SongStudio in Toronto • July 21 – 27, 2012
Write • Co-write • Perform • Record • Network
From Saturday July 21 through to Friday July 27, 2012, for the eighth year in a row, we will once again enjoy intimate concerts and Q&A sessions with well-known and up-and-coming songwriters, info sessions with music producers, publishers and other industry types, as well as one-on-one access to engaged and passionate faculty members, who also happen to be acclaimed songwriters. Held this year at a new location, The Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto, this “week-long adventure in songwriting” will be led by music industry veterans Rik Emmett and Blair Packham, along with musicians/songwriters Bill McKetrick and Allister Bradley.
As always, the week will focus on learning how to write your best songs ever. There will be many chances for performing in front of supportive, attentive audiences in a warm, nurturing environment.
SongStudio’s format is designed to help you acquire strategies and tools to help turn your ideas into real, finished songs. Good songs that speak to your audience. If you have something to express through song, we can help. Maybe you only write lyrics. At SongStudio, chances are you’ll meet someone who needs help with their words, or who only writes music. And in the meantime, we can help you make your lyrics communicate more effectively, and help you learn how to write effective, compelling melodies and chord changes.
Something else happens at our workshops. Some might call it networking. We prefer to think of it as making friends, and if the last seven years are any indication, many of the friendships made at our past workshops will be for life. This is a beautiful thing. So often, songwriting is a solitary art. When the experience can be shared, a community builds.
At SongStudio you will sing, you will laugh, you will listen, you’ll “talk shop”, but most of all, you will grow as a writer and as an artist.
Past Workshops
Rik Emmett and Blair Packham ran their original workshop (2005 – 2008) in partnership with Humber College in Toronto and the program was rich with opportunities for growth and development by all of the participants. In 2009—without changing its essence—Rik and Blair decided to rename the workshop “SongStudio” and move it to downtown Toronto, to the campus of Ryerson University.
Our alumni have gone on to make and release their own recordings, many of them performing and touring, too. One alumnus (Justin Nozuka) was a nominee for Best New Artist at the 2007 Juno Awards and became the top independent download artist in the UK the following year. Another SongStudio vet (Maggie Szabo) recently signed a recording and publishing deal with True North Records, Canada’s oldest independent record label and one of its largest. Yet another alumnus is currently working on her debut album with producer/manager Grieg Nori, (Sum41, treble charger, Hedley).
Core SongStudio figures Bill McKetrick and Allister Bradley have also been involved in the workshop since its inception, first as participants (2005), and then recording demos for workshop participants in subsequent years. Both are now actively involved in the organization and running of the workshop, with Bill assuming the role of Operations Director, and Allister as Technical Director. Their recording of student demos—at no extra charge to participants—remains an integral part of the workshop.
SongStudio faculty stay with the workshop for a minimum of couple of days, and often are present all week long. Past faculty included Christopher Ward (“Black Velvet” for Alanah Myles), the late Haydain Neale (jacksoul), Andy Kim (“Sugar, Sugar”, “Rock Me Gently”), Lisa Dalbello, Grieg Nori (Sum41, Hedley), Sara Kamin, Jim Vallance (“Cuts Like a Knife”, “Summer of ’69″ and many others for Bryan Adams, Heart, Scorpions and more), Suzie Vinnick, Emm Gryner, Ember Swift, Terence Gowan, James Linderman, Justin Gray (Joss Stone), Damhnait Doyle (Shaye, The Heartbroken), Shari Ulrich, Jules Shear (“If She Knew What She Wants” by The Bangles, “All Though the Night” by Cyndi Lauper) and many more.
The workshop also features single-day visits from renowned songwriters and artists. SongStudio guests have included Ron Sexsmith, Dan Hill (“Sometimes When We Touch”, “I Do Cherish You” by 98 Degrees), Steven Page, Ed Robertson (Barenaked Ladies), Danny Michel, Shirley Eikhard (“Something to Talk About” for Bonnie Raitt), Jenny Whiteley, Andy Stochansky (“Shine”), Lindy, Simon Law (“Back 2 Life/Back 2 Reality” for Soul II Soul), John Capek (“Rhythm of My Heart” for Rod Stewart), Marc Jordan, Ron Hynes, Wendell Ferguson, Stephan Moccio (“A New Day” by Celine Dion), Dala, Murray McLauchlan, Mia Sheard, Bob Snider, Dan Kershaw, Arlene Bishop, and Bruce Cockburn, as well as a long list of music publishers, music supervisors, producers, managers, agents, and record label representatives.
