Imagine having a school song that your
students actually enjoyed singing? Unite your students as they collaborate with award winning songwriter Jeff Blum to create, perform and record a
personalized, customized, original school song.
It's a fun, creative, memorable, educational and priceless experience that leaves a lasting
legacy which will be passed down for years to come.
This is NOT your grandmother's
school song, a "cookie cutter" song or a song parody. It's a cool school song complete
with original words, original music and drum beat. The kids will be so proud of it.
Watch "Write a Cool School Song" testimonials
Watch a live songwriting workshop and "Write a Cool School Song" assembly program
Here's what you get in this all day
elementary school assembly program.
3-30-minute
morning workshops where students collaborate with Jeff Blum to create the song. Each group contributes a verse or chorus to the song.
An afternoon all school
assembly where the song is performed and recorded by the students.
A CD of the song as recorded
by Jeff and the students plus a written copy of the music for the music teacher for easy follow up.
Cost for the "Write a Cool School Song" assembly program including everything listed above- $1100
(Travel fee outside of central New Jersey)
Read "Write a Cool School
Song" testimonials from past clients
"Your "Write a Cool School
Song" assembly program was an absolute success! The PTA, teachers and our principal were
particularly impressed by the way you customized the program to write a school song with the
students. The children are so proud of their song. They were thrilled to be a part of the process
creating both lyrics and music. This is truly THEIR song. What a creative and unifying
endeavor this was for the student body. Thank you for a wonderful day at our school and the
legacy of a school song that will last for years to come. "
Donna Mulvihill - Cultural Arts Chairperson
Valley Road School PTA
"Thank you so much for participating
in our Literary Day and for the great "Write a Cool School Song" assembly program.
The children loved the workshops and were so excited to actually be a part of creating their
new school song. The assembly program at the end of the day was wonderful as the children all
came together to sing the song together for the first time. The school song CD has bee such
a great hit with the children. The teachers all have copies in the classroom so they can practice
with the students. Thanks again for enriching our children in such a creative and entertaining
way.
Marisa Korst - PTA President
Clonial Road School - Franklin Lakes NJ
"The Artist in Residence week was
teriffic! Our students got a truly in depth experience learning the fundamentals of writing
their own song. Our principal was espsecially impressed with you ability to include many of
our school principles and attitudes in the song. It was a great way to reinforce these attitudes
in the context of fun and cultural arts. The closing assembly was the culmination of the
student's hard work and creativity. Thanks again for a wonderful experience. The only problem
is trying to top this for next year."
Lori Braunstein - Cultural Arts VP
Bret Harte School Cherry Hill NJ
30-Minute Songwriting Workshops
Grades K-6
Your students can have a once-in-a-lifetime memorable musical experience as they collaborate with award winning songwriter, Jeff Blum to write an original song including original lyrics, original music, and
drumbeat.... in 30-minutes. Done in smaller groups of no more than 100 students, an original song on a topic related to the assembly program is created, performed and recorded. The collaborative process serves to reinforce the messages learned in the program as the students decide on the song content. Once the song is completed it is performed by Jeff and the students. A CD of the recording is presented to the class as a keepsake. Kids have a once-in-a-lifetime musical experience
and they have a lot of fun in the process.
It truly is the perfect
combination of fun and education.
Cost for the 30-minute songwriting workshops including everything listed above- $350 per workshop.
-Discount packages available for multiple workshops
-Small travel fee may apply outside of central New Jersey
A TYPICAL MAGICAL SONGWRITER 30-MINUTE SONGWRITING WORKSHOP:
Note: The "Write a Cool
School Song" elementary school assembly program workshops follows the same format as the
30-minute songwriting workshops except the song is written about the school.
9:00 --
A song topic is chosen by the students based on the main theme of the program. Topics from the program such as self-esteem, healthy living, or anti-bullying are used. A song title is chosen
such as "Be the Best you can be", "Don't Start Smoking", "Don't Start a Fight" etc... This group
chooses "Don't Start Smoking." We begin to write original lyrics with student participation
for our song.
9:01-9:03 --
After a brief discussion about rhyming patterns we realize that "smoking" rhymes with "choking"
and "joking" so we write our chorus.
"I'm not joking. Don't start smoking!
You'll be choking. So don't start smoking!"
I use this as a golden opportunity to reinforce and teach the kids why it is a terrible idea
to start smoking. By the time we complete the lyrics, all of the students have learned a wonderful
positive message.
NOT ONLY ARE THE STUDENTS HAVING A WONDERFUL,
FUN, MUSICAL EXPERIENCE, THEY ARE ALSO LEARNING IMPORTANT LIFE LESSONS.
9:04 - 9:10 --
We write a complete verse and a chorus.
9:11 - 9:13 --
Explanation of the guitar and how it makes music followed by a simple musical explanation
of notes, scales, and chords.
9:14 - 9:17 --
Demonstration of chord selection, strumming and putting feeling into music. Original guitar
music is written based on input from the students.
9:18 - 9:20 --
Brief demonstration of drum machine and explanation of various types of drum sounds such as
bass, snare, cymbal, hi-hat, etc. followed by creation of an original drum track based on student
input.
AND THEN THE MAGIC HAPPENS ...
WE PUT THE WORDS AND THE MUSIC AND THE DRUMS TOGETHER AND WE HAVE WRITTEN
A SONG. IT IS A REAL SONG THAT WE CREATED TOGETHER.
We take a moment to give ourselves a well deserved round of applause .
AND THEN THE FUN CONTINUES.
9:20 --
I ask the group for volunteers to come up and sing with me.
All of a sudden 25 hands go up and students are selected to sing. Then, we perform the song
that we just created together for the first time with real microphones in front of the entire
class. We repeat the process with more kids.
9:21 - 9:30 --
We record our song with all of us singing. Then we play it back. Giggles and cackles are heard
throughout the room. Even teachers laugh and get into it. Everybody's having a great fun and
educational experience. The entire session is completed in about 30 minutes. The tape is then
presented to the teacher as a class keepsake.
