Another week, another blog and we have some great news and updates for you this week.
First this week some news about a former HND Sound Production student, Paul McInally, as he prepares to celebrate the first year of running his own recording studio. After completing a two year HND course in Sound Production at Stow College between 2007 and 2009, as well as a number of months working as a freelance audio engineer, the 21 year old created ’45 A-Side Recordings’ last May.
The company was set up by Paul, alongside friend Sam McIntosh in the east end of Glasgow. The pair set about creating their business with the aim of developing the label’s legacy and offering bands a new service in having their music not only recorded, but fully produced and strengthened through the techniques they had both gathered through studying and working.
Paul said: “I use a lot of the roots of what I learned at Stow College every day, and I’m really glad that training for Pro Tools exams were integrated, as it’s something that’s absolutely industry standard and extremely useful. The course also started building my knowledge of acoustics, which I feel is one of the main factors in recording. I’ve always aimed for an organic sound since being at the College and room acoustics play a big part in this.
“I remember having regular discussions with Stow College lecturer Graeme Wilmington on microphone techniques and I always found him really approachable and helpful. Graham Gunn taught live sound flawlessly, making you repeat set up processes until you got it right – which helped greatly. He was generally persistent and was also very approachable. We were taught music business by Alan Rankine, who was extremely down-to-earth and knew the industry very well. He’d experienced the industry from a few different angles, which gave me a real insight into how contacts, contracts and essentially money, are made!”
News of another student success is always great and we wish Paul continuing success with his future endeavours.
Now news of the opening of the West End Festival. Last Thursday saw the launch of the brochure for this year’s West End Festival in the inspiring setting of the Botanic Garden’s Kibble Palace. This is the 17th year of the WEF, Glasgow’s most extensive cultural event, and since its foundation in 1996, over 1 million people – 25% from outside of Glasgow – have attended nearly 5,000 free or ticketed events. Each year over £750,000 is injected into the local economy as a direct result of this wide-ranging, community-rooted celebration. This year’s Festival runs from 1st to 24th June, and includes concerts, plays, talks, walks and much, much more.
Stow College are now partners in the Festival and as such we had an input into the launch with two of our Sound Production students organizing the PA under the watchful eye of Archie Dickson. Creative Industries’ David Hughes was given the opportunity to address the guests and he made some very positive comments about Stow’s role in the Festival and the platform that the Festival offers local talent. He also managed to get a major plug in for the Electric Honey Showcase taking place in Oran Mor on the opening night of the Festival (Friday 1st June).
David, Hilary and Fraser from the College Marketing team were happy to give up some of their free time to force down the wine and delicious Waitrose canapés on offer to invited guests. It’s a hard, dirty job but someone has to do it!
Next up this week is an opportunity to get a wee bit of coaching in the use of iPads and iPhones. This will be held in the Boardroom on Wednesday the 9th of May from 12:15 to 1:00 pm. This will be a get together to discuss usage of these devices in the classroom / study, useful apps and ideas for instructional workshops and tutorials. If you are interested in attending then please let either Sharon Wardrop or Mike Docherty know.
An update from Archie Dickson now on the ‘Pantrepreneur Challenge’. As you know, over the last month the college has have been advertising for teams to take up the ‘Pantrepreneur Challenge’. This has been both an exciting and difficult task for us as students due to coursework and other commitments, however of the 30 or students who formed teams and took up the challenge, we are pleased to announce that our team has been selected to represent Stow College in the national challenge and our Business is called – ‘Pants on fire’.
‘Pants on Fire’ are all students from the 1st year Events Management course. Since being selected our team have been working extremely hard on this project and believe we have come up with a fantastic design to represent Stow in the national heat stage and are now in the process of implementing our marketing plan.
Our design (see Image in gallery) has been submitted to the ‘Pants for Poverty’ team who are in the process of having the design placed on the pants, which will then be sent off for production. We are also in the process of making a video that will be used to promote the ‘Pants’ through a variety of social media. The college will receive 500 pairs of our pants in the next two weeks and we need to sell as many pairs as possible. These wonderful pants will be on sale in the College and in a select few, city centre stores, we will let you know when we have taken receipt of these and where you can purchase your very own pair.
Where does your money go? Have a look at the video link and see how your support can help our team win the first prize, a visit to India. Our team will meet the farmers who produce these pants and gain an insight into how their lives have been transformed as a result, this is a wonderful opportunity for us as students and the college. For you as a customer, buying a pair of our pants is a unique opportunity to own a product that is distinctly ours, you will be helping the farmers and their families and also to celebrate an event that will probably not return to Britain in the next 50 years. If we make enough money, this can be used to support other entrepreneurial ideas within the college. We need to sell as many pairs of pants as possible and feel confident that we have come up with a sound Marketing & Sales Plan to do so. We hope you will all support the project and recommend our product to your family and friends. (The pants are made for both males and females and come in a variety of colours, styles and sizes).
If you have any ideas or you need to get in touch with us please contact: Ayesha Fairley or our project co-ordinator Archie Dickson
A cake update for you now. I am sure you all saw the culinary delights on sale in the foyer yesterday Cakes and cookies in all different shapes, sizes and colours adorned the long table and I am sure more than a few of you bought and enjoyed some of these tasty treats.
Well Morven Thomson, the Cake Bake organiser and baker extraordinaire, has let us know that the sale raised the grand total of £506.04. This money will be donated to the MS Society. The MS Society provide essential practical and emotional support, financial assistance and care to help people affected by Multiple Sclerosis and allow them to invest in vital research to find a cause and cure. Well done to everyone involved in the Cake Bake and thank you to everyone that purchased the treats.
Some more cake news, the students in NQ Business 4 have to organise a fundraising activity for the Enterprise Activity unit in their course. They have chosen to sell cakes for their chosen charity, Homestart. So they will have a Special Cupcake sale – for one day only – on Wednesday the 9th of May from 12:00 to 1:00 pm at the ground floor entrance.
The chosen charity, Home-Start supports almost 77,000 vulnerable children across the UK. Last year, nearly 17,000 volunteers gave a million hours of support to their families. The charity helps them cope with post-natal illness, isolation, bereavement, disability, domestic violence and much more. Please give generously!
Well that’s us again for this week so join us again next Friday from more news ……………… and remember Monday is May Day so a nice long weekend for all.
