A group of aspiring songwriters signed up at RNews on Saturday for the first Write a Song course offered by Skryfnet, led by singer, musician and songwriter, Deon Meiring. The musician Jako Meyer also acted as a mentor.
This course, which was adapted and adapted by Deon from material developed by Clive Ridgway, had the ultimate goal of equipping each participant with a brand new and meaningful song from his or her pen, which would be set to music and further refined during a practical contact session. become
The first leg of the course already took place online in May this year. After the online session, Deon and Jako and the group of participants gathered at RNews in Pretoria for a weekend of music and togetherness.
There was also time for a cozy braai around the campfire in the FAK song garden for everyone to get to know each other better and play guitars and sing together.
At the end of the course, each participant walked away with a well-rounded song, some even two, and a certificate.
“Because the songwriting course has long been a big dream of the Skryfnet team, we can’t wait to repeat it in the coming years and give more aspiring songwriters and singers a chance to live out their passion.”
The participants in the course are equally raving about the experience. According to Kay Strydom, she would highly recommend the course to any aspiring songwriters who want to learn more about this art form.
“It was an incredible experience. I learned a lot and discovered new ways of stimulating the creative mind. I now look at lyrics with new eyes and realize that no song is easy to write.”
Fouché Wessels says it was an enriching experience and the highlight was undoubtedly the practical sessions.
“It was truly a privilege to chat a little with the other participants, and especially with Deon and Jako, about songwriting. Meeting them was really a special privilege for me, and sitting with them around a fire and singing songs in the FAK song garden was just as special.”
Dr. Pierre Cronjé, another participant, says the course was a nice challenge and also great fun.
“Even though the online part often made me doubt myself, the weekend’s practical session made up for it. A group of unknown aspirants get together one Friday morning, know each other from no Adam, but over time we start to hang out together, think together and create together.
“By Saturday afternoon, everyone’s creation more or less began to take shape. Thanks to RNews for making a creative space available and thanks to two down-to-earth presenters like Deon and Jako, who were honest and tactful throughout, and who constantly encouraged us.”
Deon says he is amazed by the varied ages of the participants who signed up for the course.
“It’s a privilege to see how people at different places in their lives all share the need to create, write and make music. The hunger and eagerness to learn from the participants also inspired me from the beginning to continue to live out my own creativity as well.
“Some participants dared to write for the first time and others have now expanded their experience further and allowed themselves to make new practices part of their process.
“I am very grateful that they were so willing to live out and fuel their creativity. It was a great privilege to walk this way with the participants and get to know them as writers and as people.”
Jako says it was a privilege to be the mentor of the course together with Deon. “The passion and talent of the participants overflows, and I think it is important that we pay attention to that.”
Visit scryfnet.co.za or send an e-mail to (email protected) for more information about future courses.
