Students in Kindergarten and Grades 1 and 2 were lucky to learn from Juno Award winner Meaghan Smith during virtual songwriting workshops. Each class met with Meaghan to enjoy some live performances, a tour of her home studio, and to learn how she creates music using professional equipment, software, layering instruments and vocal tracks. After that, students had a chance to ask the artist some of their burning questions:
"How many songs have you written?" (about 600 she said!)
"Do you sing in the shower?" (not usually, but sometimes!),
"How can you play music without knowing how to read it?" (Meaghan has dyslexia and is completely self-taught through ear training.)
Each class had the opportunity to work with Meaghen to write their own songs about topics of their choosing, all of which will be performed at the PYP Spring Showcase. Be on the lookout for Kindergarten’s song about candy, Grade 1’s song about animals in the snow, and Grade 2’s song about togetherness called Our World. “As a teacher, this was a great opportunity for students to gain perspective on music composition from someone who not only does it full time as a career, but who also maintains balance as a wife, mother, artist, and activist,” explains PYP Music Teacher Ms. Marci King. “Meaghan was down to earth and approachable, while also giving an esteemed workshop for the students that was engaging, insightful, inclusive, and educational.”