. The premise of the course is that music does not only come from instruments: footsteps, rain, wind, water and the noise of a city are all usable material, and students build their pieces out of those sounds from the first session.
Is the class held in Irvine or online?
Both. EDUBUS is based in Irvine and runs Sound Lab as a small in-person group with an online section at the same time. A session covers three kinds of work: collecting sounds, exploring rhythm, and simple sound design experiments, all guided by a professional composer.
What grades in Irvine is it for?
Grades 4 to 8, in groups of 8 to 10 students. The small group matters here, because each student's recordings and work in progress get individual attention, and the composer can respond to how a particular child hears things rather than addressing the room.
Sound Lab or the Composition Workshop?
It comes down to existing background. Sound Lab requires none and starts from everyday sound, which makes it the natural entry point. The Composition Workshop assumes some music training already and works directly on melody, rhythm and harmony, ending in an original melody or short song.
What do Irvine students take next?
Once a student has the listening and making experience, either direction opens up: the Composition Workshop for original melodies and short songs, or Electronic Music Production & Mixing for arrangement, production and mixing. Both assume some music background by that point, which a term in Sound Lab helps to establish.
