Are you a songwriter looking for professional songwriting seminars and workshops, professional feedback on your songs, and a chance to perform for and interact with other songwriters? Then join us at The Art Song II: A 3-Day Virtual Songwriting Workshop on February 4-6, 2022.

We started The Art of Song in 2021 as a way to take the spirit of our weekend Songwriter Getaways online, bringing songwriters across the country together in a period of lockdown. Songwriters enjoyed instruction, collaboration, and professional song feedback.

This year, we’re back with The Art of Song II, an all-virtual weekend with a keynote speaker, panel discussions with professional songwriters, Q and A’s, one-on-one mentoring with professional songwriters, a chance to perform for all the attendees and mentors, and time between sessions to work on your own songs. It’s a burst of warm creativity in the middle of our chilly Canadian winter.

Itinerary

FRIDAY: Keynote Presentation by Hawksley Workman (7-9pm ET)

The weekend will kick off with a Friday evening keynote presentation from Hawksley Workman. Hawksley is a JUNO Award-winning and Gold Record certified singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. Since his ground-breaking self-produced indie debut For Him and The Girls (1999) through to chart-topping singles of 2020, Hawksley has careened between major label international smash hits to Canadiana-soaked indie releases. Boasting a catalogue of 17 solo records, Hawksley’s genre defying style strings together folk, chart pop and irrepressible cabaret. His show-stopping vocals on songs about weather, love, heartbreak and tales of end-times have garnered him a league of devoted fans.

SATURDAY 10am-11:30am ET: Panel Discussion
Saturday, we’ll begin with a panel discussion with our professional songwriting mentors Sarah Slean, Colleen Dauncey, and Barry Canning (see below for bios).

SATURDAY 11:30am-2:00pm ET: One-on-one Mentoring

Throughout the early afternoon, you’ll be assigned a mentor and meet one-on-one in a breakout room for feedback on one of your songs. During this time, you are also welcome to hang out in our Zoom space, networking with fellow songwriters or you can use this time to take a break to work on your songs.

SATURDAY 7pm ET: Evening Song Circle
In the evening, all attendees have the chance to join a relaxed, private song circle to share a song and share a few laughs.

SUNDAY: Professional Song Feedback from Mentors (10am – 1pm ET)

On Sunday, attendees will perform their song for our full panel of mentors for feedback.

Our Mentors:

Sarah Slean – We’re delighted to welcome the incredible Sarah Slean back to The Art of Song II. Signed to Atlantic/Warner Records at the tender age of 19, this three-time Juno nominee and modern-day renaissance woman has since released 11 albums in over 10 countries worldwide. Over her 25-year career, Slean has published two volumes of poetry, starred in short films and a movie musical (spawning two Gemini Award nominations), penned award-winning chamber works, held numerous exhibitions of her paintings and shared the stage with 10 of the country’s professional orchestras.

Colleen Dauncey – A captivating vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, and live-looping artist, Colleen has been sharing her music through livestream shows 3 nights a week on Twitch.tv. Since she began in January 2021, Colleen has connected with thousands of listeners and found an unbelievably supportive community of new fans & friends. Colleen’s music has been featured on the Canadian classic TV show Hockey Night in Canada, in the film Me Him Her, and on the web series Other Men and Avocado Toast. Colleen is also a musical theatre composer, and together with lyricist Akiva Romer-Segal she has penned the scores to the musicals The Louder We Get, Going Under, Bremen Rock City, and GROW. Colleen led a Songwriting Masterclass for us in the summer of 2020 and blew everyone away with her take on writing creative melodies. We’re thrilled to have her join us for The Art of Song II.

Barry Canning – Originally from Newfoundland, this multiple East Coast Music Award nominee and recent recipient of the prestigious Arts Council of Newfoundland and Labrador Artist of the Year award, has been on the road for over 20 years, has opened for international acts such as Bryan Adams and America, and has hosted the Juno Songwriters Circle with Ron Sexsmith on his right, and Daniel Lanois on his left. His last album, “Last Man Standing”, produced by Great Big Sea’s front man Alan Doyle, garnered great success on the east coast, winning both album and song of the year at the Music Newfoundland and Labrador Music awards. He’s been a part of our Muse or Monster Songwriter Series, and we’re so happy to have him with us for The Art of Song II.

Registration

The cost for the full weekend is $285. All panels and workshops throughout the weekend will be recorded for those who can’t view them in real time.