Instructor: Akina Adderley
Description: This class will feel like a combination of songwriting, a bit of modern music history, and a dash of music appreciation. Students’ primary focus will be developing their songwriting craft and generating a robust batch of original songs. Students will gain and expand proficiency in form (how do I want to structure the sections and flow of this song?), harmony (what chords do I want to use and how do I want them to pull the listener along?), melody (what tune will impart the feeling I want to convey, and how can I make it compelling, unique, and satisfying?), and lyrics (how do I express these thoughts/tell this story artfully and authentically?). Students will write using a variety of approaches; students will write freely, using prompts, and emulating various 20th and 21st century artists, songs, and idiomatic conventions. Students seeking to focus on instrumental music will be welcome to do so, and lyricists may focus on just words. In this class, students will write independently and/or co-write with peers.