​A songwriting residency reinforces popular writing skills appraaches while providing staff and students a fun way of reinforcing curriculum studies in almost any area!



Topics are chosen in advance of Ken's visit (curriculum or current events-based... or just pure imagination). Residency sessions begin with brainstorming and discussion with students as we discover the "angle" from which we'll write about our topic.



A residency includes:

- "Opening Concert" (morning of DAY ONE)

- 6 (SIX) songwriting sessions per day (of 40 minutes each)

A TYPICAL RESIDENCY RUNS 3-4 DAYS IN LENGTH, AND YIELDS 6-PLUS SONGS.

- "Final Concert" on the afternoon of the LAST DAY of the residency

as students join Ken in performing their songs. ​​​

​

Topics & Themes

Teachers may focus our songwriting activity on any curriculum area they choose. Songs have emerged from ALL areas of academic discipline... history, literature, science, even math! And never overlook the value of imaginative creative writing! It's amazing where your students minds will go!

 

 

Articles: ​​

​

Students Band Together With Roving Music Man
Songwriting Sessions Bring Out Style, Creativity
     by Jill Saito, Ft. Collins Coloradoan, October, 1997

​

Their Own Songs
Artist-In-Residence Tunes Up Richards School
     by Melinda Kozulis, Milwaukee Journal-Sentinal

​​

Quack? Quilts? Quarries?
Budding Lyricists At Burleigh Elem. Learn To Make Hard Choices
     by Adam Kirby, Milwaukee Journal-Sentinal, 2005

​

Artist-In-Resicence Lonnquist
Brings Creative Song/Story Process To Lakeshore​
     By Laurie Ottery, Fond du Lac Reporter

​

Melodies Carry Strains Of History, Government & Character
Artist-in-residence helps students write lyrics for class lessons
     By Stephanie Scott, Greenfield Observer, 1/26/06

​​

 

​

Sense Of Place Residency

This residency involves students conducting pre-songwriting research activities in their own community…, interviewing their elders to learn about the area’'s past, doing library research, etc. With Ken, they pool this information and turn it into a body of songs celebrating the geography and people that make their community unique.​

​

​

Articles: ​​​​

​

This Land We Love: Crafting A Song Writing Legacy
     By Kathleen Regnier, Peninsula State Park Naturalist, and Joan      Blackwood, Coordinator for Friends of Gibraltar
EE News, Environmental Educ. in Wisconsin, Summer, 2001

​​

Students Learn About Mayville's History
Summer school program focuses on areas backyard
     By Colleen Kottke, Fond du Lac Reporter, 7/10/03​​