Songwriting in Community: A 6-Week Workshop/Playshop with Beth Wood

February 21 – March 28, 2023

Tuesday evenings, 6:30 – 8:30 pm at Sisters Art Works

Songs can be powerful tools for preserving and honoring story, expressing emotion, and sharing one’s unique perspective. In this interactive workshop participants will work together in a non-judgmental, supportive space to access their unique stories and translate them into song. The sessions will explore topics such as: What are the nuts and bolts of songwriting and how can we utilize them to convey our message? What makes a memorable melody? How does song form influence the communication of a narrative?

Under the guidance of instructor Beth Wood, aspiring writers will explore tools for beginnings and engage in wordplay and writing exercises. They’ll refine their awareness in noticing the choices that songwriters make and will write, share, listen and learn from each other. Participants should bring an open heart, an open mind and a curious spirit. All levels of songwriting experience are welcome.

Instructor Beth Wood says, “I LOVE sharing what I have learned and what works for me in songwriting. I love supporting other songwriters in their creative process and in sharing their work. I love what happens when people who love songs gather to geek out about songs! And I believe we have much to learn from each other.”

What we will do in our time together:

• Practical writing exercises/games
• Share ideas, songs, and creations with each other
• Examine nuts and bolts of songwriting, a mysterious process
• Revel in the mystery
• Deep listening
• Share in discussions about songs and the creative process
• Work from prompts to generate new songs

Maximum of 12 participants. Class held in the JAM Studio (Suite 101) at Sisters Art Works (204 W. Adams Ave, Sisters, OR). Tuition is $150 for all 6 sessions with pay-what-you-can pricing available for interested participants. For more info, please reach out to Beth directly at [email protected].

REGISTER FOR SONGWRITING IN COMMUNITY

About the Instructor 

Beth Wood is an award-winning singer-songwriter, poet, and believer in the power of word and song. Beth has been writing, recording, touring, and teaching full-time twenty-five years — delighting and inspiring audiences with her exceptional musicianship, intelligent songwriting, powerhouse voice, and warm and commanding stage presence. Beth has released fifteen albums, three books of poetry, and a collection of funny stories from the road. Beth’s poetry book Ladder To The Light (Mezcalita Press) is the winner of the 2019 Oregon Book Awards People’s Choice Award and was a finalist for the 2019 Stafford/Hall Award for Poetry.

Beth’s dream is to live simply, to build community through music and poetry, and to move something with her art, whether it’s a swirling emotion or a curious mind or tapping feet. Her mission is to communicate the joy she feels when she opens her mouth and sings. Beth’s musical philosophy is that there are no wrong notes. She lives in Sisters, Oregon with her rescue dog Hannah Laroo.

Wood and Steel Bluegrass: A 6-Week Bluegrass Music Workshop

April 5 – May 10, 2023

Wednesday evenings, 5:30 – 7:00 pm at Sisters Art Works

This series will focus on song arrangement, jam awareness and “bluegrass etiquette” and is open to adults who play acoustic steel stringed instruments. In each of the 90-minute classes you will spend time learning how to take traditional bluegrass tunes commonly found in jam circles and bring them to life by finding the right key(s) to play them in, construct intros, outros and apply other interesting arrangement ideas. The skills learned will help players improve their ability and confidence in jamming and give them the ability to take a song they especially enjoy and turn it into a tune they could bring to any jam to lead. 

This is a beginner/intermediate class. Participants should have a solid ability to strum and switch between the basic and common chords on their chosen instrument. Bass, cello or fiddle players must be able to identify some common notes and be able to play at least one basic scale or have the ability to play simple melodies. Singing is encouraged but not required. 

Maximum of 20 pickers. Class held in the JAM Studio (Suite 101) at Sisters Art Works (204 W. Adams Ave, Sisters, OR). Tuition is $150 for all 6 sessions with pay-what-you-can pricing available for interested participants.

REGISTER FOR WOOD AND STEEL BLUEGRASS

About the Instructor

Joe has been working as a musician and musical instructor in Central Oregon for over 20 years. He was a founding member and mandolinist for the popular Central Oregon band Moon Mountain Ramblers and currently plays with the Popcorn Trio and Skillethead bluegrass band.

Joe started teaching guitar, mandolin, banjo and bass in the early 2000’s, working at Central Oregon Music, Music Makers and Cascade Community School of Music and then went on to run his own music school String Theory Music in Downtown Bend from 2007 to 2020. Being a music lover, Joe really enjoys a large variety of music. As a player, he values learning and respecting traditional approaches to root music while also experimenting with blending different styles, pushing to create new sounds and approaches to all kinds of music both old and new.

As a teacher, Joe really puts the focus on fun, and most often supports learning by ear methods, making the learning process as hands on as possible by encouraging students to learn how the music sounds and feels right from the start.