“Your presence in my class has had a major impact on my teaching…”

— Bruce Franzen, Principal Quechee Elem. School

school workshop 		 

Let's make music… together!

Jon Gailmor

Songwriting workshops

The group will create a totally original song, both lyrics and music, on a topic chosen by them. I am the ultimate catalyst and occasional dentist. Here’s how it goes: The group picks four possible song subjects, and votes to decide between them. The lyric-writing begins with my asking pertinent questions. Usually, the first two responses become the first two lines. Voila! A rhythm is born. This is reinforced through scatting, clapping, and every other rhythmic device known to humankind. Eventually, the group’s responses to my questions will be in rhythm. The process will beget lessons, rather than the opposite. It’s much more exciting to plunge right into songwriting, then see what principles come up. Meter and rhythm, rhyming, poetry versus lyric-writing, and the marriage of words to music are just a few of the lessons which present themselves. When a few verses and a chorus are written, the group will create a melody for their lyrics (usually beginning with one brave soul who breaks the ice). In no time, the tune is born with a group effort, and the song comes alive and sings itself, though it sounds much better with human voices. Invariably, the composers are astonished at what they’ve accomplished.

Songwriting workshop

The finished piece is rehearsed, taped and, hopefully, performed later for an adoring and equally amazed audience of peers, cohorts, families and friends. Workshops of this nature can be presented at conferences, where the participants write a song about some aspect of the conference, then perform it before the assembled attendees. They can also take place at schools, the workplace or any other setting, where one day or a couple of hours is all we have.

Workshops and residencies can be

  1. CURRICULUM-BASED, or
  2. OPEN-ENDED
1. CURRICULUM-BASED
A CURRICULUM - BASED workshop or residency is one in which the general topic of all songs is pre-determined by the school , company or whoever is hiring me. For example, in 1991, Vermont’s Bicentennial Year, many schools had me come and help every class create a song on some aspect of Vermont. Then there was another school whose theme was "healthy life styles", and we ended up writing songs about saving the environment, avoiding drugs and alcohol, eating right, etc.
2. OPEN-ENDED
An OPEN-ENDED workshop or residency means that the topics of the original songs are TOTALLY up to the individual groups. Every one is different.

Residencies

Residency means that I come to live with you. Actually, I come to your school, company or wherever, for more than one day, depending on budgetary considerations, and I help groups create original songs, both words and music. I can meet with every group in a setting, or just a few, depending on time and budget. It’s totally up to you. Every group I’m with will end up with an incredible masterpiece, including teachers, if they are bold enough and want to make their own song (kids LOVE) to see their teachers up there performing. Which reminds me that the culminating activity of any Jon Gailmor residency is a "gala" performance, usually in the evening, attended by families, community, friends and relatives, who are proud and appreciative beyond description. The proudest ones, though, are the composers.

See photos of a Songwriting Residency

Residencies, too can be CURRICULUM-BASED or OPEN-ENDED.

Original songwriting: education residency

This residency emphasizes the "music of lyrics." Every word comes from the students. As catalyst, I soon have the young lyricists dictating verses and chorus, and the finished musical sculpture is a source of great pride. Meter and rhythm, rhyming, and poetry versus lyric writing are some of the concepts covered during brainstorming. The students create the melody and determine the song style as well. This guarantees total ownership, an essential goal of the residency. A grand performance, in which each class showcases its creation, is a festival of self-esteem and joyous accomplishment.

Monkton, VT school residency

Who benefits from a workshop or residency
with Jon Gailmor?

  • Colleges
  • Companies
  • Organizations
  • Conferences Schools
  • Camps Families
  • Individuals Seniors

Where do workshops or residencies
with Jon Gailmor Happen?

  • Retreats
  • Courses
  • Conferences
  • Reunions
  • Bar Mitzvahs
  • Remembrances
  • Tributes
  • Weddings
  • Adulation…
  • and other *life affirming* events!

Book ahead: sign up for a workshop