Songwriting Workshop with A. G. Cook (August 2025)

“I’m extremely resistant to any dogma or manifesto, my opinions on music are constantly changing, and my best songs seem to write themselves – but I’ve spent roughly six thousand days working obsessively on different forms of songwriting (collaboratively, online & offline, alone) to the point where I’ve started to observe some recurring ideas and principles. My own work has been nudged along by limitations (7G’s 7 instruments, Britpop’s Past / Present / Future) as well as various aliases, bands, collectives, projects, remixes etc… so I’m particularly looking forward to School of Song’s community, and really want to welcome participants from all genres and experience levels!” - A. G. Cook

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

• Songwriting vs. Production: Two oppositional crafts in constant dialogue.
• Minimalism vs. Maximalism: Making fewer tools do more. Giving each element its own character, role, and personality. Theatrical, high contrast music where anything could happen.
• Self-as-Collaborator: What if you treated yourself as a third party in the creative process? Stepping outside our first-person perspective, embracing structured randomness, extreme limitations, aliases, and gamified songwriting.
• Experimental Pop: Acoustic vs. Electronic, Studio vs. Bedroom, Mainstream vs. Underground – a landscape of paradoxes, built to be disassembled, ignored, toyed with.

About A. G. Cook:

A ground-breaking artist, producer and label head, A. G. Cook has reshaped the landscape of pop music over the past decade with his wild experimentation and innovative production. Cook released his critically acclaimed third solo album ‘Britpop,’ in May 2024. Meanwhile, his work as executive producer for Charli xcx, a long-time collaborative relationship that surpasses seven years, was recently demonstrated on her GRAMMY-winning album ‘BRAT.’ His production credits also include Caroline Polachek, Beyonce, Troye Sivan, Christine & The Queens and Oklou.

Sign up now! Deadline is Saturday, August 09 at 11:59pm (PT).

Here's how it works:

• Workshop is taught over Zoom on the following dates:
  • Lectures: Sundays August 10th, 17th, 24th, and 31st
    • There are 2 options for lecture times: 11 AM -12 PM and 6 PM -7 PM PT.
  • Q&As: Wednesdays August 13th, 20th, and 27th
    • at 6 PM PT. 
  • Song-Shares: Saturdays August 16th, 23rd, and 30th
    • There are 3 options for song-shares: 11 AM - 12 PM,  3-4 PM, and 6-7 PM PT.
      
• If you can't make the live class, you can still participate by watching the recordings of the lectures and Q&A sessions (sent out after class).

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 A. G. give me feedback on my songs?

A: Due to the class size, we cannot guarantee that you’ll get A. G.'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.

If after the first class you feel the course is not a good fit for any reason, you are welcome to a refund on the rest of the course classes. We are unable to process refunds after the second class.

Questions? Email us at hi@schoolofsong.org.