18 December 2018
Newsdesk
ACM has proudly to partnered with Surrey Arts and Big Leaf Foundation to release a festive themed single titled 'Whatever You Believe'. With the aim of bringing together the local community to collaborate in a creative way, all were welcomed to join in and take part in the recording session that took place at The Electric Theatre and in ACM's flagship studio. The I Speak Music project was thrilled to bring together the local community, refugees, displaced young people and ACM students under one roof to create music.
Composer, Jim Pinchen, says: “Music in its essence, is something that we all have in common. It’s everywhere from the rhythm of our first heartbeat through to family events and is, therefore, able to bring us together in a unique and safe way.”
The single titled ‘Whatever You Believe’ (composed by Jim Pinchen) will be raising money for the Big Leaf Foundation and will fund projects that look to integrate refugees into the host communities. The single recording itself mirrored this ethos by inviting all of the community to come together and take part. The single is available to download now and the making of it was also featured on Sky News Saturday 15th December.
Vicki Felgate from Big Leaf Foundation says: “We want to replace negative opinions with a simple and joyous message of peace and unity and we hope people will share it far and wide.”
The recording took place in ACM’s flagship studio modelled on Europe’s largest recording facility and partner to ACM, Metropolis Studios, ACM was honoured to have its students both perform on and record the festive single. Gordon Sweeney Director of Strategy and Innovation at ACM said: “Collaboration in the creative industries is key and at ACM it is a way of working that we encourage throughout our curriculum. Having recently been awarded the runners-up prize for ‘Student Collaboration’ at The Independent Higher Education Awards, we are thrilled to be working with Surrey Arts and The Big Leaf Foundation on this single.”
Musicians such as Raghad Haddad, Syrian Voila player who earlier this year performed at St John’s Smith Square in London to raise money for Syrians made homeless by civil war (and received asylum herself in the UK in 2017) joined the local Guildford community and ACM students to support this fantastic project Sunday 9th December.
ACM, The Big Leaf Foundation and Surrey Arts have released ‘Whatever You Believe’ on Band Camp and the music video on YouTube, it will also be available on digital platforms soon - raising both funds and awareness in the hope of bringing communities together.
