TC District sponsors John Lennon Educational Tour Bus
State-of-the-art mobile recording studio to benefit TC High music students

John Lennon Educational Tour Bus engineersÊwork with seven Tuba City High School music students who are participating in the NativeÊAmerican Composers Apprenticeship Program (NACAP) a program sponsored by the Grand Canyon Music Festival.Ê

John Lennon Educational Tour Bus engineersÊwork with seven Tuba City High School music students who are participating in the NativeÊAmerican Composers Apprenticeship Program (NACAP) a program sponsored by the Grand Canyon Music Festival.Ê

TUBA CITY -- Initiated almost 10 years ago by Brian Rothschild as an offshoot of the John Lennon Songwriting Contest, the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus was an inspirational idea for providing students in rural communities with the opportunity to create a free, hands-on experience in making music, writing songs and producing video shorts.

Professional musicians who have participated in activities on the bus tour include Carlos Santana, Elton John, Trace Adkins, Mary J. Blige, Carol Bayer Sager and Wyclef Jean.

Both the songwriting contest and educational bus tour are made possible by an agreement with Yoko Ono Lennon.

The John Lennon Educational Tour Bus was at Tuba City High School Aug. 7-11 to work exclusively with students selected from Tuba City High school to participate in this year's NACAP (Native American Composers Apprenticeship Program). The NACAP is under the seven-year-old Native American student music composition program--the brainchild of the Grand Canyon Music Festival.

The Lennon Bus with its staff of three engineers (who travel with the bus) worked with the seven TC High students and students from other surrounding schools to familiarize them with music studio equipment, create original music and a music video project by the end of one day.

The students were able to work with Grand Canyon Music Festival 2006 Native musical artist-in-resident Raven Chacon. Their final compositions will be presented to the public in an annual chamber music festival setting that is featured each September at the Grand Canyon's Shrine of the Ages.

The NACAP students will work with Chacon and the renowned ETHEL chamber quartet in finalizing their student works for a special four night pre-concert presentation during the September concert series.

The John Lennon Tour Bus (a nonprofit mobile recording and video production studio) is outfitted with the latest instruments, computer equipment, recording equipment and video production gear.

It is 67.5 feet long and weighs about 38,000 pounds. It is separated into two components: a front studio for creating multi-media projects which has both audio and video capability; and a back studio for the remote recording of concerts and special events.

Tuba City High School students who are in this year's NACAP program who also will participate in the Lennon tour bus experience are Kristyn Tallsalt, Sean Riggs, Rodney Yazzie, Kori Max, Courtland Willie, Jeannie Chee and Jessie Bilagody.

TC High's new music teacher, also a musician, Blair Quamahongnewa, was also able to create a music video and learn firsthand the steps of professional recording with the specialized equipment on the tour bus.

"Sibelius," a special music notation software, was utilized by the TC High students. This experience promoted the acquisition of new technical skills and computer knowledge enhancement.

For more information about the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus contact TC High's music teacher Blair Quamahongnewa at 928-283-1047 or the TC District Office of Public Relations at 928-283-1072.

(Rosanda Suetopka Thayer is Public Relations Director for Tuba City Unified School District.)

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