Songwriting in the Spotlight

Songs at the Center
Songwriting in the Spotlight!
Day-Long Seminar & Concert
Student Singer-Songwriters, Educators and Music Therapists and all welcome!
No Charge for seminar activities. All activities sponsored by the Ohio Arts Council.

What:
Songs at the Center, the Ohio-based TV show that airs across America, is putting on a songwriting workshop primarily for high school & college student Singer-Songwriters, Teachers & Music Therapists. Anyone interested in songwriting is welcome to attend.

Some of Ohio’s best professional songwriters and music teachers will conduct sessions for songwriters, educators, therapists, and students (high school through college and beyond). The workshops will provide separate curriculum tracks for students and teachers, respectively.

The event will close with a concert on the stage of the Peoples Bank Theatre featuring staff and participants.

Where:
Classroom sessions & Evening Concert:
Peoples Bank Theatre
222 Putnam St, Marietta, OH 45750
www.peoplesbanktheatre.com

When:
Sat., March 25, 10AM-5:45PM (Classes)
8pm (concert)

Faculty includes:
Todd Burge is a nationally known, full time touring singer/songwriter from Parkersburg, West Virginia, who studied at West Virginia University. Todd has performed his original music at hundreds of venues including local stages, and the Kennedy Center, NPR’s Mountain Stage, and The Country Music Hall of Fame. Todd has performed and toured with a long list of national entertainers and has coordinated songwriting workshops for the Mountain Stage New Song Festival. He is also a consummate teacher of songwriting, from K-12, to advanced songwriters.

Todd’s Workshop: “How I Write One Song Every Day!”
Todd will discuss the various methods he uses bring on the “muse” on a daily basis. He will also share with you why he feels creativity is endless.

Eric Gnezda, MFA, is creator, host and producer of the national TV show, Songs at the Center. An award-winning songwriter, Eric is a regular performer at Nashville’s Bluebird Café. Eric has seen success with a wide range of styles – from comedic to inspirational songs. He and his work have been featured on radio and television around the world. Also, a public speaker and Emmy-nominated TV journalist, Eric has appeared before countless corporate clients across America. Away from the stage, he is a lecturer at Ohio Wesleyan University. Eric’s workshop is called, “How to Write Comedic Songs and Parodies”.

Ron Sowell is best known for his role as the musical director for the internationally acclaimed radio show Mountain Stage. Ron Sowell is also a dynamic singer and performer, accomplished guitar and harmonica player, award winning songwriter and critically acclaimed producer. He has recorded four albums with West Virginia based bands – the Putnam County Pickers and Stark Raven. He has toured extensively across the United States and to Greenland, Europe, the Mediterranean and Africa. In addition, he has recorded three solo CD’s of original music including his latest release” Little Movies”.

Ron’s Workshop: Cooking Up a Song from Scratch
The best way to learn to write a song is by doing it! Ron will talk about choosing a subject and a musical style, deciding on tempo and picking a major or minor key to fit the emotion. He will then lead the class through the simple formula he has devised over the years at going from nothing, to having a completed song!

The emphasis will be on spontaneity, having fun, and creating a safe space to offer ideas. Team work and respecting each other’s ideas will be encouraged. At the end of the day participants will have a creative process that they can take home and duplicate in other settings.

Gene Castelli, Co-coordinator, Nashville Songwriters Association International, Columbus Chapter. A veteran songwriter, Gene has taught the craft for more than a decade to songwriters of all levels.

Gene’s Workshop: From Idea to I Did It!
“I’ve put together a list of the most common things about songwriting, like, hook, chorus, bridge, pre-chorus, etc. I will walk my class through the terminology and what it means, and then have fun with them putting a song together. At the end we will all be putting our names on it as a co-writer!”

Jim Shaw, MA, is a music educator of 35 years in both public and private schools, K-12. A composer and touring musician, Jim is a faculty member in music education at Ashland University, where he teaches primarily education and nursing students on techniques of bringing music into the classroom. He is the composer of a multitude of songs that are used in elementary schools (songs) through high school (band and orchestra), and continues to write in all mediums.

SCHEDULE:

9:30-10AM – Registration – Sign release form as workshops will be recorded**

Although the first two workshops are geared toward educators and musical therapist, anyone is welcome to attend. All workshops are open to everyone. You do not have to be a songwriter, but you will certainly end up becoming one before you leave! You do not need to know how to play an instrument.

10AM-11AM – How to Teach Songwriting in School Settings, Jim Shaw

11:15AM – Music and 21st Century Learning Skills: (Critical Thinking, Creative Thinking, Collaborating, Communicating), Jim Shaw

12:30PM – From Idea to I Did It – Gene Castelli

1:30PM – LUNCH – provided by The Ohio Arts Council

2:15PM – How I Write One Song Every Day! – Todd Burge

3:30PM – How to Write Comedic Songs and Parodies, Eric Gnezda

4:45PM – Cooking Up a Song from Scratch – Ron Sowell

5:45PM – Dinner – Visit one of Marietta’s many fine restaurants!

7PM – Organize, set up and sound check for concert

7:30PM – Doors open to public

8pm Songwriter Concert!

**The day’s seminar and concert activities are funded by The Ohio Arts Council. All participants will be asked to sign a Publicity Waiver that grants permission for their likeness to be used in the post promotion of event and for possible inclusion in national broadcasts of the Public TV program, Songs at the Center. All minors must have waiver co-signed by a parent or legal guardian

Songwriting in the Spotlight is made possible in part by state tax dollars allocated by the Ohio Legislature to the Ohio Arts Council (OAC). The OAC is a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally, and economically.