Durham College’s Music Business Management Program kicked off this year’s Oshawa Music Week with the World Music Festival in early April, offering students practical experience in managing events and showcasing Durham Region’s musical talent.
Hosted in the Pit at the Oshawa campus, it featured various music from diverse backgrounds. The festival aims to highlight local musicians and give students practical insights about event organization.
Tony Sutherland, professor of Music Business Management and event organizer, said the event gives students an opportunity to gain confidence in an experiential learning environment. He said the event ensures that “when students graduate, they have knowledge of what the industry is all about.”
Sutherland also highlighted the ever-evolving nature of OMW over its 24-year history, stating its growth and transformation through multiple rebrandings. He said since then, the event has shifted names four different times but in “2018 we changed the name to Oshawa Music Week.”
He said throughout the 24 years, the event has been an essential part of the curriculum, reflecting his commitment to the college’s hands-on experiential learning.
Events like this not only act to educate but are a great way for students to socialize, leading students like Ashwani Pareek, a member of the Music Business Program and one of the event’s resident DJs, to gain valuable experience. Pareek said the program is dynamic and “offers hands-on experience.”
Yashkumar Rami, another participant in the Music Business Management program who performed, said he gained valuable knowledge and shared the importance of cooperation in the creation of the event. He attributed the success to teamwork, adding, “For me… it’s teamwork because, without the team, we wouldn’t be able to do this.”
OMW allows students to see the outcomes of event organization, and one student, Jayden Garner, shared a favourite part of his involvement. He said, “It’s been fun, super busy, but of course you get to see your creations built up, so it’s rewarding in that sense.”