Date/Time
Date(s) - Sun 11th Aug - Fri 16th Aug, 2024
All Day
Location
Moniack Mhor, Kiltarlity, Inverness-shire , IV4 7HT
A Creativity and Care Residential
Are you care experienced and aged 14-30? Interested in music, songwriting and recording?
Join us FREE at Moniack Mhor this Summer for an exciting project exploring the craft of songwriting! You’ll be tutored by Boo Hewerdine and Michele Stodart:
In this supportive residential course, you will spend time using your ideas and taking inspiration from around you to write your own songs. Experienced songwriters Boo Hewerdine and Michele Stodart will offer support and input as they guide you through the process, before your original work will be recorded and produced by a team of industry professionals.
Please e-mail any enquiries to Edel and Vicky at:
Or you can call the Creativity and Care team on: 01463 592828
THIS PROJECT INCLUDES:
WRITE
- Sunday 11th – 13th August: . Writing time at Moniack Mhor with Boo Hewerdine and Michele Stodart. You will arrive on the evening of Sunday 11th and receive tuition from Monday-Wednesday. This will include group workshops and optional one-to-one tutorials. During this time, we’ll also decide what we want our album cover to look like.
RECORD
- Thursday 15th – Friday 16th August: Recording sessions. Perform your work in the portable studio with Boo and Michele playing on your track, alongside drummer Mark Ellis, and supported by our sound engineer. Individual recording times TBC.
SHARE
- October (dates TBC): You may choose to come back to Moniack Mhor for an album sharing.
- All food, accommodation, workshops and recording are provided!
WHAT DO I NEED TO DO?:
- Have a keen interest in music and writing songs, but not necessarily have previous experience.
- Fill in a simple form (below), or chat to our team about why you want to do the course.
- Give us a few key details so that we can support you through your songwriting journey.
- Places are secured on a first come, first served basis. If you are interested in participating but there are no places left, please get in touch and we will add you to our waiting list!
We hope to see you there!
MEET THE TUTORS
Boo Hewerdine has been a professional musician and songwriter since leaving school. He signed his first record deal at 19. His band, The Bible, made three critically acclaimed albums. Including the hit album Eureka produced by Steve Earle.
Since then he has made numerous solo albums and written and played with Eddi Reader since 1994. His song, Patience Of Angels, was nominated for an Ivor Novello award. He has written songs for many artists including kd Lang, Heidi Talbot, Kris Drever, Chris Difford, Paul Young and many others. He has produced numerous albums including Eddi’s seminal Robert Burns album. For the last twenty years he has run many songwriting workshops. His latest album Understudy was a critical and commercial success.
Michele Stodart is a multi-award-winning singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer and musical director. Born in the Caribbean and raised in New York City, she’s now based in London. Best known as bassist, vocalist and co-songwriter of Mercury-nominated, double-platinum-selling band, The Magic Numbers, with whom she continues to play and tour world-wide.
Michele has always pursued her own writing and has released three solo albums. Her most recent release, ‘Invitation’ received outstanding critical acclaim and went on to win ‘UK Album of the Year’ at the UK Americana Awards 2024, where Michele also scooped the coveted award for ‘UK Artist of the Year’.
Mark Ellis is an accomplished songwriter and musician with over 20 years experience in the music industry.
Mark first found success as the drummer in UK indie band Hamfatter. Hamfatter had hits in Austria and the UK independent charts in the early 2000’s and finally found fame by winning investment on Dragons Den in 2008.
Together Boo and Mark wrote songs that would soon be used in Mark’s next big project, Elma.
Elma’s debut album Dreamland received critical acclaim and was rewarded with radio play on BBC 6 and BBC Scotland among many others. Elma then went on to tour with with Roy Wood and Boo Hewerdine before being picked up for a publishing deal with BMG Music.
Today, Mark is writing and performing as Fair Weather Son with his most recent single 38Years being featured on Amazing Radio’s Best In Country and Best Indie playlists.
ENQUIRIES OPEN BELOW!
The Life Changes Trust was established by The National Lottery Community Fund in April 2013 with a ten year endowment of £50 million to support transformational improvement in the quality of life, well-being, empowerment and inclusion of three key groups in Scotland: people living with dementia, unpaid carers of those with dementia and young people with care experience. The Trust concluded their ten year tenure in March 2022. Moniack Mhor is a formal legacy partner of the Life Changes Trust.
Bookings
This event is fully booked. Please email info@moniackmhor.org.uk to be added to the waiting list.