Documentary Songwriters

Teaching Artist Training Program

This summer Documentary Songwriters will be offering a professional development opportunity to learn more about being a Documentary Songwriter Teaching Artist.

TRAINING INVOLVES

First, we teach a collaborative method of songwriting that creates lyrics directly from spoken stories. We harness the power inherent in human speech to create deeply emotional songs.

Second, we are committed to giving you the necessary skills to integrate this songwriting method with your ongoing work. In addition to learning the steps of the Documentary Songwriting Method, you will learn how to create a safe space that invites others to share, you will learn how to plan and follow through with projects, and you will learn valuable self-care and emotional processing tactics to implement when dealing with emotional stories.

Finally, our training rests in experiential education. Each day, participants will be challenged to be open, vulnerable, and in a space of growth. You will have the opportunity to practice every skill that we learn, both musical and interpersonal, in real-world scenarios.

If you are ready to listen deeply and expand your musical offering and teaching techniques, then this course is for you. Join us as we learn to spread the power of high-quality songwriting across the globe.

WHAT IS A DOCUMENTARY SONG?

A documentary song is a song that comes from a person’s spoken words about an actual, lived experience. The song documents the emotions of the experience through music. It is a method of co-writing music that fosters empathy, boosts self-confidence and strengthens community.

Three qualities of a docking:

• Authenticity: The song arises from the spoken words of an individual’s lived experience.
• Accessibility: The melody and words can be sung by people without trained voices.
• Artistry: The song expresses a shared exploration of ideas and suggestions from its Story Source and Teaching Artist.

Learn more at THIS LINK about many of the projects. A collection of songs that have come from the project are at THIS LINK.

The summer teaching artist training program will be an enriching and meaningful professional development opportunity for musicians and educators who would like to broaden their experience telling stories and building connection through music. For more information, contact Nora Willauer at nwillauer@docsong.org