Summer: Songwriting Workshop

Department: Performing Arts
Open to: 6th-12th grades
Period: 2
Length: 5 weeks
Tuition: $495

This course will explore what goes into creating a commercial (“pop”) song.  We will analyze and discuss such topics as: how commercial songs are structured, types of songs, melody writing, lyric writing, combining lyrics and music, approaches to songwriting, some basic music theory, formats (lead sheets, scores, etc.), and the collaboration process.  There will be four weekly assignments and one final project/song.  The emphasis of this class will be on pop, rock, R&B, and country songwriting (we will not discuss or cover rap/hip-hop or beat making). Students should be able to access Web sites such as YouTube and RhymeZone.com outside of school in order to complete assignments and do research.  Students will be required to sing the songs they write, and the ability to play guitar and/or piano for accompanying is helpful, but not required.  Singing/performing ability will not be graded. Students are expected to perform in the concert at the end of the summer session.