Plenty of people agree that arts funding should be a priority, but that doesnt mean its happening, particularly at the public school level. Some students in the year-long Entertainment Business Management program at have taken matters into their own hands by producing the indie-rock charity compilation album, Count Us In: Songs for the Future Sounds, benefiting MusiCounts, which promotes music education in schools across Canada. Producer/director Wincy Aquino Ong spoke with WE about the album, which features 15 tracks from artists such as Austra, Au Revoir Simone and Vancouvers own .
How did you convince the artists to sign on?
It wasnt easy! We spent lots of time knocking on doors. After weeks of getting 30 or 40 no responses, we realized it was all just a numbers game. We called record companies in Seattle, in New York, and even in Colombia; we hunted for managers emails and contact numbers. Things took off when Said the Whale said yes. We were literally jumping up and down our classroom, when we read their email. From there, things got better and better. We got Austra on the album. And then Au Revoir Simone. Soon we had almost 20 licences for free from artists who were keen to help!
What do you hope the record will accomplish?
We hope to equal or surpass the results accomplished by previous albums put together by EBM students. They have benefited many different charities ranging from the Oppenheimer Park Christmas Dinner Fund to the Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»Orphan Kitten Rescue Association, and have raised thousands of dollars. But yeah, in the end, maybe we just want to give the gift of education and just keep the good music going, going and going.
Count Us In: Songs for the Future Sounds is available for $6.99 from .
