Each semester for five loud years, SWARM (Students Writing And Recording Music) students wrote and recorded their own CD’s in our studio at Pinewood, which were then manufactured and sold to the student body. Students learned to compose and record their own music in Pro Tools (the industry standard music production platform), and performed and promoted the music at a concert at the end of each semester. Here’s one student on the impact of the SWARM program on his life.
I’ve listed the songs and posted a few highlights below from the eight SWARM CD’s released over the five years I taught at Pinewood. Someday, I’m hoping to find the time to post more highlights — a few from each album, perhaps. If you want to hear some of the great creative things young musicians can do, or you’re a SWARM or Pinewood graduate who wants to reminisce, you’ve come to the right place…
SWARM 1: Four Years Gone (1999)
- SWARM 1: Four Years Gone… The first of several songs over the years about Pinewood. Recorded at Stanford’s studio.
- Eric Taggart: For The Winter… I produced an entire CD of music by this talented songwriter years after he graduated.
SWARM 2: Bring You Home (1999)
- SWARM 2: Bring You Home… Recorded at Stanford’s studio. They invited me to sing some of the vocals.
- SWARM 2: Brian’s Pure Thoughts… Hilarious instrumental from a SWARM class that was brilliant both musically and comedically.
- Victor Lin: Sounds Of Summer… This song is pure as its subject and could be a hit. Victor asked me to sing vocals.
- Jon Halliwell: Good Night… The always unique Jon Halliwell with a very Jon Halliwell song.
- Brian Atkinson: Tight… A live school concert recording with Brian on drums, Mike Weber on guitar & Mr. C on synths
- Tim Jones: Used To… A live school concert recording of a great relationship song by Tim — the girl the song’s about was in the audience.
- SWARM 3: Millennium (2000)
- SWARM 3: Britney… Fantasticly cheeky satire from this class of four upperclassmen boys
- Pinewood Singers: The Bare Necessities… A recording of a very early pop-leaning incarnation of the Pinewood Singers.
- LA Jr. High Thugz: The Tough Streets Of Los Altos… Knowing satire from Pinewood 7th & 8th graders — so funny we put it on the high school SWARM CD.
- SWARM 3 & Pinewood Singers: Mrs. Riches Song… A moving tribute the kids recorded to the school’s founder Mrs. Riches when she passed away in her 80’s.
- SWARM 4: Moving On (2000)
- SWARM 4: Moving On… A great collaborative effort from the fourth SWARM class.
- Tyler Horan: Quest… One of many great techno pieces from this gifted composer with his own signature style.
- Chris Diaz: Whatever May Be… A nice ballad about a Pinewood girl from this guitarist and singer/songwriter.
- Doris Huang: CANON IN Doris… Doris (read her essay) plays violin and keyboards on her arrangement of Pachelbel’s famous tune.
- Yasemin Kimyacioglu: There Is A Tomorrow… Yazzy set a poem by the school’s 80 year old cofounder to music. He was pysched.
- SWARM 5: Life In Da ‘Wood (2001)
- SWARM 5: Panther Song… A song composed to pump up the fans at Pinewood basketball games.
- Jonathan Fung: In The Night… A poignant song about Jonathan’s experience moving to America from overseas.
- Katy Digovich & Niki Ofa: You Don’t Know ‘Bout Me… A funny battle of the sexes over Mr. C’s riffs from Michael Jackson‘s Man In The Mirror — Katy went on to professional work as Sidney The Beak on the Doctor Noize CD’s
- SWARM 6: World Beat (2001)
- SWARM 6: Mysteries Of Life… Fantastic social consciousness and philosophy from SWARM 6
- James McOmber & Navid Aberg: Your Girlfriend Thinks I’m Hot… Requires no description — perfectly sums up the experience of hanging out with these two goofballs
- Navid Aberg: Technavid… Fantastic techno work from the serious side of this gifted musician
- SWARM 6: The Dictionary Song… Classic comedy from the geniuses of SWARM 6 — don’t miss this if you like funny stuff
- SWARM 7-8: Words Inside My Mind (2002)
- SWARM 7: Words Inside My Mind… A wild ride from the extremely talented and adventurous SWARM 7 lineup.
- Polo Black Golde: Dance With Me… This song was praised by none other than Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page (true story).
- Roger Chang: Meditation On Classical Guitar… The great and powerful Mr. Chang occasionally eschewed comedy for serious art.
- Tyler Horan: Remember… Pinewood’s foremost electronica composer gives us something completely different
- Seejun Jeong: Missing You… Seejun writes and sings a heartfelt love song in Korean to his girlfriend back home. Read his essay about it.
- SWARM 9-10: Memories (2003)
- SWARM 10: The Things You Told Me… These talented punks wrote a song that could be a radio hit
- SWARM 9: Good Times Bad Times… SWARM 9 writes a contemporary song based on a Beethoven classic.
- Chris Anderson: Your Uncle Sam Is Dead… A totally unique bassist/singer/composer with a ton of talent
- Jordan Lang: Nothing To Say… Funny and catchy stuff from this fine singer and guitarist who always seemed to have a smile on his face
- Nathaniel Mela: Stand By Me… Fantastic cover song by this punk rock philosopher with a typically unforgettable vocal performance by Lauren Mosher
- Anya Kvitka: Untitled… Singer Anya Kvitka’s adaptation of one of her favorite pop songs — she went on to major in piano at UC Santa Cruz