Songwriting with Brian Eno

The live sessions for this workshop ended. However, it is not too late to sign up to receive all the lecture recordings and course materials.

“I'm looking forward to the chance to properly articulate some ideas about the creative process that have been fermenting over the last 50 years. To be able to do this with some fresh young minds and imaginations was a chance that I couldn’t refuse." - Brian Eno

We are pleased to announce that Brian Eno will be leading School of Song’s January 2025 songwriting workshop for musicians, fans, and music lovers alike. A selection of topics we'll cover:

• The Role of Surrender: Many of life's peak experiences come in moments of surrender. We’ll explore surrender as a larger life practice to cultivate a more present, curious, and playful state of consciousness that is conducive to writing songs.
• Avant Gardening: What happens when we allow ourselves to experiment at the furthest reaches of our imagination? We’ll discuss how making time for discovery separate from our songwriting practice can yield a rich harvest.
• Creating a Compelling Sonic World: Male bowerbirds spend the majority of the day creating elaborate and beautiful nests, all with the singular hope that a female might feel compelled to fly through. In music, we can build a sonic ‘nest’ to capture ourselves and compel us to sing over it.
• Oblique Strategies: Creativity loves limitations. We’ll use constraints and games that put ourselves in unfamiliar situations that, in turn, stimulate our creative minds to seek new and radical solutions.
• Should Music Still Be Called Music: In an age of samplers, recording studios, and keeping up with the continual development of technology, is music still the same art form or is it something completely new?

Signing up with a friend + Gifting

Sign up with a friend to receive a 20% discount by clicking here. 

If you'd like to buy the workshop for yourself and gift it to a friend, just add 1 to your cart with "This is a gift" checked and their info, and 1 to your cart normally -- the discount will be applied automatically. Note: no refunds on discounted orders.

FAQ:

Q: What musical experience should I have?

A: People across all musical levels will be able to gain something from the course. 

Q: What if I’ve never written a song before? Can I still participate in this workshop?

A: Yes! As with any new skill, just starting is usually the hardest part. The songs are optional and this workshop will provide the structure and accountability we all need to get started and follow through, for beginners and old guard writers alike.

Q: Is there an enrollment cap?

A: Nope! This is a lecture-style class with open enrollment. The song shares will be optional with breakout rooms of 3-4 people.

Q: Will Brian give me feedback on my songs?

A: Due to the class size, we cannot guarantee that you’ll get Brian's feedback on your songs. However, our teachers are active on our song sharing platform and may leave comments on students’ submissions.

Q: I can't make the lecture times for some (or all) of the classes. Can I still participate?

A: Yes! We send out the recordings of lectures at the end of each class day, so you can watch the lectures on your own time.

Questions? Email us at hi@schoolofsong.org.