Woodbridge students release compilation album

When Frank Roberts takes the stage with his guitar at Woodbridge Senior High School Friday, he'll be doing more than just singing his standard songs -- songs about nature (and a cou-ple about girls). He'll be presenting his music to his parents for the first time.

"I don't really share that kind of stuff with them, but I think I might start to," Roberts said. "They're looking forward to that."

Roberts -- along with fellow Woodbridge Senior High School students Sulaiman Azimi, Greg Porch and Kurtis Goad -- perform at Woodbridge Idol Friday while contestants await judging.

The Woodbridge Idol talent competition also celebrates the release of the four students' compilation album "Shatter the Silence," the second offering from Woodbridge Senior High School's student-run record label, Polyphonix Records.

Shannon Gunn, teacher adviser for Polyphonix Records, she started the label last January, in-spired by a music educator's magazine story about a New Jersey (or was it Pennsylvania? She couldn't remember) teacher who did something similar at her school.

"Students do all the recording and mixing," Gunn said. "It's run like a real record label. (Students) learn how a record label works, they learn how to work as a team, they learn how to produce an event," Gunn said.

Woodbridge students who want to record must submit a (low quality) demo or perform.

"I had no way of recording music," Roberts, a sophomore, who performs under the name Ursa and the Major, said. "I figured its free recording, I should look into it."

He spent a couple rocky hours recording into a MacBook, which landed him some studio time with Polyphonix Records.

For "Shatter the Silence," Gunn said there were a lot of acoustic singer-songwriter submissions, and the A&R students felt there was enough material to release a CD in this vein.

"It's definitely an artsy-folksy CD," Gunn said.

There's probably a pretty good reason for this, Woodbridge junior Azimi said.

"A lot of the bands broke up," Azimi said. "Most of the artists on there are solo artists."

Azimi used to play in a now-defunct band called The Commonwealth. The Commonwealth contributed three tracks to last year's Polyphonix compilation.

"It's a lot more advanced than last year's, because we've learned a lot about the recording equipment," Azimi said. "The music this year is overall better."

Azimi contributed four songs to "Shatter the Silence," but had to drop some tracks he wanted to include.

"In the studio it gets kind of tough sometimes because things don't sound the way you want it to when you come into the studio," Azimi said.

But, Polyphonix Records' recording equipment has benefited students who wouldn't otherwise have access to quality equipment.

"It's taught me how to use all the technology used in producing music," Goad said. "It taught me more about the industry and business side of music, so I can prepare myself for later when I get into it."

Goad, a 15-year-old freshman, contributed one song to "Shatter the Silence," titled "John's Dream," which he wrote with friend Rachel Cronin.

Staff writer Josh Eiserike can be reached at 703-878-8072 or jeiserike@potomacnews.com.