S.A.C. Embers: Songwriting is a virtual 4-week songwriting masterclass designed to remove barriers to music education throughout Canada – particularly for Indigenous youth and emerging artists in remote communities where access to structured creative programs may be limited.

Led by award-winning songwriter and S.A.C. board director Troy Kokol, participants will journey from idea generation to completing their first song through weekly 1-hour sessions covering hooks, lyrical foundation, chorus development, and song structure.

This masterclass is free to S.A.C. members, DWF Artist Ambassadors, and students from DWF Legacy Schools.

Week 1: Idea Generation & The Hook (March 4th, 7-8:00 PM EST)

◦ Focus on digging deep to find a core idea and a hook (a word or phrase) to easily build the song around. Focus on concept and emotion. How do you want the listener to feel? Introduce the concept of the Thesis/Title (the main takeaway). Assignment: Create a clear title/thesis and a list of emotions/images.

Week 2: Lyrical Foundation & Thesis (March 11th, 7-8:00 PM EST)

◦ Create a “word cloud/image bank” of related words.
◦ Use the word cloud to craft the final line of the chorus (the hook or thesis of the song).
◦ Discuss Rhyme Schemes (AABB, ABAB, etc.). Assignment: Finalize the Chorus Hook Line (The most important line) and an initial Rhyme/Meter Plan for the chorus.

Week 3: Song Sections & The Chorus (March 18th, 7-8:00 PM EST)

◦ Discuss the purpose of various song sections (e.g., verse, chorus, bridge).

◦ Work on the chorus, developing a melody and musical cadence that matches the theme of the lyrics and words. Dedicate this session entirely to The Chorus. Discuss how the Chorus Melody and Rhythm should support the main lyrical idea (i.e., make it feel big and memorable). Touch on song sections briefly, but the Primary Assignment: Complete the Full Chorus (all lyrics and melody).

Week 4: Expanding the Structure (Please note one week break, April 1st, 7-8:00 PM EST)

◦ Focus on building the verse(s) and possibly a bridge.

◦ Discuss the Verse’s purpose (to advance the story and set up the chorus). Review Verse Rhyme Schemes (often simpler than the chorus). Discuss the Bridge’s function (a change in perspective or intensity). Assignment: Write the First Verse and structure the Second Verse outline.

◦ Continue to utilize words from the initial “word cloud.”