Workshop Description

Whether you are new to songwriting and would like to take your music beyond the shower, or you have already written songs but would like to have a better grounding in the basics, Waltons New School of Music’s six-week Songwriting Workshop, taught by one of our acclaimed songwriter/teachers, will help you to develop your creative ideas – in any music genre or style – and turn them into finished songs.

This online workshop can be taken by participants living anywhere in Ireland or around the world.

The workshop begins with a discussion of participants’ questionnaire responses (see the Workshop Questionnaire section of this page), as well as an introduction to the craft of songwriting, including standard song ‘elements’ (verse, chorus, bridge, etc.) and their various permutations. Participants will then start working on material both individually and collaboratively, with constructive feedback and encouragement from the workshop teacher and other participants.

Songwriting Workshop classes are intended to be instructive, encouraging and collaborative. Here is some of what’s covered:

• Tools to help with ‘writer’s block’ and get the songwriting juices flowing.
• Collaborating and providing useful and supportive feedback for peers.
• Lyric Writing. What makes a great first line? What makes a great chorus? (The verses of the song are like climbing up a mountain. The chorus is the view from the top. When you get to the top, the view better be worth the climb!)
• Melody Writing. More than any other element, a great melody that can be sung alone without accompaniment is what makes a truly great song. And a ‘singable’ melody (that is, a melody that almost anyone can sing, not just the performer) is much more memorable.
• Hooks. A great ‘hook’ is that brief, irresistible bit of music that the listener will remember even after hearing your song only once.
• Finding a Groove. How to create a rhythmic sound that will make your song stand out.
• The Business of Songwriting, including publishing, royalties, song placement, etc.

Participants whose primary interest is lyric writing, music writing – or both – are welcome. Those who play an instrument or sing can incorporate it into their work. Music reading is not necessary to participate, and knowledge of a chordal instrument (guitar, piano, etc.) is helpful but not required.

Questions about the workshop?

CONTACT US

or call us on (01) 478 1884.

Collaboration

Many great songs are the results of collaborations, and we all know of great songwriting partnerships. Although Songwriting Workshop participants are very welcome to write, workshop and perform their songs themselves, we encourage them to explore collaboration as well. Two forms of collaboration are possible:

• Participants can collaborate on the songs themselves. For example, one participant can focus on the lyrics of a particular song and another on the music.
• Or they can collaborate on developing and performing their songs. For example, if a songwriter doesn’t play an instrument and/or sing, another participant who does can collaborate with him/her on developing the instrumental and/or vocal part(s) and performing the song.

We ask participants about their skills and interest in collaboration in our Workshop Questionnaire. (See the last section of this page.).

Requirements

Participants in this online workshop will need to have the following:

• An internet-connected laptop, computer, tablet or smartphone. (A laptop or computer with webcam and microphone is recommended, as it will have the largest picture.)
• Ideally, internet speed at least 1.5Mb per second. (You can test your speed using Measurement Lab’s Speed Test.)
• Headphones or earbuds, if possible.
• Free Zoom software or app.*

We also ask all participants to complete a brief Workshop Questionnaire (see last tab) at least two days before the workshop begins.

*    If you haven’t learned music with Zoom before, please see our printable Zoom for Students information sheet for information on how to download and set up Zoom for music tuition.

Before the workshop begins, the teacher will email you a Zoom meeting invitation that includes a meeting ID and password to join the first class.

The Songwriting Workshop is one of the New School’s group courses. We also offer private songwriting lessons for students at all levels (see Theory • Musicianship • Songwriting Tuition for more information), as well as The Art & Craft of Songwriting, a summer workshop.

Kieran McEvoy

Kieran hails from Dublin and currently lives in Co. Wexford with his wife and daughter. He has been a professional musician and songwriter for many years, performing with many different bands and solo artists as both a session guitarist and songwriter. He lived in New York City for over eight years, where he toured and recorded with Electra Records signed glam rockers Smashed Gladys and formed a hard rock band with Sony recording artist Dina Regine. He performed many of his own solo shows around city, honing his songwriting skills all the time. On returning to Ireland in 1996, he recorded on his sister Eleanor McEvoy’s Columbia Records album What’s Following Me and toured the US, Europe and Ireland with Eleanor and her band. He also co-wrote ‘Make Mine a Small One’ with Eleanor, which features on her album Early Hours. He continued to work as a session musician, recording and touring with the likes of Bagatelle, Mickey Harte, Luane Parle, Conor O’Donnell and many others – then formed the band B & The Honeyboys with his now wife Aileen Mythen, releasing two albums. Changing their name to The Remedy Club, they released another two albums, Lovers, Legends and Lost Causes and the latest, released in March (just in the time for the pandemic!), True Hand, True Heart. The latter was recorded in Nashville over seven days in October 2019 and was co-produced and engineered by five-time Grammy Award winning Ray Kennedy, whose previous and current clients include Steve Earle, Lucinda Williams, Rodney Crowell, Emmylou Harris and many more. The album brought them to the attention of London based management group Nick Stuart and Associates and live promoter Neil O’Brien entertainment, both of whom they have recently signed with. They are about to sign a recording contract with a UK label. Kieran has taught with the New School and for our Outreach Programme since 2011. He firmly believes the craft of songwriting is a skill that can be taught and developed, and he has the commitment and skills to guide any musician – or indeed non-musician – in that craft.

‘Teaching songwriting is rewarding and inspiring in many ways. Quite often students experience ‘creative blocks’ that stop them moving forward and finishing songs, and it’s a pleasure to help them move beyond that. The process of giving voice to my ideas about songwriting also inspires me to dig a little deeper myself and gives my own creativity a boost. Finally, for most people interested in songwriting, there is a performance aspect, and the performance night at the end of each Songwriting Workshop makes those who don’t feel confident about playing in public challenge themselves. Every single person who has performed really enjoyed the experience, and many caught the ‘performance bug’ and continue to play gigs.’

Melanie O’Reilly

Melanie is an internationally-known jazz performer, singer, songwriter and music educator. She has recorded seven albums and performed on eight compilations, her music has been featured on PBS television and she has won numerous awards from the Arts Council. She was lauded by Downbeat magazine as one of Ireland’s foremost jazz ambassadors, has performed at several international festivals, including the inaugural EU/USA Jazz Festival, where she represented Ireland at the Los Angeles Schoenberg Hall, and her recent tribute to jazz icon Anita O’Day show earned her four-star reviews at the Edinburgh Festival. She is a regular performer on radio and TV and is the creator and host of the award-winning RTÉ radio show Jazz on the Bay. Melanie has extensive experience teaching songwriting, voice and performance technique. She has taught at the Oakland School of the Arts, the New College of California in San Francisco and the University of California Berkeley’s CAL Extension programme, among others. She also regularly teaches at the California Jazz Conservatory Berkeley as part of their World Music Vocal programme and was a Visiting Scholar and Musician-in-Residence at the University of California Berkeley’s Celtic Studies programme from 2003 to 2009. She is currently Jazz Artist in Residence at the Wexford Arts Centre, and she recently completed an MFA in Performance at the American College Dublin, where she was also awarded Graduate Student of the Year. Melanie has taught with the New School since 2004, and she also teaches The Art & Craft of Songwriting, our acclaimed summer workshop, as well as voice (singing).

‘Music is what connects us to the world, lifts our spirits, feeds our minds and brings us together. As a vocalist and music educator, it is a joy for me to share this universal language with students of all ages, building confidence and expanding knowledge, innovation, concentration and creative teamwork, while at the same time having a lot of fun! It is my belief that everyone has music within them, and it is my aim to enable that inner creativity to be expressed and to develop, grow and flourish – whether singing or crafting a new song.’

Luan Parle

Acclaimed performing artist, songwriter and composer Luan Parle has had numerous hits and accolades, including a Meteor Award for Best Irish Female. Her top 10 hit single ‘Ghost’ spent three months in the Irish Charts, was the most played Irish single of that year and featured on numerous number 1 compilation albums. Luan signed her first record deal at just twelve years of age before later signing with Sony Music and Elton John’s management company Twenty-First Artists. She has since written and recorded with some of the world’s most successful songwriters and producers, including Grammy Award winning Bill Bottrell (Sheryl Crow, Michael Jackson, Prince, Travelling Wilburys, Elton John) and Billy Steinberg (Madonna, Roy Orbison, Cyndi Lauper, The Pretenders, Whitney Houston, The Bangles, Celine Dion). After spending several years performing and touring extensively in Ireland, Europe and the US, Luan released her fourth studio album, Never Say Goodbye, in February 2020, to critical acclaim. The album features ten original tracks, including two co-writes with Dire Straits guitarist Hal Lindes. Luan has extensive experience teaching songwriting to people of all ages and has facilitated songwriting workshops for both IMRO (the Irish Music Rights Organisation) and the Department of Education for a number of years. She also teaches our Collaborative Songcamp

‘Having written and performed songs from an early age and worked with some of the world’s most successful songwriters and producers, I have picked up some very useful tips and tricks along the way that I am passionate about sharing. Creating music with fellow musicians and songwriters is one of the most exciting and satisfying things that you could ever hope to experience. I am dedicated to providing this wonderful experience for others.’

Reviews • Testimonials

‘The teacher’s laid back and informal approach, coupled with vast experience and knowledge of music, made the workshop very enjoyable for me, and I would be happy to recommend it to others. The workshop was just what I was looking for and gave me an excellent understanding of how to approach songwriting.’
– B. Curran

‘Great course. Really enjoyed having someone walk me through a scary new thing, with great skill and experience..’
– K. Del Sesto

‘Waltons New School of Music and my excellent teacher gave me the opportunity both to learn and achieve something that I didn’t think was possible for me. Through combination of healthy challenge and empathetic guidance, I learnt and grew in ways that I didn’t think I would in such a short space of time. Thank you….’
– D. Duggan

‘Great, flexible, friendly and encouraging teacher.’
– C. Fay

‘I thoroughly enjoyed the Songwriting Workshop and learned so much from it. I would definitely recommend the course to anyone wanting to learn or improve their songwriting abilities. I have a greater understanding of song structure and collaboration now, which has helped me move forward in songwriting. Also, the fact that it was online was beneficial, as I wouldn’t have been able to do it in person.’
– R. Gregan

‘The relaxed way of teaching makes you feel at home on the course and gives you the confidence to perform in front of your fellow classmates. I can’t believe I stood up in front of a room full of people and performed my own songs! It was an amazing experience.’
– F. Hannon

‘Really enjoyed the Songwriting Workshop! In this difficult time when we can’t go places, music is the best remedy. The teacher delivered very hands-on classes that got me writing a few songs within a few weeks! Thank you. 😀‘
– P. Hong

‘Creativity at its best!’
– M. Kerrigan

‘I am so glad I took this amazing course. It far exceeded my expectations. Luan is an excellent teacher, and writing a song with her was a great and enjoyable experience. It is such a great opportunity being offered by Waltons. I believe that there are many people who would like to write a song and just need this guidance. Brilliant course.’
– R. McGovern

‘I was already writing lyrics and music before joining the course, but I required some better structuring techniques and to develop the general skill further. The course has given me the confidence to write better tracks and expand my style of writing. Thanks!!!’
– J. Mulcahy

‘I liked the encouragement and guidance, the comradery with the group and the relaxed and friendly atmosphere, as well as the great teacher, very knowledgeable and experienced, with great insight into songwriting and lots of tips.’
– S. O’Reilly

‘Take that chance – it is never too late. From the day I signed up for the course to the last session the teacher and staff were so helpful and friendly. Just go for it!’
– S. Toner

Have you taken – or are you taking – this workshop? We would appreciate it if you could take a few moments to give us your feedback in a brief online questionnaire about it.

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2023-2024 Third Term
Workshop Schedule & Fee

6 weeks, 2 May – 6 June
Thursdays 6.30 – 8 pm
Teacher: Luan Parle
Course Type: Online

Tuition Fee: €200

Enrolment

Enrolment for this workshop requires a completed Enrolment Form and full payment of the workshop fee. Places are limited to ten and are available on a first-come, first-served basis, based on the date of enrolment. Many of our group courses and workshops fill in advance of their start dates, and early enrolment is recommended.

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Purchasing this workshop as a gift?
Please complete a Gift Certificate Booking Form.

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Questions about the workshop?

CONTACT US

or call us on (01) 478 1884.

Workshop Questionnaire

If you have enrolled in the Songwriting Workshop, please complete this brief questionnaire at least three days before the workshop begins. Your responses will provide the teacher with very useful information and help him/her to tailor the workshop to achieve the best results for all participants. Thank you.