Motown Museum today announced its brand-new youth songwriting workshop, The Motown Museum Lyric Project(Motown Museum LP). The two-week online summer workshop will be held from July 27-Aug. 7 and offers participants the chance to become immersed in the basics of songwriting, music production, and communicating powerful emotion through lyrics and song. Youth residents ages 13-18 in Southeast Michigan can participate and register beginning July 6 for this complimentary workshop, with no prior experience in songwriting necessary.
The Motown Museum Lyric Project allows collaboration with legends Brian Holland, Paul Riser, Sr. and other Motown luminaries
DETROIT, July 6, 2020 – Motown Museum today announced its brand-new youth songwriting workshop, The Motown Museum Lyric Project (Motown Museum LP). The two-week online summer workshop will be held from July 27-Aug. 7 and offers participants the chance to become immersed in the basics of songwriting and music production. Youth residents of Southeast Michigan ages 13-18 can participate and register for this complimentary workshop beginning July 6, with no prior experience in songwriting necessary. Motown Museum Chairwoman and CEO Robin Terry made the announcement.
“Motown has always been at the forefront of encouraging and empowering social change, amplifying the voices of people and perspectives that need to be heard. This is why we are so excited to offer a program honoring that legacy and attuned to this extraordinary moment in our nation’s history,” Terry said. “At a time when conversations about social justice are taking place with new urgency and passion, The Motown Museum Lyric Project is a unique opportunity for aspiring young musicians and lyricists to translate their passions onto the page. As so many legendary Motown artists have demonstrated in memorable fashion, music is unmatched as a tool for social change and self-expression. This program will help participants learn how to translate big ideas and emotions into lyrics and music to influence hearts and minds, and contribute to conversations about the moral and civic perspectives shaping our collective future.”
From the safety and comfort of their own homes, Motown Museum LP participants will learn about the tradition of protest songs and the role Motown played in shaping societal change. They will share ideas, receive feedback, and collaborate with other songwriters through live class sessions, clinics, and independent coursework.
By participating in this workshop, youth will have the chance to be selected as one of 10 songwriters who will be offered a private session with a singer/songwriter, and the opportunity to collaborate with legendary Motown songwriter and record producer, Brian Holland, on the creation of Detroit’s “Song for Hope 2020.” This song will be arranged by Motown Funk Brother and musical arranger, Paul Riser Sr., and recorded by award-winning music director, Kern Brantley.
Motown Museum LP is part of Motown Museum’s Hitsville Next, the first phase of the museum’s expansion and its campus center for innovative educational and community programming. The programming made possible through Hitsville Next is designed to activate and inspire future generations of creatives and entrepreneurs who follow in the footsteps of Motown legends.
To sign up for the free workshop visit motownmuseum.org/motown-edu or email programs@motownmuseum.org. For more information on Motown Museum, visit http://www.motownmuseum.org.
About Motown Museum
Founded in 1985 by Esther Gordy Edwards, Motown Museum is a 501(c)(3) not for profit, tax-exempt organization in Detroit. The museum is committed to preserving, protecting and presenting the Motown story through authentic, inspirational and educational experiences. Announced in late 2016, the Motown Museum expansion will grow the museum to a 50,000-square-foot world-class entertainment and education tourist destination featuring dynamic, interactive exhibits, a performance theater, recording studios, an expanded retail experience and meeting spaces designed by renowned architects and exhibit designers. When completed, the new museum campus will have a transformative impact on the surrounding Detroit neighborhoods, providing employment, sustainability and community pride by serving as an important catalyst for new investment and tourism in the historic area. For more information on Motown Museum, visit http://www.motownmuseum.org.
Photo credit: Motown Museum