[MUSIC] Songwriting is for me such a wonderful opportunity for a person to do some wonderful expression going right into the soul and expressing oneself. Capturing again, when we're talking about music the sense of humanity, but even just the experiences around oneself, that the thing that they're learning about where history maybe. Again this idea of culture that we've been talking about, but of course, there's multiple ways to approach it. Historically, song is something that we've seen in multiple contexts, in multiple forms, if you will. How do you begin to have the conversation or start to teach in terms of song? >> There's so many ways to approach songwriting, for the public school educator the best way in my opinion is to first solidify what you want students to say. What are they saying? Why are we saying it? The first step may be a writing exercise. It may be open-ended prompt. How do I feel today or what issues am I facing today or what emotions am I feeling today. Because all of those kinds of stimuli affect how you write a song. Is it going to be a sad song? Is it a celebratory song? Is it a cry for help? Is it is it an expression of anger or angst? So once we figure out what we're going to say, then we can analyze different tunes that have articulated similar subject matter and then you can start making the musical connection and have students composed from there. >> So when you talk about subject matter, you're talking about listening, you're talking about the teacher really getting to know the students and perhaps the students also having an environment of trust where they can have that in their space so that they can be expressive. Where are your some of your experiences to bring that about so that there is that feeling of trust within the classroom? >> Transparency is the best way to build trust. You're going to have some candid and honest moments in the classroom. But also fostering an environment where introspection takes place because in order to write a song you have to be honest about what you're feeling. And if you don't take that time to assess what's happening internally, then it's difficult to make that connection to authentic songwriting. If the teacher brings their best self and their honest self and their true self, then that rubs off on the student, that energy is transferable. >> When you're in a situation where, we're talking again about authenticity or transparency. We have to be sensitive, of course to boundaries and what may be appropriate to one place or one context may not necessarily be appropriate in another. So how do you begin to walk into what it means to be transparent and where you can develop those boundaries? >> In terms of subject matter and content, music is a great avenue of expression. But sometimes as you said that expression may not be appropriate for a school setting. I tend to rules of engagement of a normal school day the same way that we would filter or tailor ELA in history content would apply to the music classroom. Whatever is sanctioned by that school board, but when you are asking about the topics, then you can suggest topics that would lead to appropriate music. You're not going to talk about anything any illegal activity or anything like that. You're talking about love, you're talking about emotions, you guide that process. So that can help to alleviate some of the inappropriate content that you may get, but it's also a process. As an educator you're checking them on each step of the process, again improv and songwriting is not freedom to just do whatever you want, but it's operating within a framework. >> There's so many learning opportunities. I think about the young person who because we're now a texting culture. This is an opportunity for them to really dig in deep and consider the multiple facetness of love as you said or any other range of emotions. You can, some spend almost an entire semester on something that. >> Of course, a lot of times students will come with an idea, a motif, maybe a lyric and then I have them do exercises where they expand upon what is the significance of this lyric and then we think or do I want my tune in major? Do I want my tune in minor? What kind of form do I want? How many verses do I want? Am I telling a complete story or am I just focusing on a specific event? Is there going to be a follow-up to this song and I've blown away by the time just a couple of pointers and maybe, we'll go here maybe take this up a half step. Then they come back with finished polished masterpieces. Again, it's just a little bit of a courage moment and then the creative process will occur. >> That's fantastic. Let's just touch quickly on form. What are some of the first examples of form that you would recommend for somebody just exploring or getting into songwriting? >> Counting and clapping out songs that you enjoy, figuring out okay, do I want my verse to be eight bars? Do I want my verse to be 16 bars? Do I want this tune in halftime? Do I want it in double time? And figuring out the different kinds of music and forms that are available. And then figuring out how that translates to how you want to express, it all comes back to listening and studying what's already available. >> Wow, so that that leads me to think, Justin, and revisiting this and really thinking deeply on this topic of songwriting. There are multiple places of which we can go in which we it can explore and really turn our whole program so that every student in the music program can have the opportunity to experience what it means to do songwriting. And I'm going to take this extra leap to say that it doesn't necessarily have to have words, it could be purely instrumental. >> Of course, of course. >> Yeah, wonderful.
