Powerjam Band Project - Richmond sessions

Powerjam is a not-for-profit non-selective multi-genre music academy and initiative that matches up young musical applicants of varying backgrounds and skills, ages 9-18, and places into contemporary band ensembles of like-minded young people based on music taste, age, and skill set, and - during each academic school term - prepares each ensemble for local public event stages. Powerjam’s mission is to provide the tutoring, support, and infrastructure that allows musical teens and tweens of varying backgrounds with varying challenges to naturally gain confidence and self-esteem both on and off stage by doing what they love and doing it well – key, we believe, to becoming happy adults. In doing so, we also provide quality entertainment through 55 performances at local events (fairs, festivals, etc.) to help them meet their own fundraising aims.

Whilst the vehicle is music education, Powerjam is much more than a music project, having broader and more imperative aims for this age group. As a non-selective initiative, our approach is not about finding the most talented individuals, but about empowering each young person who comes to us to reach their full potential. We do not hold auditions, which sets Powerjam apart from many performance-based initiatives. Based on our applicant surveys, we take pride in the fact that the majority of our participants learn about Powerjam through word-of-mouth referrals. This is a testament to our reputation for highly personalising our work with young people, which we believe is essential to motivate this age group.

Powerjam Sessions

Along with weekly band rehearsals to help refine their skills and develop each bands’ unique sound and style, we provide extensive musical and emotional support and guidance with access to mentors 7 days a week, as well as materials and resources to help them remain engaged throughout the week. It is a complex process that requires a vast amount of continuous work and support behind the scenes to enable this challenged and challenging age group to perform as a team at their best and entertain large crowds to meet the demands of local organisers for our band entertainment, and it is only through a high degree of personalisation that this is achieved.

Our program also successfully enables and empowers young people struggling with mental health issues or low self-esteem by giving each member structure, purpose, the chance to develop and nurture a passion, form strong connections with like-minded band members, and a sense of pride and identity which heads them in a positive direction. Proud of their achievements and bands, this leads members to share their gigs and original music releases, which also keeps them motivated, positively influencing and connected to their peers and community.

At a glance, Powerjam provides:

tutor-led weekly rehearsals for each member;
access to rehearsal space, weekly;
access to all instruments and music equipment at rehearsals and gigs;
music education for all levels, including personalised teaching material per member;
mentoring and support for mental health and personal development;
accessibility for musical young people with developmental disorders (i.e. Autism, ADHD, ADD etc.)
access to trained support staff at all times of the day 7 days per week;
regular public gigs (i.e. over 55 performances on average per year within the community);
setup and equipment support for each performance;
professional music recording (access to recording studios and professional audio engineers);
professional music release and marketing (over 350,000 streams of our bands’ music);

'Powerjammers Sessions'

‘Powerjammers Sessions’ represents a ‘foundations’ programme that will allow these budding musicians to develop their skills and confidence at their own pace in a highly supportive environment without the added pressure of keeping up with unhindered or more advanced musical young people. Powerjammers Sessions runs on Saturdays during term time and consist of weekly tutor-led group sessions. Young musicians will jam and learn to play songs and/or songwrite with like minded young people, improve ensemble, teamworking, and social skills, and explore musical instruments, genres, and styles. Many of the young people on our waiting list have just begun discovering their instrument and are interested in exploring different positions/instruments within a band, rather than committing to a fixed gigging band.

‘Powerjammers’ members will be motivated by a new set of “cocoon-like” foundation performance opportunities initially - we will create dedicated events for Powerjammers members to perform to just families and friends until they are confident enough to perform at Powerjam main events that inevitably have more visibility. Our aim has also always been long term engagement, as this is where we have seen the most success in terms of having a lasting effect on members’ lives - when these Powerjammers members are confident and feel ready, they will then have the opportunity to move into the general Powerjam program and gigging bands if they so wish.

Fees

Your fees cover tutor fees, teaching materials, rehearsal space rent, equipment purchase and maintenance, admin costs, office costs, PLI insurance, and to support our disadvantaged members programme (scholarships for disadvantaged young people; approximately 40% of our members). Our resources are also spent on pre-event planning, organisation, and marketing of the events, and on the day of the event where Powerjam brings necessary equipment to each stage and back, and provides experienced staff to help with set up, oversees each performance and young musician. This includes post event clean up and providing organisers with post event videos for their marketing. Powerjam also uses its resources planning and preparing for its own community events, which do not provide income.

Powerjam is a not-for-profit Community Interest Company, so all of the funds raised from paying members' fees or donations are used solely for the running of Powerjam.

You can find out a breakdown of fees below.

Discounted members

(Partial Scholarship)

If your young musician member does not qualify for pupil premium but your situation requires you to receive financial help, or you have difficulty paying the fee, please contact us by email.

Non-paying members

(Full Scholarship)

Powerjam has run a successful disadvantaged member program since its founding 8 years ago and aims to include at least one disadvantaged member per band. If your young musician is "pupil premium" ("free lunches") status at school, they are eligible to be a part of this program and you would need to email us written proof.