Guelph CVI’s MADE Urban Arts program is bringing its vocal chops to the recording studio for Canadian band Triumph’s song Hold On.
Triumph is a hard rock trio whose song Hold On became the band’s first single to make the Billboard Hot 100 in 1979.
To bring awareness for music education the Coalition for Music Education puts on Music Monday, an annual national celebration of music education in schools. The coalition chose Triumph’s Hold On as the anthem for this year’s Music Monday. On May 5, Canadian schools will participate with a sing-along.
GCVI is one of the participating schools. Students will be performing at Metalworks Studios in Mississauga for Music Monday. Plans are in the works for who they will be performing with. Metalworks was founded by Triumph drummer and vocalist Gil Moore in 1978.
The students are from GCVI’s MADE Urban Arts program and the chamber choir. MADE Urban Arts is a program for artistically-inclined students to exercise their skills in a non-traditional school environment through acting, producing and music.
On Friday the students will record backing vocals at Metalworks. GCVI students were the only group asked to record at the studio, said Lane Osborne, GCVI choir director and MADE Urban Arts teacher, in an email. Students will be recording with the original former members of Triumph.
GCVI was approached by the coalition to be part of the recording and Osborne thinks it's because of its previous experience working with other bands. The chamber choir has performed with Wilco, Foreigner, Everclear, and Modest Mouse.
“When the kids get to interact with the sculptors of Canada's music history, it encourages them (to) dive deeper into their knowledge and passion for the arts, and makes their experiences as musicians more meaningful,” said Osborne. “They see all aspects of the music business in action and learn how successful artists make choices in the creation of their art. It is … an incomparable learning experience for them.”
Triumph isn’t a band from the students’ generation but they know the band resonated with people in the 80s.
“It’s a cool opportunity to work with a band that my family has a history in. My grandparents were all fans of Triumph during their prime and getting that opportunity to work with people who’ve impacted the lives of people around me and getting a peek into that world is something I’m grateful for,” said Evee Kehoe, Grade 11 student at GCVI, via email.
GCVI students are gearing up for the recording with rehearsals this week.
