Singer brings the X-Factor to class
Matt Gresham is going back to school.
The singer/songwriter and former X-Factor star will work with students at Rockingham Senior High School next term as part the 2014 Creative Education Partnerships: Artist-in-Residence initiative.
Gresham will be at the school three days a week, helping students with lyric writing, composition and performance.
Head of arts Tegan Gough said Gresham’s residency would boost the school’s music program.
“We were looking for something to give the school a bit of an edge in the music program and just found that this worked in perfectly, especially with Matt coming from this area,” she said.
“It is really good for the kids to see an idol, a mentor and someone who can help them become part of the music industry.”
Music teacher Matt Burke said he hoped students were inspired by Gresham’s career.
“Hopefully having someone of Matt’s calibre working with the kids will help to put us on the map in terms of a school that takes music seriously,” Mr Burke said.
“Matt’s going to be working with a few of our different year levels.
“I guess it’s centred around writing a school song. That’s going to involve students from different classes. (Matt will) show them the songwriting process and along the way they will have a lot of opportunities to learn about music from a real musician.”
Gresham said he was nervous about returning to a classroom.
“I love being around kids — it’s inspiring because they are so fresh and they have new minds and new ideas,” he said.
“If some kids want to take their music to the next level, that would be great to show them (how).
“The art industry is a strange industry to get into, so it will be good to show the kids there are ways you can make being an artist a career.”
Gresham said he expected to learn just as much from the students as they would from him during the residency.
“I’m excited to witness talent as well, get inspired myself,” he said.
“I look forward to seeing some kids playing guitar and drums and getting some new ideas, especially hearing their stories, because kids all grow up in different homes, so I want to hear those stories.
“Songwriting is healing for kids.
“I want to teach them not to be afraid to write about anything.”
RSHS is one of 12 public schools in WA benefiting from the national Creative Education Partnerships: Artist-in-Residence initiative, which focuses on all art forms including dance, media, drama and visual arts.
It is a Federal initiative through the Australia Council for the Arts, delivered in partnership with State Governments.
Australia Council for the Arts chief executive Tony Grybowski said investing strategically in creative learning partnerships inspired collaboration between artists, educators and their communities.
“A student’s capacity to discover, imagine and create can be achieved by fostering a culture of creativity in childhood and of innovation in schools,” he said.
