Faculty: DANA LIBONATI

Must be able to play basic chords on piano or guitar

Expressing yourself and connecting with the world through music…there’s nothing better. If you’ve always dreamed of adding your name to the list of songwriting greats like Lennon and McCartney, Bob Dylan, Sarah McLachlan, and John Mayer, then YMA’s Songwriting program is for you.

We cultivate a safe, supportive environment for exploring emotions through music. You will learn the basic techniques and skills used in composing music and writing popular songs, which you’ll use as the basis for your own creativity. In addition to performing during our Performance Showcase toward the end of the camp session, you’ll also have the opportunity to record your songs while at YMA. Songwriting students may also opt to take part in one of the many student performances that take place throughout the session.

Along with lyrics and melodies, you’ll be writing piano or guitar accompaniment for your songs, so you need to arrive knowing enough piano or guitar to support your vocals. YMA provides pianos for Songwriting students, but guitar players must bring their own acoustic guitar.