Meet the Outstanding Educators of the 5th Annual SoCal Beat Battle
Lawrence Grey (left) and Soundtrap’s Leandro Otero (right) with the four Outstanding Educators (from left to right Eric Linnes-Bagley, Jack Aron, Allison Cheng, and Larenz Tolson)
The SoCal Beat Battle celebrates the creativity cooking in classrooms across Southern California. YPG and Soundtrap come together every year to shine a light on the music students are making and equip them with professional-level gear as prizes. But none of it happens without the teachers who bring the battle into their classrooms and set the conditions for students to take the creative leap.
At this year's culmination event, we named four outstanding educators whose work stood out. Many teachers deserved recognition, but these four had the most submissions and the most effusive praise from their students. Students talked about how these teachers made them feel safe to be creative, excited to come to school, and validated as young people finding their voices.
We want you to hear from this year’s Outstanding Educators directly so we asked each of the four educators to share how they used the Beat Battle in class, how their students responded, and what the experience meant to them. But before we jump into their responses, let’s take a look at a video Soundtrap put together highlighting each of their work. Watch below:
Jack Aron
Culver City High School
I've used the SoCal Beat Battle every year as a north star for my production students, something real and tangible to work toward. I treat it like a major event, because it is one: any producer in my program can throw their hat in, and the moment they do, we all rally around them. It becomes a shared mission rather than a solo grind.
My students responded to that energy in a huge way. They felt motivated to produce some of their best work of the year, hyping each other up in the lab, swapping feedback, and pushing one another past their usual comfort zones. By the time submissions rolled around they were turning in music they were genuinely proud to share.
For me, the event has been a kind of lightning rod, absorbing and channeling my students' creative desires into something focused and meaningful. Watching them push themselves so hard has, in turn, shown me exactly where I can push myself to my own creative limits. The SoCal Beat Battle doesn't just elevate my students—it elevates my entire practice as an educator and a producer.
Student praise for Jack Aron:
No teacher has been more impactful on my musical growth and life than Mr. Aron. He took me from someone who had never seen a DAW to someone who is confident in my ability to produce whatever music my chaotic mind can dream up.
Mr. Aron has always been nothing but supportive. For my 3 years of high school, he has been a constant pillar of guidance and somebody who's taught me so much about the music industry and the ins and outs of producing.
Mr. Aron is the most kind hearted and inspiring teacher. He never judges me, or any of his students for their music, and he always tries to make his class a safe place for me to express myself.
Allison Cheng
Palisades Charter High School
This is my first year attending the SoCal Beat Battle and I’m getting an award and one of my students got an honorable mention. I found out about the beat battle after visiting another high school and I had no idea what it was. From that meeting, we were able to network and have me talk to Young Producers Group to start using their curriculum and prepare for the competition.
This year, one of the assignments my students had for the spring was to enter music for the SoCal Beat Battle. Some of them were so excited and others were a little more cautious to show excitement.
The SoCal Beat Battle was an experience. My students enjoyed the snacks and to interact with the new and upcoming technology. I think the part they enjoyed the most was getting to talk to other students that were interested in creating music. Some of my students actually knew some of the finalists because they went to middle school together. I think that goes to show you that community is so important in the music tech world and more so for networking. The wildest thing I realized is that I was getting observation hours at a school and one of the teachers I saw last night was at the school I was observing. I never imagined that 10 years later that I would be teaching music tech and see him at the beat battle.
Student praise for Allison Cheng:
Ms. Cheng has been so generous with her time and resources, allowing me and many other students to use music equipment, space, and school computers to learn about and make music at school.
During our temporary relocation following the Palisades Wildfires, she worked extremely hard to make sure every kid had a guitar to play, and every kid was excited about music. I feel so honored to not only learn how to create music from Ms. Cheng, but also to care and persevere.
"Before this class, I had no interest and knew absolutely nothing about creating music, but she has been able to make it fun and easy and I now love when I get to use my creativity to make music!
Eric Linnes-Bagley
Roosevelt High School
This year, I gave my students an assignment for the SoCal Beat Battle. They were expected to submit at least 3 original songs to whichever categories best aligned with their unique style. I aligned this assignment with California Arts Standard K-12.L3.MU:T.3.3: “Present a portfolio of personally developed creative works representing a variety of musical contexts."
The students were enthusiastic about this assignment, as they had complete creative freedom to create their songs. I gave them class time to work on their music and encouraged them to collaborate with each other.
The event was incredible! It was inspiring to see so many passionate and talented students have their work presented and celebrated.
Student praise for Eric Linnes-Bagley:
Mr. LB has gone above and beyond to make sure we all have the tools we need to make something we're proud of. He created a safe space in his classroom for students to make music outside of what we're supposed to do, and he's incredibly supportive in everything that we make.
Mr. LB has had a great impact on my musical growth…In the beginning of the semester, I was in a writer's block. I couldn't produce a single song if I wanted to, but with his help I was able to overcome it and finish my album.
Mr. L-B is an amazing teacher and deserves to be seen. He inspires us to be ourselves and supports us in whatever we make.
Larenz Tolson
Hamilton High School
I use SoCal Beat Battle to teach lessons on: how to put your best work forward; if you have music ready you never have to get ready for the opportunity of a lifetime to pass you by; and to get out of your comfort zone, regardless if you get selected as a finalist or not, and share your music with the world expressing your authenticity.
Students love that it’s not a mandatory submission but truly something that they want to do. Having had finalists in the last 3 Beat Battles including this year, those peers are able to see that these goals are attainable. It sparks a fire under those students who truly see a future in this industry to say I can do this too and be successful. I am so proud of how the students not only work on their own music but even give feedback and help each other through the submission process.
This year’s Beat Battle meant the world to me. Not only did two of my top students place as finalists in their respective categories but I had the honor to be recognized as an outstanding teacher. What I have done in my career as a teacher has always been about the students and not once have I expected any praise for doing my job. Seeing my students succeed is proof enough for me that what I’ve done is right. This will be my last year as a teacher as I spend time fulfilling my new role as a parent. This is why being recognized and seeing students be great, this Beat Battle will forever be engrained in my heart.
Student praise for Larenz Tolson:
Mr. Tolson broke me out of my nervousness and low self esteem of getting into the music industry. He saw potential in my work and, due to that, I flourished in the scene and was able to get a huge following.
Tolson was there to encourage me to write my emotions down and use my craft to express myself. That is why he is the best teacher I have been in contact with. He is more than just my teacher. He is family.
Mr. Tolson has inspired me to push forward beyond all circumstantial limitations and try to put my name out there in the industry. Being a student of Tolson's has taught me that it is something achievable with the right guidance and passion.
Four classrooms, four very different approaches, but the same throughline: teachers building the conditions for students to take their creative work seriously and expanding learning beyond the four walls of the classroom. That's what the Outstanding Educator Awards really measure, and these four teachers set the bar.
To Jack, Allison, Eric, and Larenz, thank you. And to every teacher who helped students submit this year, whether your students made it to the finals or not, you're the engine that makes the beat battle run. We're honored to partner with Soundtrap on the SoCal Beat Battle, and even more honored to serve as the hub for educators like you.
