James Dean Hicks

Sponsored by the Millennium Maxwell House

DATES:
TBA, 2009

LOCATION:
Millennium Maxwell House Hotel
2025 Metro Center Blvd
Nashville, TN 37228


COST:
NSAI members: $395 (plus lodging)
Non-members: $495 (plus lodging)
Cost includes classes, daily continental breakfast,
daily lunch & one dinner

PREREQUISITE:
None

TO ATTEND:
Send 2 songs on tape or CD (along with corresponding lyric sheets and contact information) to:

NSAI
Attn: Song Camp 101
1710 Roy Acuff Place
Nashville, TN 37203

Note: One song must be solely written by you; the other song may be a co-write. If you only co-write, then send three songs. If you are primarily a lyricist, then send 4 lyrics.

2008 CAMP 101 FACULTY:
Brent Baxter
Rick Beresford
Tim Buppert
Don Henry
James Dean Hicks
Angela Kaset
Ralph Murphy
Hugh Prestwood

QUESTIONS:
songcamps@nashvillesongwriters.com

NSAI SONG CAMP STAFF:
David Petrelli, Events Director
Kelly DeLuca, Events Assistant
Phil Goldberg, Song Camp Coordinator

* Schedule/Faculty may be subject to change.


DESCRIPTION:

MORNING SESSION
At Song Camp 101, morning sessions are a mixture of lecture and exercises. Among the topics explored are:

* The foundational building blocks for hit songs
* Proven hit song structures
* The 10 Songwriting Elements
* Learning how to build strong characters
* The importance of strong and truthful emotional writing
* Techniques for generating ideas and titles
* Conclusive and symbolic writing
* Physical writing as the basis for all writing
* The creative process
* Becoming a successful songwriter in 5 minutes
* Talent versus determination
* Pushing limits

AFTERNOON SESSION
Afternoons at Song Camp 101 are spent in small-group sessions with the 6 core faculty members.
There are 2 types of afternoon sessions at Song Camp 101:

* “Pro Song Breakdown”: Song Campers will attend 6 of these small-group classes, one class with each of the faculty writers. In these sessions, the professional writers talk about their background, careers, inspirations, and, of course, their songs. Over the course of the 6 “Pro Song Breakdowns,” it becomes obvious that there is no single approach to writing or to living the writer’s life.
* Critiques: Song Campers will attend 2 small-group song-evaluation sessions. In each session, the student writer can play a song (via CD, cassette, or live performance) and get feedback from the pro songwriter assigned to the group. Song Campers may play the same song or a different song at each of the 2 critique sessions.

OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES INCLUDE:
* Faculty concert at the Douglas Corner Cafe
* Open Mic, an opportunity to play original songs.
* A Camper-in-the-Round, an informal opportunity to share original songs with Song Campers