John Lennon bus stops at UD Sept. 18

4:18 p.m., Sept. 14, 2005--The John Lennon Educational Tour Bus, a high-tech mobile recording studio and teaching tool for young musicians, will be stopping by UD as part of Newark Community Day activities on Sunday, Sept. 18.

The bus will be parked at the intersection of Delaware Avenue and The Green, and will be open for tours from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. and 1:30 p.m.-5 p.m.

Outfitted with the latest musical instruments, computers, recording equipment and video production gear, the bus is divided into two separate recording environments. The front studio is equipped for the creation of multimedia projects, while the back studio features a more traditional set-up for bands and remote recording of concerts and special events.

On a yearlong tour, the bus gives young people a chance to tour the studios and participate in songwriting and multimedia production workshops.

The John Lennon Educational Tour Bus was created in 1998 by Brian Rothschild, as an offshoot of the John Lennon Songwriting Contest. The tour bus and the songwriting contest were made possible by an agreement with Yoko Ono Lennon.

The bus’ equipment includes Apple Power Mac G5s, PowerBooks, Final Cut Pro, DVD Studio Pro, Logic and Garage Band, as well as a full range of instruments, including guitars, basses, keyboards and drums. Digital workstations, DVD/CD duplicators, video cameras, a pair of turntables and a new software-based DJ station also are onboard.

Besides getting a look at the latest recording and production technology, visitors learn how to write, produce and record original songs. Students also particiate in performing their creations while making videos using traditional musical instruments augmented by the latest technological innovations.

Accompanying celebrities have included Carlos Santana, Tim McGraw, Enrique Iglesias, Matchbox 20, Wyclef Jean, George Clinton and Black Eyed Peas.

The UD stopover for the John Lennon bus is sponsored by Courtyard Newark at UD, Dining Services and Apple Computer.

Editor's note: The John Lennon Educational Tour Bus will be on the campus even if Newark Community Day is canceled because of inclement weather. It will be parked by the Wolf Hall loading dock and related displays will be moved into the Trabant University Center Food Court.

Article by Jerry Rhodes

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