Thursdays 6:30–8 pm, 10/1–12/3; No class 10/29, 11/26; Performance: 12/10

REGISTER

Take your music from idea to performance in this hands-on class for singers and instrumentalists ready to write original material and lead a band. Students move through the full songwriting and bandleading process while developing the practical skills needed to bring an original song to life.

The class covers creating lead sheets, shaping arrangements, making simple demos with accessible tools, and rehearsing effectively with a band. Students should have a practical way to accompany or realize their songs while developing them, whether on a chordal instrument, through programmed tracks, or with another form of accompaniment.

The course culminates in a live performance of an original song with a professional rhythm section of piano, bass, and drums, who will join the class for a rehearsal and performance.

By the end of the course, students will be able to:

• Develop and complete an original song

• Create a clear chart or roadmap for other musicians

• Rehearse and lead a band confidently in performance

Ideal for intermediate and advanced musicians who are ready to move beyond interpreting existing repertoire and begin creating and performing original work.

Prerequisites

Music theory knowledge is required. Students should be comfortable identifying and notating harmony, melody, and song form.

Enrollment

Limited to allow for individualized feedback and artistic development.

Thursdays 6:30–8 pm
10/1–12/3
No class 10/29, 11/26
Performance: 12/10
Sami Stevens, $390
(in-person)

About Sami Stevens

Sami Stevens is an Oakland-based singer-songwriter whose music blends jazz, soul, folk, and indie rock influences into intimate, emotionally rich performances rooted in the tradition of classic American singer-songwriters of the 1960s and ’70s. Her 2023 debut solo album, Morning, released on Sunnyside Records, was praised by Glide Magazine as the work of “one of the most promising songwriters to appear in the past few years.”

An active collaborator and touring musician, Stevens recently spent two years performing auxiliary keys and background vocals with Norah Jones and has also worked with artists including Brian Blade, John Scofield, Jason Moran, and John Zorn. A graduate of the New England Conservatory and Tufts University, Stevens has performed internationally at venues including the Apollo Theater, Red Rocks, Lincoln Center, and Nippon Budokan, with her work receiving recognition from Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, DownBeat, and The New York Times.