Students at Venice High School have something to sing about.

On Monday, the school’s music program launched an electronic music recording studio, allowing students to write and record their own songs. Four small rooms in
the music building were each equipped with monitor speakers, microphones, headphones and laptops loaded with professional-grade production software.

“These kids will literally be able to make any kind of music they want,” said project coordinator Lawrence Grey, 25. He’s volunteering to mentor the young musicians twice a week and will be sending interns from his company, Young Producers Group, the rest of the week.

Grey initially took the idea for a music studio to Brian Loucks, an agent with Creative Artists Agency who frequently engages with music students at the campus. They teamed up with Melanie Bialis of the dropout prevention program Communities in Schools and found support from Venice High Music Director Wendy Sarnoff.

Creative Artists Agency donated eight refurbished laptops, and Loucks and Bialis funded the rest of the equipment.

“The importance of music is that it gives young people another voice, another way to speak, to communicate with the world,” Sarnoff said.

Grey expects students to begin posting their creations online by next month.

“A lot of people in this school like music, but they don’t know how to make music because they don’t have the resources. This will motivate people,” Venice High School senior Juan Lopez said.

— Elliot Stiller

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