University News Last updated 09 September
The Royal Birmingham Conservatoire has opened its doors to professional and aspiring songwriters for a workshop hosted by Dr Simon Barber, Associate Professor of Songwriting, and his colleague Brian O’Connor.
Dr Barber and O’Connor, who host the Sodajerker on Songwriting podcast together, were joined by Ivor Novello winning songwriter, Sacha Skarbek, and songwriter, producer and performer Ben Parker, who have worked with musical icons such as Miley Cyrus, Lana Del Ray and Paolo Nutini.
The workshop aimed to demystify the songwriting process, pairing invaluable insight with guided hands-on practice. After hearing from the experts, the attendees applied what they had learnt directly, collaborating in small groups to write and perform an original song.
“One participant told me afterwards he hadn’t played to a room in more than fifteen years and was proud of himself for not letting his nerves win,” said Dr Barber.
“There was no competition in the room, just people listening and supporting each other’s work. It was deeply inspiring to witness.”
The Songwriting Lab (4 September) was open to people of all ages and experience levels, ranging from hobbyists who write at home and had never co-written before, to professional musicians, producers and vocalists.
Dr Barber added, “Sodajerker has always been about how songs actually get written, and the Lab let us test that in a room.
“15 writers, most of whom had never met, wrote five songs in an afternoon and with the guidance of Sacha Skarbek and Ben Parker, were able to perform them to each other by the end of the day.
“The response from the writers was overwhelming, so there’s a real appetite for more!”
A live interview with Sacha Skarbek and Ben Parker, recorded during the workshop, will be available on the Sodajerker website in the near future.
Pictured (from left): Dr Simon Barber, Sacha Skarbek, Ben Parker, and Brian O'Connor.