International Songwriter Education

August 22nd – December 18th, 2010 (Optional semester: 23 weeks starting January 16th, 2011)

When choosing the International Songwriter education your stay at Engelsholm College starts before you arrive.

We request that you submit a lyric or two, perhaps a track if you have one, before you start.

The first week you will get feedback, good advice and assistance from an experienced songwriter, for example, Poul Krebs, Allan Olsen, Mads Langer, Marie Frank, and Jim McCormick (U.S.).

The following is a presentation of the autumn semester divided into modules:
Each module has a theme, which typically covers a few days of workshops with external teachers, while the other days contain general songwriting lessons.
Almost every week you’ll attend the subject “understanding music”. Here you can dig into theoretical, practical and historical topics.

Week 34-35: Intro: Feedback on the text and / or music that you send us in advance. Then we’ll begin the songwriting lessons.

Saturday 28th August you’ll get the opportunity to visit Tønder Festival, one of the most important Danish festivals for songwriters.
There you will witness concerts with Chris Smith (UK), Arlo Guthrie (U.S.), Roy Book Binder (U.S.), Poul Krebs, Niels Hausgaard and Michael Falch and get a look behind the scenes of the festival.

Week 36-37: Poetry Days: In collaboration with the Danish Author School.
Here you’ll be in the company of some of the country's most talented writers and poets. You get to play with words and poems and develop your writing skills.
During this period you'll also encounter the legendary Danish rock guitarist and artist Franz Beckerlee (from the greatest Danish rock band ever, Gasolin), who is the “artist of the week”.
Workshop: Carsten Dahl, Stefan Pasborg, Niels Davidsen and Jesper Zeuthen, four of the absolute top Danish jazz artists.

Week 38-39: Vocal and instrumental workshops.
Arrangement and orchestration of the music behind the song: Lessons in the three preferred "songwriter instruments": guitar, piano and vocals.
External teachers are; Christian Alvad, Perry Stenbäck, Soren Kjaergaard and Nikolaj Busk.
There will also be a workshop with the amazing American songwriter Richard Shindell.
During this period, we’ll have a visit from another Danish cultural legend: Torben Ulrich, who plays a concert and gives lectures and workshops.
We also prepare for the Study Trip. (Read below)

Week 40: Study Trip:
All Engelsholm students go to New York and the songwriter continues further south and visit Austin, Texas, where we guest “The House of Songs”.
The founder of The House Of Songs, songwriter Troy Campbell, will lead a songwriter workshop, and we will experience Austin's vibrant music scene.
The study trip to Austin Texas will cost an extra fee of 5000 DKK.

Week 41-42: Performance weeks:
Playing venues and - some of you – will play support for established songwriters and composers.
Engelsholm has a large network of good venues, small and major music associations and professional songwriters and producers, who have agreed to work with and accommodate students from Engelsholm.

Week 43-44: Film music.
In these 2 weeks you’ll get acquainted with film music and media compositions in general. (Advertising music, jingles, etc.)
External teachers: Jacob Groth and Kenneth Thordahl

Week 45-46: Songtronica:
Joint venture with students from the “Electronic Music Education” - How can we use an electronic, musical expression and genre characteristics in our work?

Week 47 - 48 - 49 - 50
Finishing the semester and making a special project.
Refinement and editing of your songs - textual, compositional and instrumentally.
But above all: recording and producing a CD with your own works, texts and music.

Roar Amundsen and Jakob Bonderup will be the main teachers in the International Songwriter Education.

Affiliations: Great Songs Publishing, Great Moments (N), AMV Talpa (D), House of Songs (U.S.), The Popakademie in Mannheim (D)

Sponsors: “Akustikken”, Aarhus og Tom Bedell(US) provides 5 D1 Martin and two Bedell western guitars for the songwriter students, as well as Strings, Straps, Picks, etc.

Contact:
Roar Amundsen
roar@songcrafter.dk
Phone: +45 3119 9500

Jakob Bonderup
jakob@engelsholm.dk
Phone: +45 2040 8898