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Local musicians team up for CD, concert of hope, healing for Haiti

by Kristin Lukowski of The Michigan Catholic
Published March 5, 2010

ROYAL OAK — Louis Canter can’t travel to Haiti and rebuild a house, or help heal the sick and injured. In fact, not many people can.

But what he and several other area musicians are doing is putting together a CD, and organizing a concert, that will benefit the people of Haiti through the funds they hope to raise.

Canter, the archdiocese’s coordinator of music ministries, and local musicians Susie and David Taylor, with the help of Detroit School of Rock and Pop executive producer Jason Gittinger, worked together last weekend to record a track to be played at the concert. They have several other pre-recorded tracks to add to what will be a four-song CD, “Songs for a Time of Healing.”

He’s hoping to fill St. Isidore Church, Macomb Township, and raise as much money for Haiti as possible. “The opportunity we have to minister to brothers and sisters that we don’t know and have not seen is incredible,” he said.

Canter said the project came out of a poem, written by Diana Macalintal, associate for liturgy in the Diocese of San Jose. As Canter was reading it, he thought that it needed to be put to music. “In two days, I had it,” he said. “It was right. It worked.”

Working against fast deadlines — writing music quick enough for performers to learn it, recording tracks in time for CDs to be pressed before the concert — they hope to have everything in line before the concert, and are working to have CDs available through the archdiocesan Web site, www.aodonline.org/haiti. A previous concert had been done earlier in the year, not long after the earthquake.

Susie Taylor, director of music at Our Lady of Hope Parish, St. Clair Shores, has worked with Canter before, lending backup vocals for him while he provides her with original songs, for example. “Louis is so talented,” Taylor said. “He gets a thought, and he can see the full picture in here,” she said, indicating her head.

Her husband, David Taylor, professor of music at Wayne State University, and who helps in parishes’ music departments, was also on hand Sunday to lend a musical ear, to make sure all the correct notes were hit. They named the song “A Prayer in Time of Hope, a Prayer for Haiti.”

“We don’t even know who is going to be ministered (to) by this,” Canter said. “It’s our gift. It’s what we do best. The disaster there is so complete — 200,000 people are dead. That’s a lot of futures, a lot of grieving, a lot of loss.”

The money will be given to Catholic Relief Services for them to distribute to the needy of Haiti.

Recently our “Monday Night Crew”, a group of aspiring songwriters, recording engineers, and musicians decided to produce an entry for the WRIF/Fox Sports Detroit “April in the D” contest.  Check out our song and video entry!

The Detroit School of Rock and Pop Music. Come to Rock. Return to Learn.

Our Studio. Their time to shine.
Bring your students on a Field Trip to The Detroit School of Rock and Pop Music for an unforgettable learning experience. On their Field Trip, students can create something amazing right on the spot. Or they can bring in a project they’ve already created and turn our studio into a theater, sharing their achievements with parents, teachers, and friends. No matter which option you choose, everyone will have a great time.

Option 1 – Create an amazing project.
Your students can use our studio to learn about the elements of a professional recording studio and create a recording on the spot. With the help of our professional staff, the students can then share their creation with parents, teachers and friends.

Option 2 – Showcase their work.
If your students have already created amazing projects in school or at home, they can share them with others in our studio and get the recognition they deserve for their talented work. Utilize our Art Gallery as a canvas for their creations.

Bring your passion. We’ll do the rest.
Whether your students create a project from scratch or come to showcase the remarkable work they’ve already created, we provide all the equipment and resources they need. Our faculty will be there to answer questions and give expert, on-the-spot advice. Every participating student gets a free recording to showcase their work. We even supply personalized email invitations for parents, teachers, and friends. Just wait till you see the smiles they take home.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Who can take part in a Field Trip?
Field Trips are open to K-12 students in the U.S. and Canada. Each event can accommodate up to 30 students.

How long is a Field Trip?
A Field Trip lasts two hours. To schedule more time, contact the school office.

What is the cost of a Field Trip?
A Field Trip costs $250.00 and includes all use of the facility, recording equipment, and instruction from the school staff.

When can I schedule a Field Trip?
You can request up to three date options. The school office staff will contact you within 48 hours to confirm the details of your event.

How do I schedule a Field Trip?
Contact the school office at:
1-888-988-ROCK or email info@detroitschoolofrockandpop.com

What other programs are available?
From school assemblies and in-school band workshops to full rock band programs for schools without music programs, The Detroit School of Rock and Pop Music offers various programs for K-12 schools. Contact us to see how we can get your students rocking.

Field Trips are presented as part of our “Access to Superstars” events. Our goal is to take ordinary people and make their lives extraordinary by giving them access to the people at the top. In the process, people are motivated, excited, and learn that through attention to detail,  persistence, and a community spirit anything is possible.

In April of 2008, The Detroit School of Rock and Pop Music was featured in an article that appeared in the Fortune Small Business section of CNN.com. That article inspired a gentleman from North Carolina to contact the school to see if they could help him prepare a unique anniversary gift for his wife.  He was interested in preparing a custom song for her.

Executive Producer Jason Gittinger and Erik discussed some concepts and directions for the song and Erik was charged with forming an email with some lyric concepts.

After Jason received the email with Erik’s direction, he and his co-writer Colin Harfield charged ahead with writing and recording the song for Elaina. They took some liberties with Erik’s lyrics, moving them around a bit to work in relation to the song and managed to come up with a concept that highlighted Erik and his wife’s multi-continent spanning relationship.

With lyrics finalized, the songwriting duo tweaked and finished the chords, form, and melody. Then they finshed the process by recording all of the parts for the final “demo” of the song to send to Erik for his approval.

Finally, once the song was approved by Erik, Jason enlisted the help of fellow Detroit School of Rock and Pop Music staff members Chuck Bartels and Brian Lord to play the bass and guitar parts on the finished song.

Jason emailed Erik the finished song which was presented to his bride on their anniversary to much appreciation.

HEAR THE FINISHED SONG:

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