2025–26 Teaching Artist Fellow*
Simmia Nelson is a music producer, sound designer, and teaching artist who helps young people explore emotion and identity through creative technology. He guides students in transforming their feelings and experiences into original art using music production, photography, and digital storytelling. His teaching practice is collaborative, student-centered, and rooted in building confidence and emotional awareness. Through work with COMPAS, In Progress, and other community organizations, Simmia has supported hundreds of young artists in discovering their creative voice and expressing their stories through sound.
Program Offerings
Residency
Emotions Through Music
Students will expand their creative confidence, emotional awareness, and technical skills through hands-on music production, identity exploration, and sound-based storytelling. Beat-making, sound design, and creative reflection unfold in a dynamic process where youth learn to express themselves authentically and unapologetically.
This program brings together individual voice, emotional intelligence, and cultural relevance while introducing students to industry-standard programs such as FL Studio, Logic Pro, and Adobe Creative Suite.
“Emotions Through Music” is a flexible and student-centered model with the following objectives:
- Teaching students how sound, rhythm, and production techniques can be used to communicate emotion, identity, and lived experience.
- Encouraging students to analyze and question the messages they encounter in music, media, and digital culture, while developing their own creative voice.
- Providing students the opportunity to compose original beats or audio pieces that reflect personal narratives, emotions, or memories. They will learn foundational DAW skills, explore mood-based sound design, collaborate with peers, and present their projects in a supportive “listening session” format.
Students will strengthen their creative confidence, technical abilities, and emotional expression while gaining insight from my experiences as a music producer, mentor, and multidisciplinary artist.
Workshop
Emotions Through Music
Students will expand their creative confidence, emotional awareness, and technical skills through hands-on music production, identity exploration, and sound-based storytelling. Beat-making, sound design, and creative reflection unfold in a dynamic process where youth learn to express themselves authentically and unapologetically.
This program brings together individual voice, emotional intelligence, and cultural relevance while introducing students to industry-standard programs such as FL Studio, Logic Pro, and Adobe Creative Suite.
“Emotions Through Music” is a flexible and student-centered model with the following objectives:
- Teaching students how sound, rhythm, and production techniques can be used to communicate emotion, identity, and lived experience.
- Encouraging students to analyze and question the messages they encounter in music, media, and digital culture, while developing their own creative voice.
- Providing students the opportunity to compose original beats or audio pieces that reflect personal narratives, emotions, or memories. They will learn foundational DAW skills, explore mood-based sound design, collaborate with peers, and present their projects in a supportive “listening session” format.
Students will strengthen their creative confidence, technical abilities, and emotional expression while gaining insight from my experiences as a music producer, mentor, and multidisciplinary artist.
Teaching Artist Statement
As a teaching artist, I believe in the transformative power of creativity to inspire confidence, self-awareness, and community connection. My approach is rooted in mentorship, collaboration, and emotional expression, empowering youth to explore their identities through music production, photography, and digital storytelling.
I meet learners where they are emotionally, culturally, and creatively, encouraging experimentation and honoring each student’s voice. I incorporate industry-standard tools like Logic Pro, FL Studio, and Adobe Creative Suite while emphasizing that the process is just as valuable as the final product. Through hands-on projects, I foster an environment where mistakes are welcomed as part of learning and personal growth.
My teaching style is deeply interactive and student-centered. I encourage students to co-create the curriculum by sharing their interests and goals, which shapes the direction of our work together. This approach cultivates trust, engagement, and a sense of ownership over their artistic development.
As both an artist and educator, I am committed to building spaces where youth feel seen, heard, and capable. Whether we’re producing a track, curating a photo series, or organizing a community event, my goal is to guide students in discovering their potential and amplifying their unique stories through art.
