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Sunday, May 4, 2008

Levi Burkle Engaged To Show Federal Way Kids Seven Years And Up Songwriting Is Playing With Words!

"Without music, life is a journey through a desert. " - Pat Conroy

Federal Way - Psst! Kids of all ages over 7 years. There's an oasis ahead! If you ever wondered what it would be like to write and record an original song...Friends of the Federal Way Regional Library have booked a program just for you.

According to a flyer I picked up this weekend, Levi Burkle will join those interested folks at what's billed as a Songwriting Workshop on Saturday, May 24, at 1:30 p.m. at the library located at 34200 1st Avenue South. More about Levi.

So come down, bring your friends and neighbors. For that matter be generous and bring your family, as only imagination and not previous musical experience is required. Either way, you'll learn how a song is born and make some memories, because by the end of the program the finished song will be performed and recorded by Levi!

This very fun and innovative workshop is part of a series of programs under the banner of Playing With Words featured at various branches of the King County Library System. Call (253) 838-3668 for more details.

10 comments:

Lorraine Hart said...

Now...that's what I love to hear! Yay for Levi Burkle!

I've wondered about trying to make songwriting workshops locally.

Stephanie Frieze said...

Marvelous opportunity for kids which I will pass on to some talented young people I know, Mizu!

Lorraine, you're the very person who could create such an event for people in the greater Gig Harbor area. We could get the English and music teachers plug that kind of event.

Kim Thompson said...

This would be a kick! I wonder if we could pull this off in my district? I think there would be high interest.

JosephMcG said...

The more we get into our hearts through poetry and song, the more human we become... thanks for inviting us to become the gift to each other we were born to be... Joseph

Mizu Sugimura said...

Lorraine -

I was thinking of you when I read the flyer as well. If it is something you would be interested in, it would certainly be a treat for the audience. Given the overall situation in so many public schools, it could be a real opportunity. Marketing yourself to larger organizations like the KCLS which can open doors to smaller venues like FWRL can save time and money on your end. Ditto arts/education groups statewide. Ideas to tuck away.....

Mizu Sugimura said...

Stephanie -

Talented young people interested in doing the same at neighborhood and community centers up and down the sound might ultimately provide the initial inspiration for younger children to get their first introduction to thinking about someday getting their own gig.

Imagine if toddlers could be exposed to arts camps at the same age they were introduced to their first pee wee soccer clinic or today, first foreign language school. It staggers the imagination!

Stephanie Frieze said...

A laudable notion, Mizu. Certainly if we can get children involved in pee wee sports it ought to be possible to find an audience for pee wee poets!

Kim Thompson said...

I must say, that my kiddo's elementary school does a writer's fair yearly and that gives opportunities for fiction writing, poetry, etc. There's even a writer's help desk, which I tickled to say I've done.

Mizu Sugimura said...

Kim -

Obviously your district (or local elementary school) is ahead of the curve on this one, and could be an example for others.

Our school district has a annual writer's conference which is quite good (I attended a number of years ago) but they also saw fit to cut practically all the school librarians and a comprehensive visual & music art program does not exist.

We have site-based governance, which makes some people very happy on a few issues, but there is no overall standards or uniformity so that arts-wise - you get what ever your local school sees fit.

Artists who put themselves out such as Burkle at least give individual teachers/schools the possibility of having their own list of arts resources should this become a possibility.

Our local King County Library System has a more than excellent record in bringing attention to the names of people who are willing to be resources for which I've been most appreciative for years!

Stephanie Frieze said...

As long as the WASL exists in its present form the arts will be largely ignored by school districts as they focus on reading, writing, math & science, frightened of losing funding.