We are the willlows
workshop offerings
These workshops are longer form but can be paired down for shorter workshop periods. We’ve implemented these workshops all across the state of MN between 8 different communities.
LONG FORM STORYTELLING/ SONGWRITING WORKSHOP
Draft/ Brainstorm:
-Participants partner with senior (s) in their community.
-Step one: participant asks senior about their life, their experiences and documents that
-Step two: after story gathering, participant shares senior’s story. Attempt to identify areas of similarity and differences. Focus on Empathy. Ask questions
-Step three: after reflecting on the story, exercising empathy and question asking, participant drafts their story/ song.
-Step four: revision/ comment and criticism from group/ refining
-Step five: Final draft and presentation.
-Participants find documents, story, from local history in library
-Step one: research the document, hone in on a compelling story.
-Step two: after story gathering, participant shares the story. Attempt to identify areas of similarity and differences. Focus on Empathy. Ask questions
-Step three: after reflecting on the story, exercising empathy and question asking, participant drafts their story/ song.
-Step four: revision/ comment and criticism from group/ refining
-Step five: Final draft and presentation.
-Participants come prepared with story/ documents/ letters/ recordings of their family history
-Step one: research the document, hone in on a compelling story.
-Step two: after story gathering, participant shares the story. Attempt to identify areas of similarity and differences. Focus on Empathy. Ask questions
-Step three: after reflecting on the story, exercising empathy and question asking, participant drafts their story/ song.
-Step four: revision/ comment and criticism from group/ refining
-Step five: Final draft and presentation.
RHYTHM AND MUSE WORKSHOP OUTLINE
This workshop will be done with middle schoolers and senior citizens. Some of whom have been pen pals throughout the school year. There will be 3 sessions with each group, 5 sessions total:
session 1: source material:
-introduction concert and q/a
-I’ll share a little about the source material for Picture (Portrait).
-I’ll challenge participants to consider a source material, whether that be a person, an object, and experience, etc. on which to base their songs/ stories.
Prompt participants to consider:
-What about that source material is compelling?
-What ideas/ feelings does it elicit?
-How are you going to communicate that? (lyrics, poem, song, story, etc.)
-Students and seniors taking part of the pen pal program will be encouraged to utilize their letters.
session 2: Ideas:
-depending on the class size, we'll either break into groups, or as a single group share our source material. We'll share our thoughts, feelings, impressions about the source material and if participants want, get input from others.
-I want participants to consider:
-what emotions or ideas are you trying to communicate?
-how do those thoughts and emotions connect to your source material?
-what methods might work best to communicate your message?
-particular type of song/ style
-tone
-wording
-The hope here is that we can draw the connections between our source material and ourselves and find a direction for our work.
-Participants will be tasked with beginning to put their ideas into form (song, story, etc.)
-it will be helpful to have other band members to help facilitate and direct music if needed
session 3: Form
-Both middle schoolers and Senior citizens together.
-Pen Pals will be meeting for the first time.
-Participants will be asked to share their work and/ or share about their process so far. If participants want, the group can offer input.