The pioneering DJ Workshop
Kiss FM

"St.John de-Zilva is rapidly becoming the guru for novice knob-twiddlers .."
The Observer

1994

DJ Workshop started as an after schools project at the British Record Industry Trust School (BRIT) when Music technology teacher and club DJ St.John De-Zilva was heard playing on the then lauded pirate radio station Girls FM in London. Asked by students to teach them how to mix, the sessions soon became a success with DJs like Cutmaster Swift, Nicky Blackmarket, and Rob Mello visiting the BRIT School to give guest sessions.

From these roots de-Zilva developed the first BTEC National in DJing at the BRIT School.and the first students to access the unit were students like Imogen Heap, Damage’s Andre as well as DJ Para and the later to be Dane Bowers.

1995, 96 & 97

With a focus around DJWorkshop’s festivals at the Royal Festival Hall with DJs like DMC Champ Kofi, house head Kenny Hawkes and Dnb’s Blackmarket and Ray Keith to name a few , the interest developed around the country with a range of youth, arts and educational establishments requesting master classes, workshops and courses.

"Organiser and BRIT school tutor St.John de-Zilva needs to be hugely credited for pulling this event off and his efforts in teaching the art of DJing"
Gordon Knott in DJ Magazine

".. a splendid occasion where the massed ranks of DJ wannabes were taught how to cut it with the the best of them.."
Gavin Hills the Face

1997 – present Regenerative education:

With workshops being delivered as far afield as Blackpool and Portsmouth and with De-Zilva now becoming a resident DJ at London’s seminal blue note club a third National DJWorkshop Festival was held at the club with would be DJs taking seminars and sessions with industry DJs and a chance to lay at the club in the new talent club First Exposure.

Here then was an opportunity to develop courses based on BTEC/ LOCN/NCFE Units which would lead to De-Zilva providing community based courses at music centres, PRUs and Youth clubs for young people to access with the help of a range of service providers.

The model of sparking initial interest in music making through DJ workshops hit a chord with many arts development, youth service and educational providers and with the licensing of the course to Lewisham College, students now had a level 2 course which De-Zilva had written for LOCN.

Students from PRUs, youth clubs and schools were able to access the first DJ and Dance Music Course in the country with tangible outcomes with industry input and a qualification which would lead them onto a Level 3 Qual. As well as DJ units students took units in music business, music technology, Styles and keyboard skills. The course also became available at Cambridge Regional College as well as the eight week taster course at numerous youth centres.

Through projects with the then National Youth Foundation for Music and Bromley Arts Development ex students such as DJ Quikfingaz and DJ Ash (Embi) were trained to become workshop tutors and have now gone on to deliver their own courses and sessions. Providing employment and training so that this work can continue.

Through this model we have worked with a wide range of services and institutions from specialist schools, arts centres, remand centres, housing associations, as well as corporate clients for team building and function purposes.

2007-09 Hard Beatz

Recently new projects have been developed such as the Hard Beatz project with Raven Housing Trust and courses for specialist schools such as Majorie Maclure.

Hard beatz saw fifteen young people come together with musicians, engineers and Djs to write, rehearse, record and perform their own songs over a nine week time frame.

Parents have commented how their children : "have really been switched back onto music and enjoyed it more than school" with nearly 100% attendance records, creative outcomes and confidence building the project seeks to enable young people to share their ideas and work in a professional yet supportive environment.