A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION
HISTORY of SPEAK LIFE and SLAAM
Speak Life and Speak Life Academy of Arts and Music, INC. are non-profit organizations geared towards teaching and inspiring audiences from all ages, ethnicities and socio-economic backgrounds with the principles of positive communication through the medium of American culture specifically using music genres of Gospel, Jazz and Blues. These genres are a part of the bedrock of American music culture and have helped to spawn the likes of many popular genres today such as Pop music, Hip-hop music, Country Music and Rock music.
Speak Life Academy of Arts and Music, Inc. employs Oscar Williams, Jr. as its Director and Project manager for each tour. Oscar is an award winning musician and composer with a Bachelor’s degree in Music, a Master’s degree in Music Composition and a Doctorate degree in Educational Leadership and Management. Oscar has an array of singers, musicians, poets and rappers in an ensemble called, “The Band of Life”. The “Band of Life” has done numerous cultural exchange tours in partnership with US Embassies in the following countries.
Music has been proven to be the universal language. However, we live in a time where language and communication can be the cause of conflict among nations and people. “Speak Life Tour” seeks to be the remedy and solution for this problem by:
I. Utilizing American-based music genres to expose other parts of the world to the richness and diversity of our American culture
II. Perpetuating cultural exchange through the interchanging of music ideas, concepts, folk-songs and literature
III. Presenting a diverse tour that exposes audiences to historical, contextual and educational aspects of the music, its origins and its international impact on cultures around the world.
SMART OBJECTIVES
Specific Objective: This tour is to create greater awareness for American-based music and art, inspire and teach positive communication skills through master classes and one-on-one interaction, and provide entertainment and education through concerts focused on collaborations with local musicians and artist and to offer American culture awareness to a vast array of audiences that would not normally be exposed to it.
Measure This Objective: The Project Manager will establish ongoing collaborative efforts through quarterly Skype sessions with local music leaders in efforts to gauge the effectiveness of the tour as well as offer music and social resources to these leaders and their communities that support continued cultural exchange.
Achieve This Objective: Program tours that involves multiple community concerts, visits to bi-national centers, meetings at local conservatives and schools for master classes and lectures on the historical and educational impact of American-based music and culture and its impact on the world. Finally, data and information is logged that chronicles every visit and key stakeholders that will be key in continuing the ongoing collaborative efforts.
Relevant Objective: To strengthen relationships between the US and the citizens of the world using the language of music and to share American culture with the world.
Time-Bound: The timeline of achieving these objectives starts at the onset of programming with each Post. The measurable objectives are gauged each quarter after the tour through surveys and on-line interactions with local musicians and artist.
PROJECT OUTLINE
Master Classes/Workshop – Our classes and workshops are focused on educating audiences about the diversity of American based music and art. They are designed to be interactive exchanges amongst participants and artist – tailoring the experience to the intended audience. Audiences and attendees are taught vocal techniques, theoretical analysis of the music and forms and historical information about the origins and key players in these art-forms. Attendees will be offered a chance to perform before the artist for critique and viable feedback.
Media Tours – Media tours are designed to enhance the awareness of the programming throughout the city and country.
Concerts – The concerts are designed to be entertaining and inspiring. These free events are open to the whole community. Each concert is approximately 75 minutes in length and should incorporate local artist and musician participation and collaborations. The music repertoire consist of African American spirituals, Traditional and Contemporary Gospel songs, Jazz and Blues standards and some pop standards. A typical concert repertoire list its below:
