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L.I.V.E. Music Gateway

Where young musicians learn to play, write, record music, perform on stage & believe in themselves as musicians.

Why L.I.V.E. Music Gateway?

It is the mission of L.I.V.E. Music Gateway to develop and expand the musical potential of our youth, have a positive impact on their personal and social functioning through music, and amplify and engage the power of their collective voice to help benefit the community.  

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We accomplish this by providing instruction in music and music related technologies to students, including individuals with special needs and those without the financial means to otherwise participate in music instruction.  We will provide facilities, equipment and opportunities for L.I.V.E. Music Gateway students to gain live performance experience, either as individuals or as a member of a band.  We aide students in discovering opportunities in the music industry and help guide their interests towards the future.

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We  sponsor, host and participate in events and activities that promote live music and allow L.I.V.E. Music Gateway students to engage in musical opportunities that illustrate the positive impact of music, especially those that benefit the community.

L.I.V.E. Music Gateway offers a non-competitive environment  to learn and perform, where students thrive with the support of Deb, parents & other musicians.  None of the many programs & performance opportunities are structured to foster competition between students. In contrast, there is an extremely cooperative spirit among the L.M.G. "Village", in which students and parents find happiness in the success of others. L.M.G.'s commitment to getting each student to believe in his or herself, combined with this supportive environment, has in many cases, changed the lives of kids who previously were bullied, ostracized, or just didn't feel they belonged. 

Supportive Environment

Students at L.I.V.E. Music Gateway receive relevant training in many areas of the music industry.  Some of these include tapping into their creative side, song writing, collaborating with other musicians, ear training, studio recording, managing & using sound equipment, performance technique, and much more. 
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Experience

One of the biggest things that differentiates L.I.V.E. Music Gateway from other schools, is the commitment to each individual student. Although the student may be there for lessons on musical technique, we take an active interest in helping the student to contemplate and define their individual path.  We recognize that each student's musical path is inherently connected to who they are and who they want to be.  This often leads to lessons that have impact on many areas of the student's life and future, including commitment, leadership, initiative, &  self esteem.
 
 

Commitment to the Student's future

A significant benefit that L.I.V.E. Music Gateway offers is the ability for many committed students to perform in one of the L.M.G's Student Showcases or other venues set up by L.I.V.E. Music Gateway.  This allows students of all ages to gain performance experience in a safe & supportive environment.  The sense of accomplishment students receive by performing for an audience and the subsequent feedback they receive often leads to a boost in their self esteem and self confidence.  In addition to many accomplished individual performers, LMG currently has several bands covering many age groups & music genres.  Stay tuned for the up & coming Pre school band that is in the works!!
 

Performance Experience

The L.I.V.E. Music Gateway "Village" is made up of our students, parents, families & friends.  The love of music and family are two of the biggest unifying factors that make our Village so strong. It is through harnessing the energy and commitment of our Village members, that we are able to create new and unique opportunities for our students, performers & bands. On many occasions, we get to witness how music can be the common thread that brings families together, working toward a common goal.  
 
 

It Takes a Village

Student performers gain first hand knowledge of how music can provide the opportunity to give back to the local community.  Our performers and bands frequently play for events sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce as well as other community events.
 
Past events include: Lapeer Days Festival, Project Graduation, Flint Water Benefit, Metamora Days, Lost in the Woods Music Festival, Lost in the Woods Suicide Awareness Benefit, Relay for Life, LHS Job Fair, Food Truck Fest and many more...
 
 

Community Involvement

Since LMG's successful teaching method relies heavily on getting students to believe in themselves, acknowledging their accomplishments and recognizing their achievements are key factors to this success. In addition to individual, one-on-one recognition, LMG celebrates the accomplishments of the students through a variety of avenues. There are bulletin boards displayed in the studio which feature the varied accomplishments of our students. 

Student Recognition

L.I.V.E. Music Gateway is the product of the inspiration of Deb Barber, a 4-time Grammy Nominee.  Deb brings authentic music industry experience to LMG students.  Deb received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music Education from the University of Michigan. During her early career Deb displayed her abilities as a consummate percussionist.  However, she also excelled in stringed instruments and vocals. Deb taught marching band, percussion ensembles, and started her own drum studio. 
 
After graduating, Deb began a successful career as a musical artist.  She sang lead and wrote originals as she played with many bands such as The Country Star Lighters, Midnight Fantasy, and Spectacle. With the group White Light, Deb toured throughout the Midwest, co-writing and performing the group's songs.  In 2005, she released her acclaimed CD, "The Best of Life."  See more about Deb's musical career at www.debbarbermusic.com.
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Deb returned to Lapeer for family reasons, and decided to pass her gift of music to the youth of Lapeer when she opened dB's L.I.V.E. in 2013.  Her deep commitment to her students is founded in her longstanding belief in the premise that the energy you put forth is what you get back.  Her commitment to her students has far surpassed providing individual music lessons...thus was born L.I.V.E. Music Gateway...Learn, Imagine, Visualize, Experience. 
Deb
Barber

Behind the Music

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