WHO IS BRIDGES FOR MUSIC?
Bridges for Music is a non-profit organisation focused on empowering young talent from under-served communities to become creative change-makers, providing quality education and 21st century-tools and equipping them with the psychosocial and entrepreneurial skills to thrive in the creative industries.
At Pressure Cooker Studios, we’re all about building a platform for talent to flourish. That’s why our partnership with Bridges for Music is so important to us. They’re doing incredible work by empowering young creatives through music and entrepreneurship, and we’re excited to play a role in that journey.
When we started Pressure Cooker Studios, our goal was simple: create a platform where artists can grow, collaborate, and produce work of a world-class standard. Over the last 14 years, we’ve built a reputation for producing high-quality Music and Audio for the media industry. But beyond that, we’ve strived to be a place where both emerging and established talent can thrive.
Valentino Barrioseta – CEO/Founder of Bridges for Music says: “This partnership allows us to create more avenues together for young talent from our programs to make money through music, which is not necessarily being on stage as a performing artist. At the same time, it will connect PCS portfolio with true grassroots artists, not only getting unique local sounds but creating a deeper impact in local communities.”
Partnering with Bridges for Music aligns perfectly with this vision. They share our passion for nurturing talent, especially from underserved communities that often lack access to the resources needed to succeed in the creative industry. Their programs go beyond just teaching music; they’re about fostering creativity, entrepreneurship, and well-being. This holistic approach is something we deeply resonate with, and it’s why we’ve committed to being actively involved in their initiatives.
On forming this exciting Partnership our GM, Brian Little, had this to say, “I’ve had the pleasure of witnessing the remarkable journey and growth of Bridges for Music since its inception in 2013. In the early stages, I was fortunate enough to be able to collaborate and offer my support, and now, in my role at Pressure Cooker Studios, I’m grateful to renew that relationship. Our studio is committed to providing an educational platform that resonates deeply with our mission of empowering African talent to thrive, not just locally, but on a global scale. We are excited about the many possibilities this partnership offers, from internships to sustainable revenue generation and meaningful opportunities for students, alumni, and Bridges for Music’s partners”.
James Matthes, our CEO, had the privilege of heading over to Bridges for Music in July, to give a talk and share real-world industry insights with the next generation of music-makers, and to explain potential areas of collaboration.
“We’ve also welcomed students and Alumni from Bridges for Music to visit our studio. These studio experiences give a behind-the-scenes look at what we do. It’s a chance for the students to see how a professional studio operates and to get a feel for the kind of work they could be doing in the future. We want them to leave our studio with a clear sense of what’s possible and the confidence to pursue their own careers in music. And it was amazing being able to demonstrate our Dolby Atmos Cinema using a track mixed in Atmos that Rudy Julius, our first Bridges intern, has composed. Seeing the journey he has taken so far from a student at Bridges for Music to where he is now a valued member of the Pressure Cooker Studios team has hopefully inspired his peers on their own journeys”.
Our partnership is grounded in a shared belief that education and industry experience go hand in hand. By combining Bridges for Music’s educational programs with our real-world expertise, we’re helping to create a clear pathway for young talent to build sustainable careers in our industry. We’re committed to making our studio a place where talent is nurtured, and opportunities are created.
Rudy Julius is a perfect example of this partnership in action. Rudy joined our creative hub of audio pioneers and composers in Cape Town at the beginning of this year. He was the first Intern to come through our partnership with Bridges for Music’s Industry Access Program (IAP). Our aim is to make an annual Internship placements through this partnership.
But Internships are not the only way we will be nurturing talent. We look forward to having many artists from Bridges for Music as collaborators and composers for our music catalogue, Pressure (read more about that here). In fact, Rudy’s set to release a full album on Pressure Music Catalogue next month. We can’t wait to share this with you.
By partnering with Bridges for Music we also increase our talent pool of session musicians, singers and composers to pitch on commercials and act as advisors or contributors on narrative projects. We will continually learn from each other.
CEO of Pressure Cooker Studios, James Matthes says: “For me information is power, I hope that by sharing the information I have learnt over the past 14 years in this industry will accelerate the untapped potential that lies inside of all these incredible creatives and help them to build a sustainable career doing what they love.”
We believe in the power of collaboration, and we’re excited to see what these young talents will achieve with the right support and opportunities. We’re here to make sure that the platform we’ve built continues to be a launching pad for talent to flourish, and we can’t wait to see where this journey takes us next.
