I worked with the Sangre Ridge fourth grade this December
To help them write songs based on The City of Ember
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I wrote and recorded four songs with four classes.
On December 18 we performed for the masses...
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| Each class presented their song for the whole school that morning. |
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| Even though the songs were still brand new, the kids did a great job singing! I followed along with the guitar the best I could! |
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| That evening we gathered to perform for parents. Fourth graders welcomed fellow students with cheers as they came in through the door. |
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| Then they all gathered in one of the classrooms. Everyone was excited and nervous! |
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| We had a huge turn-out, with parents seated all the way to the back of the room! |
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| Each class had their turn on stage. |
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| We used the projector so everybody could follow along with the words. |
You can listen to and download the kids' songs on BandCamp:
Many thanks to the Oklahoma Arts Council for their support, which made this project possible!
This week I begin a new residency at Will Rogers!
This is a great project! People that say Oklahoma doesn't care about music are so beyond wrong. I grew up on the east coast and have now since moved to Arkansas where I had a bit of an education breaking down my east coast snobbery and a lesson in humility.
ReplyDeleteWe've got a great group in our area, Trout Fishing in America, that does songwriting workshops--I wonder if they've ever done this sort of thing before. They do have some awesome lesson plans you might find useful: https://www.troutmusic.com/for-educators/lesson-plans/
Hi Kim, thanks! I know Keith and Ezra - I've even sat in on one of their workshops. It was a lot of fun. They have the advantage of being two people - Ezra plays a guitar while Keith writes the words up. Some of their workshop songs end up on their albums, polished up a bit, like "Alien in My Nose." I'll check out the lesson plans. Thanks!
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