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Welcome to Music@Work

A recording studio with a difference.

The concept of a recording studio which caters for musicians with a limited budget who require professional recording was born out of reality that quality affordable recording is not accessible to most musicians, ensembles and orchestra’s.

Most engineers do not have a classically trained ear and background to deal with the intricacies of recording classical groups and ensembles. Henk Steenkamp, our sound engineer, has been a professional musician for the past 16 years. He also boasts extensive practical experience in live sound-reinforcement for orchestra’s, bands, choirs and ensembles. These groups performed at various venues, including the V&A Waterfront, Wine Farms, Belville Civic Theatre, Helderberg Nature Reserve, Baxter Theatre and the Cape Town City Hall.

Being classically trained, Henk can also arrange music for smaller bands, ensembles and full military bands. This enables him to read from the musical score while recording, mixing and mastering the final product. Many of his arrangements have been performed nationally by the SA Army Bands at high level performances such as the opening of Parliament, the opening of the Klein Karoo Kunste Fees in 2005 and the opening ceremony of the Tygerberg International Fanfare 2004.

The studio

The studio has a control room, main room, drum kit booth and vocal booth. The equipment includes:

I would like to introduce you to an exciting new project called “Cool Classic Kidz”. Having taught music the past 20 years both in the WCED and privately I realized that there was a great need for our young music learners (primary school level) to be inspired and motivated. When starting out it is very exciting ,but soon our young learners realize that it takes hard work, perseverance and diligent practice to master an instrument and really learn to play well. I needed something that could inspire the young learners as well as something to aspire to. It was very important that this is something attainable to ALL music learners irrespective of their level of playing.
Cool Classic Kidz is a radio program that started running on FMR 101.3 on Saturday 27 February at 13:45 in 2010. In this program our young musicians from the Western Cape ware featured on the program performing a musical piece on their chosen instrument, as well as a very short interview.
The aim of this project is:
1. To give exposure to our talented young musicians
2. To give them something tangible to work for
3. To grow a sustainable audience for future musicians and ultimately create a sustainable market for our own professional performing classical musicians.
I am a firm believer that South Africa and the Western Cape have just as much talent as Europe, America or any other country. It is sad that our professional musicians feel the need to go oversees to “make it”.  We have proven in so many other spheres that South Africa can hold its own in the world. It is now time to grow our own markets and give exposure to our own musicians.
Ask any primary school learner who is Andre Rieu – and they will know. There is no reason we cannot have our own “stars” in South Africa and this project is just the humble start.
I hope you will share my passion and vision and play your part in supporting this project either through sponsorship, marketing or media. You can contact me at info@musicatwork.co.za or on 0722930954. I am looking forward to your contribution to this exciting project.
Music@Work have compiled a CD with radio programs from February to October 2010.  The CD Has been reviewed by Rodney Trudgeon Program Manager at Fine Music Radio:
I wonder if you’ve heard the delightful and inspiring short programme on the last Saturday of each month at 13H45 on Fine Music Radio called “Cool Classic Kidz“?  If not, I thoroughly recommend it to you.  It is a programme which showcases the burgeoning talent of our very young, school-going music children and it is the brain child of Laurika Steenkamp of an organisation called Music@Work.  This is a studio which records these youngsters in a fully professional manner, thereby giving them an opportunity of getting studio experience and exposure on FMR.

When Laurika came to FMR with the idea of a fifteen minute showcase of young talent, we loved the idea and her incredible enthusiasm, which has ensured that for a year now, a whole lot of talented children have been able to hear themselves on the radio!  They may not have had the thrill of winning a major competition, but at least their efforts are rewarded with some form of exposure.  And not only that, the indefatigable Laurika makes sure that all the parents, teachers and pupils at the vaious schools from which these kids come, are at their radios on Saturday afternoon to listen.  This, as you can imagine, gives FMR the opportunity of building an even bigger and younger audience.

Laurika has now issued a 2 CD set of all the programmes from 2010 and it is a delight to listen to!  Each 15 minute programme has Laurika introducing the children and their recordings and, occasionally, interviewing them.  We at FMR are thrilled with the project which we hope will grow from strength to strength.  This 2 CD set is tangible evidence of the love, enthusiasm and talent for music which exists in our schools.

The CD is available from Laurika herself, so order via email info@musicatwork.co.za, at R120 for the double CD.

Review by Rodney Trudgeon FMR101.3 www.fmr.co.za

Cool Classic Kidz is sponsored by: