Songwriting for Kids
About Josephine Cameron: Program Director
About Songwriting for Kids: Summer Camps
About Songwriting for Kids: School Visits
About Songwriting for Spirit: Workshops
About Songwriting for Families: Workshops
NEW! Fiction Writing for Kids: Summer Camp
About Josephine Cameron: Program Director
Josephine Cameron has a Masters in Fine Arts from the University of Notre Dame. She has been writing, performing, and working with children for the past 10 years, and is currently the director of the Kid’s Choir at First Parish Church in Freeport, ME. Josephine teaches a limited number of private lessons in beginner piano, guitar, fiction, and poetry.
For more information, and to listen to her music, please visit: www.josephinecameron.com.
About Songwriting for Kids: Summer Camps
Songwriting for Kids uses traditional folk songs such as
Oh Susannah, Red River Valley, and
Shenandoah to teach the basics of songwriting. Learning and singing these old songs not only helps students absorb the most fundamental concepts involved in writing a song, but also gives students an opportunity to make a deep connection with history and show how music written 100 and 200 years ago can still hold meaning and depth for people living today.
During these one- and two-week intensive sessions, we will be learning how a song is created from start to finish. Through games, singing, discussion, and exercises, we will explore components of basic songwriting: rhythm, rhyme, song structure, lyrics, and melody. Then, using the tools they have learned, students will join together as a group to write an original song of their own.
Download the 2008 Summer Camp brochure & registration form here. (.pdf)
For a schedule of sessions, please visit the calendar page.
About Songwriting for Kids: School Visits
Josephine is available to come to your elementary school to run classroom workshops on songwriting and/or perform concerts of traditional American songs.
For more information, email Josephine.
About Songwriting for Spirit: Workshops
Songwriting for Spirit will pilot in 2007. Josephine will be working with groups of teenagers as well as with grade school-aged children in their Sunday School and Youth Group classes. The students will discuss spirituality and how they might be able to express their spirituality through song. Students will work together as a group to create a song that will then be provided as a score for the congregation to use during future worship services.
If you are interested in hosting a session of Songwriting for Spirit at your church or spiritual organization, please contact Josephine.
About Songwriting for Families: Workshops
Coming soon...workshops for parents and young children to learn how to write songs together! This is a great way for families to learn how to implement the creative process together. Also a great team-building exercise that focuses on the elements of collaboration: listening, sharing, giving constructive criticism and praise, and
celebrating good work.
If you have an organization that would like to host a session of Songwriting for Families, please email Josephine.
NEW! Fiction Writing for Kids: Summer Camp
New in 2007: fiction writing! Ever dreamed of becoming an author? Josephine has spent much of her life writing fiction and holds a Masters in Fine Arts for Creative Writing from the University of Notre Dame. This workshop teaches the basics of fiction writing, including Character, Plot, Revision, and Imaginative Writing. During the workshop, students will discover new levels of creativity, and will write and illustrate their very own book.
Download the 2008 Summer Camp brochure & registration form here. (.pdf)
For more information, please email Josephine.