Workshop Year 12

In researching what people ages 16-17 years old like to do in music it was I came across some interesting information. For example, they like to explore ideas in song writing and performing. So I catered all of my ideas to accommodate those two bold ideas. So my ideal workshop for Year 12 would include activities which help improve performance and songwriting skills.

Starter:
I would begin my workshop by identifying my participants name and the instrument they are most comfortable with and why?
For example,
'Hello my name is Bibianna Fasogbon I'm a singer and I got into singer because I was close to my sister and she was really into music and it rubbed off on me.'
We'd continue this until everyone had said there instrument.

Strengths: By identifying people and knowing their instrument it breaks down some walls and allows people to be comfortable with one another.

Weaknesses: The start of the workshop is based for people who already play and instrument or at least the basics. So people without an instrument will not be able to take part. However a way of fixing this is by looking back at the aim. On average 16-17 year olds' want to focus on songwriting or performing so if you don't an instrument you are most likely to want to write songs so you could focus more on that element.

Next...
I would encourage people so say the type of genre they are into. For example soul, pop, rock etc. This will enable people to find out who they would most likely work with.

Strengths: It makes it easier to find people to work with.

Weaknesses: People may have more than one genre that they work with and find it hard trying to fit into one category. A way of fixing this is to just say the genres that you are the most confident in.

Next...
I would have people put there names in a respective box saying what they do. For example, Singer who is into Soul. Or a guitarist who is into folk. I would then make someone pick names out and that then becomes their group.

Strengths: By not being in control of who you pick it becomes totally impartial and fair. Also you work with people that you wouldn't necessarily work with on your own.

Weaknesses: In music they are a lot of genre which are now appearing. Too many to make a definitive group. Perhaps I will go down the root of making people choose between 4 genres. For example, metal,pop,soul and hip-hop. The most popular genre.

Main:
With people now in groups we'd either give people a basic pattern to follow or they think of a song and change the lyrics completely and own their own flare (for the other instruments). With that they need to create a song. I will ask them firstly what they would like their song to be about and give them a basic structure to follow. For example, verse, hook, chorus, verse, hook, chorus, hook, hook, chorus. They will have the chance to develop a pitch of the idea for their song and present to the others. Once everyone has done this they will then commence writing their song.

Strengths: By presenting this pitch to the other participants it will allow them to be able to focus on a common goal and stick with it.

Weakness: With the pitch it comes across as more of a lesson so to make it more of an activity and get the people holding the workshops more involved. So to improve this I was thinking more of a voice type feel what we select which idea we like and can help with. Included with audience feedback.

This activity would take up a bulk of the time so we'd perhaps have to have an entire day to do this workshops effectively.

Finish:
Competition between the groups with audience voting.