With songwriting students from Löftadalens Folkhögskula, Åsa, Sweden, 10/12/16.
UNM Songwriting Class, Fall 2014, Albuquerque Press Club
Songwriting 1 (MUS 435), Fall 2017 Concerts:
10/04, Winning Coffee, 7 pm, Albuquerque; 111 Harvard Dr. SE, Albuquerque
11/17, Art of the Song Coffeehouse, 7:30 pm, 5500 San Mateo Boulevard NE, Albuquerque
Testimonials
“This is the best class I have ever taken. The setting works and it is a really good and constructive environment to improve my songs. I love it!”
“Thank you for the course. During my time as a classical musician at UNM, I have forgotten my creative side and I am very glad to have an outlet to express myself.”
“I love the class and I’ll be using what I learn here for the rest of my life. I think it is a good challenge and even though sometimes extremely difficult to get a song out, I still find it extremely rewarding. I am feeling more “unstuck” in my songwriting every week. Also, the whole experience is very emotionally healing and nurturing to many aspects of my artistry.”
Teaching Philosophy
In teaching songwriting, my role is more of a facilitator than teacher, and the focus is on helping songwriter's to find their own voice--literally and symbolically--and to dig for what my songwriting mentor, Mary Gauthier, calls the "emotional truth" of a song. Thus, these classes focus more on effective and meaningful self-expressions and connection with others through song, rather than learning how to write a "hit" song per se.
Together with my colleague, David Bashwiner, I am creating a Songwriting Curriculum at the University of New Mexico. Songwriting 1 introduces students to the basic building blocks of writing songs and includes weekly songwriting and journaling assignments. This course also takes students into elderly care facilities, where students help the elderly to write and perform there own songs through a program called "Life Songs."
Songwriting 2 focuses on expanding one's songwriting and performance skills, but also guides students through the recording studio process. By the end of Songwriting 2, student will have a professional "demo" of at least one original song. Songwriting 2 also has a social justice and co-writing focus, where students work with incarcerated communities to teach the songwriting skills they have learned over the course of two semesters to others.
I also teach group songwriting workshops and am planning a week-long songwriting workshop on the Navajo Nation in June 2017; stay tuned for details, and be sure to contact me about being added to my mailing list if you are interested in learning more.
Together with my colleague, David Bashwiner, I am creating a Songwriting Curriculum at the University of New Mexico. Songwriting 1 introduces students to the basic building blocks of writing songs and includes weekly songwriting and journaling assignments. This course also takes students into elderly care facilities, where students help the elderly to write and perform there own songs through a program called "Life Songs."
Songwriting 2 focuses on expanding one's songwriting and performance skills, but also guides students through the recording studio process. By the end of Songwriting 2, student will have a professional "demo" of at least one original song. Songwriting 2 also has a social justice and co-writing focus, where students work with incarcerated communities to teach the songwriting skills they have learned over the course of two semesters to others.
I also teach group songwriting workshops and am planning a week-long songwriting workshop on the Navajo Nation in June 2017; stay tuned for details, and be sure to contact me about being added to my mailing list if you are interested in learning more.
- Click to learn more about auditions for Songwriting 1
Final Concert, Summer Songwriting Class for Community Members and UNM Students, 7/01/16, "Art of the Song" Studio and Coffeehouse, Albuquerque New Mexico.
