Award-winning mentors to lead SongMakers workshop

BUDDING musicians in Geelong will have the chance to hone their songwriting skills and develop their music careers in July through the free SongMakers workshop.

This event is open to musicians aged 16-21 and will feature collaborations with some of Australia’s top hitmakers.

Following a sold-out workshop in April, the two-day songwriting and production sessions, organised by APRA AMCOS and supported by the City’s Live and Local program and Creative Victoria, will take place at Customs House from 10am to 4pm on 9-10 July.

Geelong mayor Trent Sullivan expressed his excitement about the return of the SongMakers workshop to Customs House during the winter school holidays.

“If you’re aged between 16-21 and are a budding musician, SongMakers will help you explore your music style, refine your skills, develop your music career and connect with other creatives,” Cr Sullivan said.

“The two day workshop will delve deep into the art of songwriting and production and you’ll experience a real-world co-writing session with the best of the best in Anna Laverty, Elizabeth Drummond and Joel Ma.”

Sixteen participants will receive guidance from three award-winning industry mentors: Anna Laverty, Elizabeth Drummond, and Joel Ma.

Anna Laverty, one of Australia’s top production talents, has worked on projects for artists including Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Courtney Barnett, and Lady GaGa.

She honed her skills under producers Paul Epworth and Ben Hillier in London and has received the inaugural Mushroom Music Producer Award and an Australia Council Fellowship.

Elizabeth Drummond, a Melbourne-based artist and producer, co-founded Little May and has amassed over 200 million streams on Spotify.

She has toured with artists like The National and Mumford & Sons and recorded with Aaron Dessner. Her self-produced debut EP was released in 2022.

Joel Ma, known for his innovation in the Australian music scene, founded the alt-rap group TZU and has released work under the moniker Joelistics. His second album was praised by Rolling Stone for its incisive writing and production.

Cr Melissa Cadwell, chair of the council’s Creativity and Culture portfolio, said there was wealth of musical talent in Greater Geelong.

“SongMakers participants will be supported by three renowned music industry mentors as they write and record new tracks.

“Attendees will receive a free lunch each day and a showbag of goodies, and leave the workshop with a new sense of direction in their music career.”

To apply for SongMakers, head to geelong.link/SongMakers.