Lakeshore Advance, 2012-06-20, Page 1Music is alive and well in Grand Bend
Lynda Hillman -Robley
Lakeshore Advance
Ken Dinel is the founder of The Band in You
�
tusic School in (rand Bend. 'Ihe school recently
.)rnpleted its third year and is proud to be devel-
oping inspiring young musicians for the future of
music in our communities. Students are writing,
recording, and shooting videos that are being
uploaded onto YouTube as well as perforating
around town this summer,
Dinel was raised in a household filled with music
and Musical equipment.
"My dad and older brother played music and I
found it easy to be inspired to play as well. ()ne day
when I was seven I simply picked up the guitar and
learnt my first five chords that night—and never
looked back. My dad would always be Jamming and
he would get me to play drums or guitar along with
him. 1 immediately fell in love
with music
and the feel-
ing of being
in a band.
My older
brother's
band would
practice and
after they had
finished my
friends and I
would grab
their gear and
play as a band
ourselves. We
weren't all that
good but it to
us it felt like we
were great. We
would write'
songs and then
work on them
as a band. We
were all around
ten years old
and I remember one Sat-
urday afternoon we set tui) all our gear in the back
yard and jammed out there until the neighbors
called and complained. I think we were Just
misunderstood;'
Since then he has recorded many songs, played
professionally in hands in'li)ronto, and worked in
the music industry In Vancouver for twelve years.
'These clays he's In a hand of great musicians and we
get together once and a while and have some fun
jamming or performing live. "Mostly I enjoy jam-
ming with my students. My true goal is to inspire
theta to find the musician in themselves and to
never let it go. As it turns out they inspire me;'
Dinel wanted the youth of this community to
have the stone experiences in music that he grew
up having. Ile thinks it is important that children
fevelop musical skills so that the entertainment
ptions for the community exist in the future. "It is
good for our community, especially in a tourist area
like Grand Bend," he says.
"I built a professional studio "The Band in You
recording studio" and later a green screen video set
and now our children have an avenue to write and
record songs, shoot a video and perform as a hand.
A band is like n team or family. The students need
to learn to accept their differences and learn to
work together. Ideally the longer a band can stay
together the better chance they will have to be suc-
cessful, 'Ihe school Insures that they get together as
a band at least once a week. Most aspiring bands
dwindle away because of a lack of structure and
guidance when they do it on their own. 'Ihe school
is called "The Band in You Music School". The
meaning behind the naso' is that everyone has a
musician in them and therefore a band
collectively."
Music and students and growth
Dinel says early musical training helps develop
brain areas involved in language and reasoning. Ile
saysthere is also a causal link between music and
spatial intelligence (the ability to perceive the world
accurately and to form mental pictures of things).
This kind of intelligence, by which one cull visualize
various elements that should go together, is critical
to the sort of thinking necessary for everything from
solving advanced mathematics problems to being
able to pack a book -bag with everything that will be
needed for the day. .
Music provides children with self-expression
and in performing live they are taught to conquer
their fears and to take risks. A
little anxiety is a
good thing, and
something that
will occur often
in life," he says.
Most of the
students of 'Ihe
Band in You
Music School
have little to no
musical experi-
ence when
they first join
the school.
Dinel has had
the incredibly
shy student's
that conies
out of their
shell once
you put an
Instrument
in their
hands. "I
have seen
introverts get up on stage
and sing like they were a social leader in their peer
group. 1 have tunny students that had no sense of
timing or relative pitch and now their timing is solid
and their relative pitch has improved dramatically.
I have had the pleasure of watching so many chil-
dren grow on 501111111y levels."
Keep the kids motivated
One element of the school is that Dinel insists
the students learn multiple Instruments while 111
the school as well as he tries to eventually get evety
student to work on their singing. It is not unusual to
see student change instruments from one song to
another during a performance. Bands write songs,
record and shoot videos. "'this kind of school does
not exist anywhere else in the world...certainly not
for this price! '1 he average cost to record a song and
shoot a video is roughly $5,000 to $10,000, My stu-
dents pay $20 a week for the same thing. 1 don't
expect students to necessarily see the value in this
but most parent understand the chance of a life
time that the school has to offer. Here is an example
of a video on YouTube that the hand "Walls Down"
wrote and recorded. 'lilts hand has been together In
the school for six months or two semesters: http://
www.youtube.cont/watch?v-n8Yh_00PuSY"
The class itself is more of a hand rehearsal with
professional musical advice and direction. Students
are expected to take additional lessons as well as
practice regularly at home. This is where Dinel
depends on the parents to structure practice in
their child's schedule...not something always easy
to (lo. "One thing 1 tell my students Is that for every
hour they practice they are an hour better as a
Wednesday, June 29, 2011 • Lakeshore Advance 13
musician."
Students range from four to eighteen
years old. Students are put into bands of
their peers. In most cases their ages are
no more than a couple of years in differ-
ence. This builds new friendships and
allows them to perform and write age
appropriate songs as a band.
This summer
'Ihe band in You doesn't have regular
classes in the summer time. instead they
have "Bund Camp" for a week at a time.
The bands also perform a couple of
shows in the summer like the Relay for
Life event at the Grand Bend soccer
fields. This year's show is on Friday July
8th. Everyone is welcome to come out
and enjoy the entertainment as well as
experience a truly enriching experience
that the Relay for Life has to offer.
Dinel says parents need to understand
the deeper value in their children being
involved in music. "Athletics is great on
so many level and certainly equally
important but music offers our children
something quite different. In music, a
mistake is a mistake; the instrument is in
tune or not, the notes are well played or
not, the entrance is made or not. It is
only by much hard work that a success-
ful performance is possible. Through
music study, students learn the value of
sustained effort to achieve excellence
and the concrete rewards of hard work.
Students of Music learn craftsmanship
as they study how details are put
together painstakingly and what consti-
tutes good, as opposed to mediocre,
work. 'These standards, when applied to
a student's own work, demand a new
level of excellence and require students
to stretch their inner resources."
Shooting videos
The studio is busy recording other
hands and solo artist often. They now
shoot videos as well as (10 radio ads and
voice overs. Anyone wishing to book
time in the studio is welcome to contact
Dinel. 'Iheir rates are quite reasonable as
well as in certain cases they can assist
with government grant forms and appli-
cations. The government sponsors
young musicians who fit the criteria and
qualify. We also provide musicians and
equipment if needed.
How can an inspiring musician get In
touch with your Grand Bend school?
Classes will resume at the beginning
of September. We don't have a lot of
openings so contact me sooner rather
than later as the school fills up quickly. If
1 receive enough new students of a simi-
lar age then it is possible to build a new
band and set up a new time slot. I can be
contacted at:
Ken Dinel; thebalullnyou@hay.net;
519-851-7013
Grand Bend
Canada Day
Celebrations & F1rerks
Friday, July 1, 2011
Schedule of ['writs
11am-all day
Giant Children's Mural:
Beach House, Main Basch:
Kids corns palm the mural.
Noon - 3:30pm Antique & Vintage Vehicle
Show & Shine: Ball
diamond. Collection of
antique and *dap
vshblss.
Noon - 3:30pm Ruff & Tumble Dog Show:
Ball diamond. Enter your
pooch to win primes and the
chance to walk In the
Parade.
bpm - 10pm
10pm
Parade: Maks Street.
Live Entertainment: Main
Beach. Multiple bands.
Beach Boys cover band
starts at Apm.
Fireworks, Maki Beech.
Thank You
2011 Sponsor s
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