Paradise Valley Community College’s Music Industries Program took the stage last month —literally and figuratively—in an exciting collaboration with community-partner Phoenix Forge, the Valley’s premier community makerspace.Together, they hosted the Making Music Fest, a week-long celebration of the art and craft of hand-made music, bringing together musicians, makers, and music lovers from across the region.
“I was honored to be a part of this,” said PVCC MIS Faculty Bradford Knights. “Our students all performed admirably, and Jeremy McEwen, a PVCC adjunct faculty, generously volunteered his time and expertise, hauling gear and running sound.”
Phoenix Forge, which is open to all Maricopa County Community College District (MCCCD) students, Arizona State University (ASU) students, and the public, served as the creative epicenter for this unique event.Throughout the week, the space buzzed with activity, featuring music-themed workshops, hands-on classes, instrument-making demos, and live performances. Among them, PVCC student acts were as creative and varied as the festival itself:
- The Pen Band, featuring PVCC songwriting student Eric Shultz, delivered an energetic full-band set.
- Jess Peterson and Elizabeth Millard, both Private Composition students, showcased original material—Peterson on guitar and Millard on keyboard.
- PVCC songwriting alum Quin Frank wowed the audience with an improvised set using handmade instruments.
- Fine Arts student Kevin Lewis performed a dynamic DJ-style set, blending live instrumentation with pre-produced Ableton tracks.
“Lucas Anderson from Phoenix Forge was a great help in facilitating this event,” Knights said, explaining that two separate stages were built, giving space for a lineup of diverse performances. Attendees also participated in workshops that offered a true DIY approach to music-making, including violin luthier and varnish-making, cowbell crafting, bluetooth speaker building, sew-your-own guitar strap sessions, and were treated to a guest lecture and performance by the Black Banjo Reclamation Project, which explored the rich histories and dynamic futures of roots and folk music in America—connecting modern musical expression to cultural legacy.
“It was an honor to be able to perform as part of the Making Music Fest,” said Lewis, who recently took home first place in Electronic Music Composition at the 2024-2025 MCCCD’s Artist of Promise Music Composition Competition. “All of the artists were so unique in their own ways, and it was such a thrill to perform my first official electronic music set, to such a great audience. The response and feedback was so incredible, and inspiring. I can't wait to dive back into the studio this summer and create more music. And I hope to have the opportunity to do more events like this in the future. What a great space, what a great concept, and what a great experience!”
“Just getting show time no matter how it goes is going to be crucial for getting a feel of the band. It was great to get in some much needed work with my band,” said student Eric Shultz, adding his advice for future participants is to “just do it, because every time you do you’ll be that much better.”
Jess Peterson agreed, “I had such a fun time performing at Making Music Fest. PVCC is genuinely invested in helping me grow as an artist and provides so many wonderful opportunities to perform! The Phoenix Forge is a really cool place and the people who work there are so kind.”
Portions of the performances were livestreamed and can still be viewed on Instagram at @pvccsongwriting. For more information on PVCC’s Fine and Performing Arts programs, visit the website.