For the kids at Toronto’s Regent Park School of Music (RPSM), getting the opportunity to work with a Grammy Award-winning producer Frank Dukes, was just the beginning. RPSM students can now count a global superstar among their collaborators.
BBDO Toronto was brought onboard a year ago to help find a way the school could raise money in support of the musical curriculum at RPSM. When the innovative fundraising program ‘Sample School’ was born and pitched to Frank Dukes, he was so enamoured by the idea he quickly jumped on board.
BBDO Toronto, RPSM and Dukes worked in tandem to produce, record and document the amazing talents of the RPSM students to create this first ever music library to fund musical education. Toronto-born Dukes spent three days working alongside 14 RPSM students at The Weeknd’s “House of Balloons” studio to create the album called “Parkscapes”.
This innovative campaign is the first time ever that musical compositions can be transformed directly into donations. Every time an artist (like Swift) uses a song from the “Parkscapes” album, licensing fees, royalties and residuals will be paid out to the school for the life of the song. It’s a sustainable donation that keeps giving, year over year.
“It felt like a great fit for RPSM, because the kids who benefit from the program are now playing a starring role in sustaining it,” says Rana Chatterjee, Associate Creative Director, BBDO Toronto.
Dukes shared one of the compositions with Swift, who decided to incorporate it into her album. She loved the music and the fact that she would be able to support the students at the music school.
When Taylor Swift released her seventh studio album “Lover” on Friday, her song “It’s Nice to Have a Friend” incorporates a composition from the track “Summer in the South” from the “Parkscapes” album. Dukes shared one of the compositions with Swift, who decided to incorporate it into her album. She loved the music and the fact that she would be able to support the students at the music school. On top of using a composition from the students on her album, Swift also made a generous donation to the school.
“Words can't describe how thrilled we are to hear our students on Taylor Swift’s new album,” says Richard Marsella, Executive Director, Regent Park School of Music. “This exposure is raising awareness and much needed funds for the Regent Park School of Music. The royalties we receive from the use our composition in the song will help fund musical education, and for that we are truly grateful.”
The 11-track album is named from a mash-up of the expression “sonic landscapes” and “Regent Park” and is hosted on Dukes’ Kingsway Music Library, which houses a collection of original samples created by the music producer and composer.
You can hear the composition Taylor Swift used on "It's Nice to Have a Friend", and 10 other tracks created by Frank Dukes and the Regent Park School of Music at http://parkscapes.ca
The composition Taylor Swift used in "It's Nice to Have a Friend" is track 11, "Summer in the South."
Listen here https://www.kingswaymusiclibrary.com/products/parkscapes-vol-1
Campaign: Sample School
Album Title: Parkscapes
Client: Regent Park School of Music
Jasper Gahunia, Faculty, Regent Park School of Music
Wes Allen, Faculty, Regent Park School of Music
Richard Marsella, Executive Director, Regent Park School of Music
Jane O’ Hare, Executive Director, Regent Park School of Music Foundation
Composer: Frank Dukes
Agency: BBDO Toronto
Chief Creative Officer: Todd Mackie
Chief Creative Officer: Denise Rossetto
Associate Creative Director: Rana Chatterjee
Associate Creative Director: Jeff Cheung
Sr. Designer: Mike Nugent
SVP, Planning: Tom Kenny
Group Account Director: Tania Montemarano
Account Supervisor: Sagi Mamalider
Director, Data Analytics and Insights: Curtis Rushing
PR: Shannon Stephaniuk, Glossy
Production Company: Flare BBDO Toronto
Executive Producer: David Lembke
Director: Jordan Dashner
Director of Photography: Luke McCutchenson
Audio: Stuart McLean
Post/Editor: Ted Husband
About Regent Park School of Music (RPSM)
RPSM is a community music school in Toronto that gives kids a unique music education in a safe, nurturing space where they can build their confidence to reach their full potential. This year RPSM will give 1,000 young people aged 3-18 a quality music education at their central location in the Regent Park Daniels Spectrum as well as in Jane and Finch and other high-priority neighbourhoods in Toronto.
About Frank Dukes
Frank Dukes (born Adam Feeney) is a Canadian record producer, composer and DJ. He is a Grammy Award winner who in 2018 was recognized by Billboard Magazine as Producer of the Year for his work with artists like The Weeknd, Post Malone, Camila Cabello, and Kendrick Lamar. Through his Kingsway Music Library, he is also known for producing original compositions for prominent record producers to sample in their own productions.
About BBDO Toronto
BBDO (www.bbdo.ca) manages the communication needs of many of Canada’s largest and best-known brands and has consistently earned a creative reputation that places it among the top creative agencies in Canada. BBDO Canada is a subsidiary of BBDO Worldwide, which is part of Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE:OMC)(www.omnicomgroup.com), a leading global advertising, marketing and corporate communications company.
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