32nd Annual Songwriters School
May 31 – June 2, 2011

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Director: 

Rick Beresford (Nashville TN) - Lyric Techniques

Dr Dick Goodwin (Columbia SC) - "Find the Music"


Faculty: 

Vance Gilbert (Boston MA) - Performance

Terri Hendrix (San Marcos TX) - "The Part That Ain't Art"

Lloyd Maines (Austin TX) - In the Studio

Tom Kimmel (Nashville TN) - "Creative Writing/Creative Living"

w Spec. Guest Tom Prasada-Rao (Garland TX) - "In Home Studio Recording"

For the 32nd consecutive year, the Texas Folk Music Foundation hosts its annual Songwriting School at the Quiet Valley Ranch during the 38th Annual Kerrville Folk Festival.  Both beginning and advanced songwriters can benefit from this experience through shared examples and break-out sessions with our guest faculty.

Directed by Rick Beresford, who has written many hit songs and teaches songwriting at Belmont University, the school lasts three days and is designed to bring out each student’s unique songwriting style. There are many valid approaches to songwriting and such differences are encouraged. All types of songwriting are addressed: folk, rock, blues, and country. Students receive both large and small group instruction using hands-on-teaching methods. Individual song critiques and group songwriting are included

DAY 1 (Tue. May 31) Class Schedule

9:30-10:45 Lloyd Maines:  sharing info about my recording and producing experience. I ' ll also answer questions about making a record, doing demos, cost, what to expect from a producer and engineer etc.....

11:00-12:15 Tom Kimmel – Creative Writing/Creative Living: Explore possibilities for more productive living and writing in our day-to-day lives--techniques and practices that encourage inspiration and strengthen our work, our art... and our hearts.

12:15-1:30 LUNCH back stage provided (lunch and break out sessions could run a bit late if morning sessions are late)

1:30-2:45 Break out session

3:00-4:15 Break out session

4:30 Faculty mini concert on main stage: one song each. 

 

DAY 2 (Wed, June 1) Class Schudule

 9:30-10:45 Rick Beresford - Lyric Technique, Improve your rhyme, rhythm, development and structure techniques by learning the secrets used by some of the greatest artist-writers. On his break out sessions Rick will critique lyrics. STUDENTS – BRING 5 COPIES OF PRINTED LYRICS OF EACH SONG YOU WANT CRITIQUED.

11:00-12:15: Dick Goodwin - Find the Music:  Luck is nice when you have it, but in the meantime we will work through some of our harmonic and melodic options. In my breakout sessions I ' m going to talk about bringing all of the elements together to make a professional product.

12:15-1:30 LUNCH (lunch and break out sessions could run a bit late if morning sessions are late)

1:30-2:45 Break out session

3:00-4:15 Break out session

4:30 Main stage: Tom Kimmell and Tom Prasada-Rao will talk about home recording on main stage using Pro Tools! He produced the WAYMORES at his home using Protools.

 

DAY 3 (Thur, June 2) Class Schedule

9:30-10:45 Vance Gilbert: Songwriting and performance are inseparable entities. Here ' s a chance to work on these skills  simultaneously, in real time.

11:00-12:15 Terri Hendrix:  "The Part That Ain't Art. " Running your own label, digital distribution, and a creative approach to maintaining a career in an ever changing field. (Terri's book "The Part That Ain't Art" will be available to students for $5)

12:15-1:30 LUNCH (lunch and break out sessions could run a bit late if morning sessions are late)

1:30-2:45 Break out session

3:00-4:15 Break out session

4:30 Meet back at main stage for wrap up and evaluation

 

ATTENDEES NOTE:

1. Bring 5 printed copies of each lyric you want critiqued.

2. Have you song well rehearsed for Lloyd ' s demo session. You will only get 10 minutes and one song. 

3. Often times the Guest Faculty will have books and/or other reference material available for sale so you might want to bring a few extra bucks.

By pre-paid reservation only @ $180 per student (prior to May 10). $215 after May 10. Your registration fee includes the course, lunches, tent camping fees, a specially designed T-shirt, and admission to Sundown Concerts for class days. Limited enrollment. Starting in late February, you may register on-line by visiting our Ticket Page, or call the festival office at (830) 257-3600, or you may send your registration check to:

Texas Folk Music Foundation
c/o Kerrville Folk Festival Songwriting School
PO Box 291466
Kerrville, TX 78029

make checks payable to the Texas Folk Music Foundation