WORKSHOPS for Fesitvals, Schools, Universities and Private Events

For the full 'IN THIS HOUSE' - Integrated 'Learning Through Lyrics' unit... CLICK pic above to go through to dedicated page

On January 11th I had the great pleasure of partaking in Áine Tyrrell’s Write to Rise masterclass for the Cygnet Folk Festival. My attendance was sponsored by APRA-AMCOS. I have been writing songs for 20 years but it is only in the last 12 months that I have shared my songs. I wanted to do this workshop to soak in whatever inspiration I could to develop my skills as a song-writer.

I was both inspired and empowered by the day working with Áine.  She gave participants a few practical strategies and tips about the technical side of song-writing, but without doubt the driving theme of the workshop was to be brave and trust yourself. What she offered was absolute and unequivocal encouragement to trust my intuition and to make the music that makes my heart sing. This was absolutely the message that I needed to receive, more than technical notes and principles of composition.

During the workshop participants were invited to reflect on those things that have prevented them from writing and to identify the barriers to finding our individual voices. This put each of us in a vulnerable space and I am sure that the depth of reflection and the honesty of sharing could not have happened had this workshop not been for women only. While some themes that were raised may be true for all genders, the experiences of men and women are different and the barriers we face are different. And our ways of feeling and articulating are different. I feel it is so important for women, in particular, to have opportunities like this to learn and develop both personally and artistically, without our unique needs, experiences and modes being seconded to men’s, as they so often are.

Thankyou to Áine, Cygnet Folk Festival and APRA-AMCOS. If the gender “balance” within the music industry is every to shift into something actually resembling balance, more women need to be stepping forward and bringing their music into the light. They need a platform and support to do that, and they also need to have a deep and abiding sense of self-worth, competence and prerogative to drive them into that space. Workshops such as this are a step towards shifting the balance in a positive way by empowering women with those very qualities.

Mariam Seeney