By Julie Senger

On Sunday, Feb. 12, musicians, bands, singers, and songwriters from the Peggy Still School of Music, (PSSM), came out to CANS Taqueria in Milton to put their creative talents on display before the community. Many of these students were performing songs they had written during the course of the school’s inaugural, four-week-long Intro to Songwriting class, which was taught by the school’s instructors, Courtney Rinehart and Heber Pampillon.  

During the four week course, the students discovered how to develop and give shape to their own songs by learning to build and apply specific skill sets, such as understanding song form, writing lyrics, creating and adapting melodies, building chord progressions, creating catchy “hooks,” and how to collaborate with fellow musicians. At the completion of songwriting class, students were able to record in PSSM’s studio, and get a professional quality audio clip of their original songs.

The school will be offering the course several more times in 2012, with the next class starting in early March.

“We are thrilled to be able to offer this new songwriting course, as well as give our students a small taste of studio recording,” said PSSM President Brian Johnson. “When we complete construction of our new recording studio this spring, we will be able to offer even more instruction and resources for our students, as well as musicians from outside our school who are looking to create and record music of all types.”

Students who completed the songwriting class are: Cassie Lukas, Alex Hagler, Madison Hablas, Laura Bastin, Alex Ayers, Nick Gambino, Cameron Cox, Samantha Huffstickley, Maddie Fornaris, Brittany Feldman, Elena Matchen, and Lillie Ward.

These students are now well equipped with many valuable tools to successfully continue writing songs on their own.