Young musicians from The Kabin Studio and Music Generation Cork City on location at the music video shoot for their song ‘Music Gives Me a Reason’. Photo: Clare Keogh

Making music for a decade on Leeside

Writers, musicians and producers have spent the past few months working tirelessly to give an anthem made in Cork city a proper platform to be appreciated.

The song in question is ‘Music Gives Me A Reason’ which was composed by Music Generation Cork City to mark 10 years of the music education programme.

It was born out of the collaborative efforts of young people and their mentors from several of the programme’s partner community music providers at the creative hub that is the Kabin Studio, Knocknaheeny.

The song was one of the big highlights from the 10th anniversary concert in The Everyman last November. In an era of visual representation, those behind the song said it felt only fitting that an official video was also developed, to capture the fun and energy encapsulated so perfectly in the song’s lyrics and melody.

The music video will be released soon. Filmed on location at the Marina Park, it has been directed and produced by Seán Downey and features a myriad of performers from the original recording, which was produced and mixed by The Kabin Studio dream team of Garry McCarthy (GMC Beats), Rory McGovern and Alex Pacino Brady. With choreography by Andrea Williams, the video’s energy pops off the screen.

The song features lead vocals by hip-hop group Misneach and the Kabin Crew, including MC Tiny, Jamie ‘The King’ Forde and more, and also features the musical talents of Cillian McSweeney and Athrú Collective, Rebel Brass, Ciara Curtin, Music Mash Up, Foróige Linkpoint Knocknaheeny, Mahon Youth Development Project UBU, The Hut Youth Project CDYS, Mahon Community Pop Academy (Cork Academy of Music), Creative Tradition, Greenmount N.S. and St Pauls Special School. From 9 June, the song will be widely available for download, and the music video will be available on Youtube. A live performance of the song and a screening of the music video will feature as part of Music Generation Cork City’s Cruinniú na nÓg celebration Rock the Block, at Elizabeth Fort on Saturday 10 June. This is a free family friendly day of youth music making run in partnership with Rhyme Island, Cork City Council and Creative Ireland. See musicgenerationcorkcity.com for more info.