SONG
What is SONG?
Songwriters Of a New Generation (SONG) is a program available to both public and private schools in BC. We provide music industry mentors who visit class rooms as an after school club or alternatively can be integrated into the curriculum. These mentors provide music industry education, a safe place for students to express themselves, show students how to be part of (and build) a community, as well as teaching the age old craft of songwriting.
Having worked with numerous schools since 2005, this program has been extremely well received by students and administration alike. With success stories such as having students performing at the Juno Awards Gala Dinner, students winning songwriting contests, and the group of students in the band called The Latency (who signed a record deal right out of high school and had three #1 hits on Much Music), the program mentors provide knowledge which can only come from years of experience. This experience is then passed on to the students, helping them grow as artists and people.
SONG enhances what students are taught in their school music classes and teaches them how to incorporate those fundamentals into the art of songwriting. Weekly classes provide students with what they need to create, fine tune, and perform their songs throughout the year (including summer). Current pop songs are chosen by the students and analyzed together in a healthy critical fashion.
SONG provides performance opportunities for students and completes the program with a year-end recital so that friends and family can see what the students have been working on all year. During the yearly recital, students compete for prizes as well as receive valuable feedback from a panel of music industry judges. Some of our past judges/guest speakers have included Jim Vallance (Bryan Adams, Aerosmith, Ozzy), Vincent DeGiorgio (NCYNC), Dane DeViller (Kelly Rowland, Jessica Simpson, The Corrs), Tommy MacDonald (Hedley), Danny Craig (Default), Mike Reno (Loverboy), Faber (Faber Drive), and more.
At the end of the recital, SONG gives out prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd best song, S.O.N.G. Spirit awards (for the students who were most helpful to others), Most Improved Writer, and door prizes. Some of our past prizes have included: guitars, microphones, free recording time at world-renowned studios, working with well-known producers, recording software, amplifiers, and more.
For more information about SONG, or to get your school involved, please contact info@musicbcfoundation.org or call 604-873-1198.
What people are saying:
“I have high praise for your initiative and creative delivery format. I have been delighted with the care, ingenuity, and sense of organization your program has provided to some very talented young people. Endeavors like yours are exceptional” – SONG student parent
“…they [mentors] … genuinely care. They’ll help you outside of the classroom like they have for me. I graduated in June 2008 and I’ve gone to their shows, had business meetings, gone to studios, writing sessions and they’ve even helped me to get into the newspaper. I was on the front page! Furthermore not too long ago I was invited to go on a field trip to Mushroom Studios which has developed into my new job!” – Alexis Douglas, SONG student
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