Last winter we were so pleased to have the fabulous Teresa Tudury with us again and our beloved teacher and friend; Kenny Edwards, Rebecca Troon, Dale Laduke, Severin Browne, and Penny Nichols, offering an all-levels buffet of classes in songwriting, guitar, singing, harmony, performance, and more in addition to a full menu of concerts, coffeehouses, and song circles. Students and teachers alike will share songs, information, insights, trade stories and perform for the community we have grown to love. And it all takes place less than an hour north of San Luis Obispo. Join us!  And don't forget - the students bring a wealth of information and experience too, so be prepared for lots of great information-swapping!

Staff and course descriptions for 2011 coming soon... In the meantime, you can see who was there and what they taught in 2010...

• Severin Browne
• Teresa Tudury
• Paul Zollo
• Penny Nichols
• Dale Laduke
• Rebecca Troon
• Kenny Edwards

Click on an instructor's name for a description of their classes.

Instructors & Classes

Penny Nichols:

Harmony singing

Have you ever wanted to learn to sing in harmony better, how to do it and where it is appropriate in a song? You will have a chance to experience for yourself the fun and unique qualities of singing in harmony and how to begin to master the skills needed to sing in harmony well. You will learn listening techniques, how to recognize chordal relationships and how harmony fits into a melodic landscape. Don't miss the fun of singing in harmony with your pals at WinterSongs West!

Vocal Recording Technique

Here's the workshop you have been waiting for! A chance to work with one of the most experienced vocal recording artists around in a real studio environment on one of your own songs! Learn all about how to give your best performance on a recording, how to communicate with the engineer/producer, how to stay on pitch, how to keep breathing, how to deal with anxiety in the studio, how to evaluate your performance, how to choose the best performance and how the recording process works. Plus you will leave the workshop with one of the best performances on a CD that you have ever done!

Vocal Technique

In this class Penny will be teaching basic singing skills for anyone who'd like to explore singing in a relaxed and friendly setting. You'll learn exercises to relax your body and prepare for singing, to work with pitch perception and tone, and you'll learn exercises to strengthen your voice and how to use your body to resonate sound. You'll get a whole new set of tools to help you become the singer you want to be!

Penny Nichols is an award winning, Grammy nominated singer/songwriter and vocal arranger. She has recorded and toured with everyone from Jackson Browne to Jimmy Buffett and has a doctorate in Education (psychology of music) from Harvard University. Penny is the founding director of SummerSongs and the guiding force behind the SummerSongs community of songwriters that now reaches from coast to coast.

For more info on Penny visit: www.pennynichols.com

Severin Browne

Song Starting Workshop

On Saturday we will look at some popular songs and analyze the song form, lyric style, and the inspiration to get to the writing of your lyric. There will be exercises to create your own lyric in class. This workshop was designed for both the beginner and the songwriter who is looking for inspiration.

The Sunday class will concentrate on writing the music. We will begin with the nuts and bolts of writing simple melodies using the three major chords, then delve into the minor chords, substitutions, melody writing, and other musical treats.

Song Finishing Workshop

Both days will have open discussions regarding what your unfinished songs need to be complete.  So bring your unfinished songs!  This is not a critique session, but rather a constructive discussion with the whole class. You may have valuable input for the other students songs too.

Severin Browne Severin Browne was raised in a musical family where all the children were expected to play an instrument. He began with accordion, then moved to drums and saxophone before settling on guitar at the ripe old age of ten. At the tender age of 21, Severin signed on with Motown Records as a staff writer and later as a recording artist, releasing two well-received albums. After a 20-year vacation from recording, Severin released his 3rd and 4th recordings, "From the Edge of the World" and "This Twisted Road".

For even more info, visit: http://www.severinbrowne.com

Rebecca Troon:

Vocal Recording Technique with Penny and

Get your groove on with Troon!

Come participate in a playful exploration of polyrhythms, work songs, and writing from the groove with Rebecca Troon. Rebecca has been teaching music to children for 23 years, and she plays well with adults, too, even though it takes a little longer to loosen them up!

Kenny Edwards:

Harmony Singing with Penny and

Musicianship and Guitar Arranging for Songwriters

In this class Kenny will show you how to take the musical aspect of your songwriting and performing to the next level, examining your songs for musical touches that can make them more compelling and help create the mood that supports your lyrics and singing.

Kenny's Staff Bio

Dale Laduke:

Harmony Class with Penny and

Basic Piano and even more Basic Music Theory
(It's simpler than you think!)

Dale LaDuke has spent over 25 years teaching piano and
music theory and has had some real revelations
recently on the simplicity of the subject which he is
willing to share with anyone that has even a modicum
of interest.

Teresa Tudury

Performing from your Comfort Zone:

in a fun and relaxed atmosphere, teresa will help you establish a
rapport with your audience as you find a  " comfort " zone from which
to work. we will discuss stage fright and nerves, their source and how
to use them for a transformative experience. we will work together to
help you claim with conviction your place "on stage", examine your
purpose for being there and how to get the most out of your "calling"
to perform.

 writing from the soul" ...what am i really trying to say?:

an inquiry in which we discuss the reasons we write. we will
acknowledge the transmuting ability of the artist to reflect and
deliver the deeper messages of the unconscious...examine the connection
the music makes between our soul's deeper veins of " knowing " and our
writing and how to keep this connection open and flowing.... why this
is important and how this work transforms us and affects our audience.

Paul Zollo