Music: Songwriting with a Purpose

Songwriting with a Purpose, will help you develop the essential skills to craft catchy music, melodies, and lyrics while also telling powerful stories that respond to the world around us today, and create a voice for global citizen artists.

Perfect for beginning to advanced songwriters, this exciting workshop will teach you new skills and techniques to rapidly improve your songwriting. Explore the craft of songwriting with skilled professional songwriters and musicians and immerse yourself in everything that is music.This hands-on, interactive live experience will make you more productive, confident and a better songwriter as you work with a faculty team led by Kasaan Hammon and Don Reed, both experienced performers and teachers.

Songwriting with a Purpose is the ideal way for you to forge new friendships and collaboration with other songwriters and musicians from around the world. It is the perfect enhancement to your current music activities and curriculum.

Weekly Class Schedule

Classes are held Saturdays from 10 am – 12 noon PST. Class activities include:

• 10:00-10:20 am – Warmup Games
• 10:20-10:40 am – Lecture/Demonstration
• 10:40-11:00 am – Small Group Topics
• 11:00-11:40 am – Writing Session (duos, trios)
• 11:40 am – 12:00 pm – Sharing Songs & Feedback

Mid-week, the instructors will post prompts on the class Padlet resource board to build off of the previous weekend class and set up the topic for the next Saturday. 

Find the full schedule here.

Meet Your Faculty

Kasaan Hammon is an award-winning songwriter, recording artist, producer, and former Executive Director of the Association of Independent Music Publishers. She writes and records under the name RIGSI and has been part of the management teams for Chaka Khan and Hall of Fame songwriter Albert Hammond. Kasaan is a member of the music faculty at Idyllwild Arts Academy and Summer Program where she teaches songwriting, specializing in topline and vocal performance. 

Don Reed, an award-winning multi-instrumentalist, has been performing, composing, teaching and recording music for over 40 years. Don’s playing and compositions have been featured on hundreds of recording projects, television and film soundtracks and more. Don has performed with, produced and managed numerous bands and solo artists throughout his career. He excels in diverse genres, including punk, bluegrass, hard rock, classic rock, jazz, folk, blues and more. Don currently heads up Pop Music & Songwriting at Idyllwild Arts Academy and chairs Songwriting for Idyllwild Arts Summer & Auxiliary Programs.
donreedmusician.com

What You Will Need

• Good internet connection 
• Any electronic device that has access to the internet (phone, tablet, computer, iPod, etc.) 
• Make sure your device is charged before class begins
• Notebook or journal for writing prompts
• Musical Instrument
• Midi Keyboard (optional)
• Optional – Music recording software (Garage Band, Logic, etc.)

If you have never used Zoom, check out this Zoom tutorial.