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The John Lennon Education Tour Bus

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Students come together over John Lennon Educational Tour Bus

Mariah Hibbard
Some MU students combined their talents to create a new production


The John Lennon Educational Tour Bus rolled its way onto campus Oct. 19 to combine the talents of several students from the School of Music and the School of Journalism. Since 1998, this non-profit outreach program has sought to fulfill a simple mission of “providing students with increased access to music, audio, video and broadcast technologies.”

Keith Politte, manager of the Technology Testing Center at the Reynolds Journalism Institute, represented the School of Journalism at the event.

“This is a rare opportunity for students to get hands-on experience with cutting edge equipment,” he said. “It brings the schools together.”

The program was originally affiliated with the John Lennon Song Writing Contest, founded by Brian Rothschild and Yoko Ono Lennon. It has since evolved into its own entity, but it has maintained the original vision of encouraging the next generation of musicians and songwriters.

“The bus teaches kids how these things work,” senior Chelsea Secktnan said of the recording and production equipment. “It gives the opportunity to come together and create something.”

Students have one day to complete all aspects of the production process. Within nine hours, those involved have written, recorded and mixed their own original song or have produced and shot an accompanying video.

Kevin Hoy and the other engineers on board spend up to 10 months of the year living on the bus, traveling nationwide for the cause.

“We’re trying to expose students to a recording experience they wouldn’t otherwise have, we’re not looking for the next big band,” he said. “Our goal is to foster a sense of creative self-expression.”

There is no talent prerequisite or previous experience required to take advantage of this program.

“We’re interested in showing them how to create anything they can come up with in their minds, regardless of talent or money,” project engineer Doug Larson said.

The bus mobilizes an impressive arsenal of audio and visual weaponry divided into two studios, including Godin guitars, PA technology by Mackie and high definition monitors by Apple.

Also on board is what Hoy playfully describes as “the only Imagine Peace Tower replica-refrigerator combo in the world,” which is actually just a refrigerator with a model tower on it.

The traveling studio brings this state-of-the-art technology to students across the country. Although the program focuses on high schools, it delivers its creative energy to all ages, from kindergarten to college, with the help of 36 corporate sponsors, such as Sony and Apple, and some celebrity support. Famous names such as Will.i.Am, John Legend and Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead have found themselves on board, both recording and working with students.

Students were selected from the jazz studies program within the School of Music. In addition, two students from the J school worked alongside in the video production aspect.

The combined talents came to be known as “Tiger Lizzy and the Mizzou-Keepers.” Their production “Peace and Harmony” can be found on the Tour Bus Web site, http://www.lennonbus.org. From Columbia, the bus is headed to Case Western Reserve University in Ohio and beyond, continuing its ongoing mission of carrying the message of creativity and free expression from coast to coast.

http://move.themaneater.com/stories/2009/10/23/students-come-together-over-john-lennon-educationa/
Published Oct 23rd, 2009

 

“This is precisely the kind of project John Lennon would have loved.”

- Yoko Ono Lennon

The Headlines

  • NBC Channel 14 Owensboro, KY: The John Lennon Educational Bus

    To watch the full segment, click here

  • BBC News: Yoko Ono Launches Lennon Educational Bus in Liverpool

    Yoko Ono has visited Liverpool to launch a bus which will tour Europe and be used by young people to make music. John Lennon's widow unveiled the bus at the Museum of Liverpool before it sets out for London and the rest of Europe. Young people will be able to take part in workshops and produce music, video and photography projects inside the bus's recording studios. Yoko Ono said it felt fitting to launch the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus in the former Beatle's hometown. To continue reading, click here

  • Liverpool Echo, UK: Yoko Ono and Kerry Katona visit Alder Hey Children’s Hospital

    Yoko Ono and Kerry Katona helped put a smile on the faces of young patients as they paid an emotional visit to Alder Hey. John Lennon’s famous widow pledged her support by agreeing to become an honorary patron of Alder Hey Children’s Charity. Mum-of-four Kerry also stopped by yesterday as part of a fundraising day for the West Derby hospital. Yoko joined children to create a piece of music on the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus which launched on Wednesday at the Museum of Liverpool. To continue reading, click here

Video aboard the Bus

The increasing accessibility of digital technology has led to an amazing expansion of opportunity in the art of digital storytelling. The John Lennon Educational Tour Bus has been at the forefront of this new media explosion, having produced daily video projects with students since January of 2001. The Lennon Bus puts state-of-the-art digital video equipment into the hands of workshop participants and teaches the entire digital workflow from storyboarding to web publication and DVD burning. Students leave the experience having shot, chopped, scored, and (most importantly) finished an entire digital video production. Using the latest cameras and professional hardware/software solutions including Avid Media Composer and Pro Tools, participants are exposed to the exciting world of digital videography and learn hot techniques of the trade. The accessibility of professional-quality technology is making it possible for millions of new voices to be heard and the John Lennon Bus is putting these tools into the hands of tomorrow's great digital producers. Subscribe to our Youtube channel so you never miss any of the amazing videos produced on the Lennon Bus.