caught up in a struggle...

Here's some inspiration from Us3 - check out the chorus at 1:10

Grade 7 and 8 students are caught up in a struggle...

a songwriting struggle.

They have been working on creating original songs, individually or with a partner, for a couple of music periods. Students were free to choose their own way in to the process - lyrics, melody, chord progression, rhythm/beats - whatever worked to get the ball rolling. 

This web from the Musical Futures Guide to Songwriting document helps us to visualize the complexities of the process. You can find this and other helpful resources on their website: https://www.musicalfutures.org/resource/27359/title/songwriting

It was immediately evident that the majority of girls gravitated to paper or whiteboards to explore lyrics, whereas most boys began by playing on instruments and music apps. I'll be interested to see if this trend continues. In my attempts to capture some of the early stage work, I took a few photographs and video, but found that many students, while happy to discuss their progress with me, were reluctant to have it documented. They want more time to process things on their own. Fair enough. 

This group did let me share a peek into their work in progress. 

Students, such as these girls, who started creating with lyrics, stated that they only had lyrics and did not yet have any other aspect of the music worked out. I recorded these girls so they could play it back to hear other aspects of the music that were clearly starting to form. They were amazed to hear that they were actually starting to develop a melody! Also, the chorus seems to be firmly in place. When completing their Songwriting Reflection #1 they considered starting with "lyrics" and "rhythm/beat" to be a success and now need to find the right chords and instruments to help support a melody, so they can "sing it together".

Many other students are still at the very beginning stage where they are testing out their ideas - rejecting most of them - still trying to find a way in to what they have to say. 

Spreading like wildfire!

Whenever I start something new in one or two classes, it inevitably spreads like wildfire throughout the whole school. Students hear about new music work from siblings or neighbours and convince me to let their class give it a try. 

So, I also opened up this project to a Grade 6 class who has done some fantastic work recreating songs this past term and are ready for a new challenge. After the first class one of the students arrived at my homeroom class door the following morning to tell me about his experience the night before. He has never knocked on my door before and has never really shown an interest in music. In fact, he almost refused to learn the ukulele when we were doing so in class because he just didn't like the instrument. I was surprised to hear him describe his night - not being able to sleep - hearing a song in his head and grabbing his phone to write it down. This assignment inspired him to share his love of rap/hiphop and allowed him to be creative in new ways. His creative burst on a sleepless night has given him a great start on this project and he can't wait to get to the next music class to start "making some beats" to go with his song.

Working with Mentors:

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of meeting and having a Skype chat with James Miles from Urban Arts Partnership in New York. It was exciting to learn about the fantastic programs they are running, such as the Academy that works with high school students to create their own music while also providing skills needed for college and career readiness. This is an afterschool program where the students come to the UAP office, located in SOHO, and work with professional artists in the studio;  rapping, singing, and making music to accompany the lyrics.  As a Musical Futures Canada school, we have an opportunity to partner with the Academy. These high school students will mentor my students and teach us about how to make hip hop music, through Skype lessons and sharing our music together online.

In preparing for this work, I have asked my students to think about the concept of legacy. 

When asked to write about their own issues and passions, my students often have a difficult time identifying what those are. My hope is that the exposure to an inner city culture, in contrast to their own experience in a small southern Ontario city, may help to illuminate their own unique place in the world and start to shape their personal stories. 

Mostly, we still have questions:

What does legacy mean?

What is our legacy?

What do we have to say?

What do we care about?

What is the best way to express our thoughts, feelings, ideas through music?

So, we are all caught up in a struggle right now.