When: Thursday, May 17th at 5:30pm
Where: MRC’s Lobby

MRC is pleased to announce its Special Guest for May—an inspirational musician and friend of MRC’s… See below!

No experience necessary! All members are invited to join in this “Special Jam Session.” Connect to the rhythm and power of community and experience the healing power of the drum. Join this group drumming circle.

Our Guest and guide for this drumming circle is Toby Christensen, The Healing Drummer. An accomplished musician in his own right, Toby uses the rich tradition of African drumming to inspire, engage, and enliven. Whether you drum, dance or just soak it in – this experience is sure to open your heart and provide transformation.

"I feel at home" says Eugene

We are pleased to announce the completion of MRC’s first PSA (Public Service Announcement) Workshop. This year, MRC was the recipient of the Healthy Arts Grant from Artswave. MRC’s goal with the grant was to conduct a workshop in which teens produce their own radio PSA’s on an assigned topic. By the end of the workshop, the teens head to the studios of Hubbard Radio to professionally record and produce their pieces. Their PSAs would then have the chance to be aired on local stations! The PSA Workshop is offered two distinct cycles, each with their own topic. For this first run, two groups each produced a PSA on the topic of diabetes. But this wasn’t just a day recording in the studio. Every tuesday, for six weeks, teens met at MRC to first learn about PSAs and diabetes, then to work on the different elements of their project—from conceptualizing to writing to recording.

Eugene & Raullo at Hubbard Radio Station

Plus, the workshop got help each from special guests; professionals from Hubbard Radio assisted with writing and recording, and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation educated teens about diabetes in America. The workshop culminated yesterday at Hubbard Radio. The 5 teens participating got to work in a commercial radio station, recording their PSAs with Production Director Jim Blommel and 94.9 Rewind’s Jay Kruz. The teens were thrilled to be in such a professional yet creative environment. Working with talented radio personnel, they saw their projects go from concept to full-featured pieces ready for the airwaves.

MRC member and workshop participant Cassandra says, "We learned so much ... I learned radio is really like painting a picture with sound—there are so many different pieces that come together."

Says MRC’s Studio Manager Max Raphael, who conducted the weekly Workshop, “I’m really impressed by the effort and creativity of the group this session. The teens took what they learned and made some great-sounding productions out of them—and it was a joy to see them at work in a commercial studio. Congrats to the them for finding a new outlet for the skills they’ve learned at MRC’s studios—and a big thanks to all the professional guests and their assistance with this project.”
Check out the teens’ PSAs below! This time around was “girls versus guys”—one group produced a 30-second PSA, and the other a 60-second spot. Stay tuned for the next PSA workshop to commence later this year!

When: Thursday, April 26, 4:00pm
Where: MRC’s Multi-Track Studio

MRC is very pleased to welcome John Redell & Rick Howell as our Special Guests of April. This session is sponsored by The Cincy Blues Society.

(See Flyer Below) In this month’s event, “A Touch Of Blues”, local musicians John Redell & Rick Howell will perform examples to help you understand Blues and its sound. You’ll also hear how Blues compares with other musical genres you listen to.

Members will have a chance to ask questions, as well as jam with the guests, time permitting!

A longtime performer and teacher of music, John Redell has been involved with the Cincy Blues Society’s “Blues In The Schools” for 14 years. He does in-school presentations and serves as Mentor to the overall BITS Program.
Rick Howell has years’ experience regularly performing Blues Harmonica, and has played on countless recordings for different acts in Cincinnati.

The weather outside is freshening up and feeling bright, and MRC’s programming is too! This month, MRC has added multiple workshops and recurring events to its programming. From teens developing their studio work to exposing students to guest speakers and performers from different professions—the MRC experience is sure to get more colorful throughout the year.

PSA Workshop—Teens vying for their chance to be on the radio!

Through funding from Artswave, MRC is running a workshop centered around making your own PSA (Public Service Announcement) for radio. Meeting weekly for 6 weeks, a small group of MRC teens are learning about PSAs, how they’re produced, and how to make one of their own.  Funding for this programming includes two separate sessions of the workshop. In this first session, two groups of teens are creating their own PSA on the topic of Diabetes in America. The workshop is conducted by MRC Studio Manager Max Raphael, along with assistance from a host of guests that have attended the different weeks—including professionals from Hubbard Radio Cincinnati and the SW Ohio Chapter of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

The workshop sessions conclude at the radio station, where participants will be recording their PSA with the help of radio professionals. After review, the teens will have a chance for their PSA to be featured on Cincinnati radio stations!

Mixing Workshop—Taking Their Craft To The Next Level

MRC’s Program Manager Josh Elstro is conducting a workshop with a handful of teens interested in advancing their mixing techniques. Mixing is one of the final steps in music recording, and learning more about it opens up many avenues for creativity, embellishment, and enhancement of each student’s music. The workshop is especially appealing as it affords each participant the ability to work alone in the advanced Multi-Track Studio. Usually, solo time in this room is awarded to Fame Track I Members only. However, participants of any track are allowed to use this room, working in the advanced Logic Pro software, getting more improved results from their music.

“Special Guest Series”—Each month: Illuminating new ideas, sounds, & potentials

MRC has also added to its programming monthly guest speakers or performers. At least once a month, MRC will welcome a guest lecturer to stir interest in just about anything relevant to what our teens do at MRC—from educating students on music licensing, how to make a living with music, or simply demonstrating a genre of music and jamming with our teens! Stay tuned to see which guests are added to the schedule. (These events are open to MRC members only)

Special Guest Sean Rhiney, JD introduces MRC's teens to Music Licensing & Copyright Law

Wow! It sure makes a difference when you go from creating in a room with fluorescent bulbs to warm natural light. We’ve made some recent improvements to our Multi-track Studio—adding a drywall ceiling and replacing our old panel lighting with track lights for a more “moody” feel! The acoustic panelling has been reapplied to the new ceiling, noticeably improving the feel and sound of the space.
You may notice we’ve also moved around some equipment, and added a new PA system and bass amp—just some of the new goodies that have been donated recently!

Do you have experience teaching drums?  Are you interested in giving back to your community by enriching the lives of youth from all around Cincinnati?
MRC Cincinnati is now seeking a volunteer drum teacher that can teach beginner and intermediate drum kit at MRC!
Volunteering at MRC is fun, unique, and rewarding!

What?

Volunteers generally come in for one day a week, for least 2-4 hours. Hours we are open to our members are 2-7pm, Mon-Thurs.  Students meet with a teacher for 30 minute, weekly private lessons.  Each student may be from a completely different walk of life, with different musical interests, goals, and skill levels.  Teachers excel at MRC by meeting each individual where he or she is, and creating a fun and educational learning experience for that teen.

How?

Contact Us online or call 513-834-8304 and express that you are interested in teaching, and if you have any further questions. After getting in touch, you can schedule a time to pick up a volunteer application, tour the facility, and meet the staff.
All potential volunteers will take a background check and have an interview with the staff & Executive Director.

Aired 5:30pm, Feb. 28, 2012 on Local12 Cincinnati: This great piece shows how far the Center has come along, plus interviews from teens and staff.  Plus, experience a great portrayal of how vibrant and inspiring the daily hubbub at MRC can be!  Special thanks to Channel 12 and its crew for doing such a great job working with our teens and capturing great moments in the studio!

MRC teens meeting with Dr. Christine Anderson, Philip & Juanita Paul

Feb. 25th, 2012: MRC was thrilled to be invited to a roundtable discussion at Xavier University centered around the topic of Cincinnati’s own King Records.  Xavier’s History Chair Dr. Christine Anderson invited musicians from the historical label, informed scholars, and five of MRC’s teens to provide a present day aspiring musician’s perspective.  The talk was filled with colorful personal accounts shared by gold-selling King artist Otis Williams, influential drummer Philip Paul, and his wife, Juanita Paul.  Also contributing on the panel was Steven Tracy, author of Going To Cincinnati, the authoritative book on the city’s influential Blues and R&B history; David Purcell of Kent State University’s Department of Sociology; Chris Anderson.
Topics explored included the impact of King Records and its music, cultural issues surrounding “Race Music” in the 50s and 60s, and music today.  The event became even more stirring when the audience, including MRC students, got to stimulate the discussion with questions and comments to the panel.  Our teens got to ask Cincinnati music legends about developing a music career, performing and recording, and how music has changed—and how it’s stayed the same.
To learn more about the King Studios Project, Click Here.

We’re shaking up our annual “Party Like a Rock Star” event, and bringing it to Mardi Gras!

Come join us for a night of fun at the amazing Bell Event Centre while benefiting the Music Resource Center – CIncinnati!
Tickets include open bar (beer and wine), lite bites, live music & mardi gras beads!
When: Friday, Feb. 24th, 8pm
Where: The Bell Event Centre, 444 Reading Rd, Cincinnati, OH 45202
Scroll down to purchase single or VIP tickets via Paypal.  Get your ticket before Feb. 17th!
**This is a 21+ Event**
Highlights

• $50/person ($15 is tax-deductible) OR Purchase a VIP Booth (See below)
• hor’dourves, beer, wine
• VIP Booths available
• Awesome Silent Auctions
• Live Music by: Burning Iris, PLUS performances by MRC Teens

MRC members—interested in learning more about how you can copyright and protect the music you make?
Do you want to know how royalties and CD sales translate into income?  Join us Wednesday, February 15 at  5:00pm.  Lawyer and local musician, Sean Rhiney, will provide an overview of the copyright process and give examples of how you can start protecting your music—and earning an income with it.

Sean Rhiney is a locally based lawyer and musician. In 2002, he co-founded the Midpoint Music Festival – an annual international event that brings hundreds of cutting edge artists to Cincinnati each September.  In addition to playing music, he has written about national and local artists for CityBeat and Cincymusic.com for ten years. He is currently the Director of Xavier University’s Center for Community-Engaged Learning.