Music

This hands-on program introduces artists to the world of digital music creation and soundscapes. Participants will explore sound fundamentals, digital tools, beat-making, melodic design, and audio layering techniques. Each session includes interactive activities, collaborative projects, and creative experimentation with both traditional and unconventional sounds. By the end of the program, participants will have created their own unique soundscapes and compiled a digital portfolio of their work. No prior experience is required—just curiosity and a willingness to explore sound in new ways! 

No prior experience required! NaAC Sound Haven  is for people 16 and older and is open to mixed-ability participants and community members.   

The skills that you will be acquiring from this class are techniques for sound recognition, digital music production, rhythm creation, recording, and collaborative composition. 

You will enjoy this class if you love experimenting with sound, creating music digitally, or exploring new ways to express creativity through audio. 

Register here: accessarts.ca/whats-on/sound-haven

SJ Obatusin is a musician, producer, and audio engineer with a deep passion for fostering creativity through music and sound. With over 15 years of experience in music production, recording, and composition, he brings a wealth of knowledge to the NaAC’s music programming, aiming to introduce artists to the world of digital audio, production, and sound design.

SJ has experience teaching and leading workshops with artists of all skill levels. He believes in adapting his teaching methods to meet the needs of each participant, ensuring accessibility and engagement. His goal is to create a welcoming environment where artists feel empowered to explore sound, experiment with new ideas, and express themselves through music. 

This program guides artists through the exciting process of crafting original songs in a fun and collaborative environment. Participants will explore song structure, lyric writing, melody creation, and performance techniques through hands-on activities and group collaborations. Each week offers new opportunities to create, refine, and share music, culminating in the recording of original compositions. 

No prior experience required! Verse, Hook & Harmony is for people 16 and older and is open to mixed-ability participants and community members.

Artists will develop skills in lyric writing, melody and rhythm creation, song structuring, and performance. They will also learn basic recording techniques and gain confidence in presenting their work. 

You will enjoy this class if you love writing songs, exploring musical ideas with others, or bringing your stories to life through music. 

Register here: accessarts.ca/whats-on/verse-hook-harmony

About the Instructor:

SJ Obatusin is a musician, producer, and audio engineer with a deep passion for fostering creativity through music and sound. With over 15 years of experience in music production, recording, and composition, he brings a wealth of knowledge to the NaAC’s music programming, aiming to introduce artists to the world of digital audio, production, and sound design.

SJ has experience teaching and leading workshops with artists of all skill levels. He believes in adapting his teaching methods to meet the needs of each participant, ensuring accessibility and engagement. His goal is to create a welcoming environment where artists feel empowered to explore sound, experiment with new ideas, and express themselves through music. 

This year marks the 117th Annual Edmonton Music & Speech Arts Festival (formerly known as the Edmonton Kiwanis Music Festival) – North America’s first and longest-running festival of its kind. Nearly 1,400 single and group entrants (aged 4 to over 80), taught by 190 teachers, and entered in over 690 classes will perform and compete from April 22 to May 4, 2025, at the EPSB Centre High Campus (10050 MacDonald Drive – formerly known as Alberta College), McDougall United Church (10025 101 Street), the Old Strathcona Performing Arts Centre (8426 Gateway Boulevard), and Archbishop MacDonald Catholic High School (14219 109 Avenue).

This will be the last time the Festival is at its current main location (Alberta College). Stay tuned for news of where next year’s Festival will be!

Sessions generally start at 9 am, 1 pm, and 6 pm.

Choirs, bands, orchestras, singers, pianists, guitarists, speech/acting students, musical theatre performers, string players, composition students, chamber music ensembles, woodwind players, and brass players will be showcasing what they have learned this year in a variety of classes. Some will be recommended to represent Edmonton at the Provincial Music Festival, and some will win Scholarships, but all will share their passion in their chosen discipline.

All events during the Festival are FREE to the public.

The High Level Bridge will be lit up in Red & Gold on Saturday, April 26 in recognition of the Festival.

A Festival-at-a-Glance is currently available on the website, and the complete Programme will be available at www.emsaf.ca no later than April 13, 2025. There will be no hard-copy, printed programmes available at the Festival.

For more information, please visit the Edmonton Music & Speech Arts Festival (EMSAF) website at www.emsaf.ca