Throughout the past week, the hanagar of Vilnius Gediminas Technical University (VILNIUS TECH) Creativity and Innovation Center "LinkMenų fabrikas" was filled with music. The main task of the summer school, titled "Sound and vision: mastering music video creation," was for participants to create live performance videos and recordings for a band. The summer school participants recorded songs and filmed performances for four young music bands from Lithuania.

Hangar full of music and intensive student work

According to Mantas Tamulionis, the Head of the Digital Laboratory at VILNIUS TECH "LinkMenų fabrikas," the summer school attracted around 20 participants, including students from partner universities of the ATHENA European University Alliance - the University of the Mediterranean and the Polytechnic Institute of Porto, as well as students from Riga Technical University, NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands, and VILNIUS TECH students.

"Our summer school concept is quite unique - foreign university students working in mixed teams with VILNIUS TECH students not only learned sound, light, filming, and editing skills but also got acquainted with young Lithuanian music creators. Together with them, students analyzed their songs, performed recording work, and edited music videos," says M. Tamulionis.

According to the Head of the Digital Laboratory, this experience enriched not only the students themselves but also the performing bands. They had the opportunity to engage in the learning process, share their knowledge and talent, in exchange for the final musical product.

The following groups participated in the summer school: "Eiktubaiktu," the winners of the "Garažas" young group competition organized by the "Tamsta" music club in 2023, as well as the groups "Kaseté," "Sacréblue," and "Juoda Juoda."

From the right filming technique to professionally sounding performers

The summer school took place in a hybrid format - the first week was conducted remotely, and in the second week, students flew to Lithuania, VILNIUS TECH "LinkMenų fabrikas" in person. During the first week, lectures, analysis of real music videos, and group work on the "Miro" platform took place. Participants got closer to the groups, their songs, and created technical plans for live performance filming and audio recording, which they presented to the bands.

Upon arriving in Vilnius, participants engaged in intensive work - students filmed live performances of the bands, recorded their songs, and edited audio and video recordings. The two-week training concluded with presentations of their completed work, during which students showcased their final projects, and the music groups shared their impressions.

"This summer school is unique in that participants carry out a practical task with a real client - a music band, which, like in the real life, always has its own vision and suggestions on how the final product should look and sound. By interacting with the performers and finding compromises, participants develop not only professional but also communication skills," says Mantas Tamulionis, Head of the Digital Laboratory at VILNIUS TECH "LinkMenų fabrikas."

Live performance audio and video recordings created during the summer school: Juoda Juoda – Naktis,  SacrèBlue – Tik tau, Kasetè – Nemiga, Eiktubaiktu – I will save me.

This summer school is part of VILNIUS TECH Erasmus+ Blended Intensive Programme.