Director of Music & Media, Russ Smith, shares why music and media has always been a huge part of Camp Qwanoes.
Russ Smith, Director of Music & Media at Camp Qwanoes, is truly a pioneer in using media to connect with kids of all ages. Much of Qwanoes success is due to Russ' multifaceted approach to "making the connection". From the live performances with camp band, Quixotic to the Q-Town Music label or QROK radio station, he is passionate about what he does - and it shows.
Russ says it best in his own words that follow and in the video.

To the Edirol/Roland team:
Music and media has always been a huge part of Camp Qwanoes. Sure, giant video screens and loud sound systems may not be what first come to mind when you think of a summer camp. You're more likely to picture a campfire with some guy playing acoustic guitar and a bunch of campers singing "Kumbaya" off dusty songsheets. At Camp Qwanoes, you get a bit of both.

We've always recognized the strength of using music and media to communicate with our campers at Qwanoes. Since music and media are such key parts of today's youth, it makes sense to use these tools to connect and present spiritual truth. That's why we've made it a priority to write and professionally record new original music as "Q-Town" for our campers to sing and take home on cd (songs demoed on our Roland VS1680). In our chapel times, campers experience high-octane video highlights and projects brought easily to life through our EDIROL DV-7PR and presented on 3 huge video screens. Our camp band Quixotic plays great music with a full sound system (using Roland speakers), video projected song lyrics and concert lighting. When the week is done, our campers can take home a weekly video of footage from their time at Qwanoes so that those experiences can be "relived" again. Yes, we've come a long way from the days of editing video from one VCR to another, to where we can utilize a 3 person Video Team that specializes in making video projects right here at camp (with help from our DV7-PR).

In these times, our youth and teenagers are taking in so much information through music and media. Movies are often the "sermons" that youth sit through, and so much identity is found in the music that young people are listening to. These are not mediums to be ignored, but rather embraced by places like summer camps as a way of communicating real love to a youth culture that so desperately needs to hear the truth.

Roland and Edirol have played key roles in the development of music and media at Qwanoes for many years, and have always helped us make the next step forward. Our thanks goes out to Roland and Edirol for how you've equipped us in music and media to make a difference in kids' lives.

Qwanoes is a youth-focused, year-round camp and retreat centre with a heart for kids of all ages. Founded in 1966, Qwanoes is an ideal place for fun-filled, life-changing adventure.