Wednesdays 4 - 5:30 pm 7/5 - 8/9 (6 weeks)

No matter where you are on your songwriting journey, this class will jumpstart creativity and get you writing. An assignment or prompt will be given the week before each class; participants will write during the week and then share their work and receive feedback from the instructor. We’ll also explore the building blocks of good songwriting, unpacking how each element contributes to telling a song’s story. This class is for all skill levels, whether you write lyrics, melodies, harmony, or any combination thereof. All are welcome, from those who are just starting to experienced songwriters looking for new inspiration and motivation. Veteran jazz singer and songwriter Andrea Wolper has been awarded a number of composing residencies, and Cadence magazine described her as “easily superior to the ever-expanding population in the singer/songwriter category.”

As accomplished with jazz standards as she is with unusual repertoire, experimental music, and improvisation, Andrea Wolper has been described as both “utterly original” and “a singer with an uncanny emotional touch for the past 50 years of jazz.” One of the “great jazz singers” included in “The Jazz Singers: The Ultimate Guide” (Yannow, BackBeat Books), Andrea appears in her New York home base and tours in the U.S. and beyond. She has also made her mark as a songwriter and arranger and, in addition to leading her own projects, has worked as a side-person for an impressive roster of musicians across jazz genres, including Jay Clayton, The Heavenly Big Band, and William Parker (including appearing on Parker’s historic recording, “Migration of Silence Into and Out of the Tone World”). Andrea’s recordings as a leader, co-leader, and side person have appeared on a number of Best-of-Year lists. She served on the board of directors of International Women in Jazz, including a stint as president and as an advisor to the Jazz Vocal Coalition. Andrea teaches vocal technique and coaches singers in her private studio and teaches clinics and master classes in vocal performance, improvisation, songwriting, and more.