Students
who have worked with Michael in
"Chant & Song Writing Workshop"

Rev. Carolyn Jolly Douglas
(Senior Minister, Illuminata Center for Spiritual Living)
"Michael, I just want to make sure that I tell you
how much I got out of the workshop on Sunday.  
You are an excellent teacher!  You worked with us
individually to experience the components of our chant.  
Genesis was happening for each of us, and
we all got something to finish or continue refining. 
I learned how everything just seems to come to me
and I hadn't really taken the time to separate the beat
from the rhythm of the melody — I just let them blend.  
Well, a big THANK YOU to you AND I want to do it again."

Michael Greenfield
(bassist/1st-time composer)
"Michael's class demystified the process of songwriting for me.
I never would have believed it's that easy!
Lot's of fun and most useful in my music."

Deborah Crooks
(vocalist/songwriter)
"Clean, concise instruction in an often overwhelming topic..."   

Ann Blake
(vocalist/songwriter) 
"This workshop made me realize I really could set ANY text
to music, and gave me the confidence to work
on longer pieces in smaller chunks.  We first set the rhythm
of an unfamiliar piece of text, and then set my own text—
really helpful.  The whole process of 'walking the tempo'
freed me to feel the rhythm of my text and allowed
the pitches to just show themselves.  
No longer overwhelming, the process of writing full songs
now feels practical and quite do-able."

Carla Flaherty
(drummer/composer)
"The workshop opened a window for me,
the idea of word-driven music.
I've only worked with words as lyrics,
fitting them to existing music,
so it's a new method to me—
to allow text to find its own rhythms and melodies,
to let it be a creative engine.
So, the workshop was inspiring and fun!"

Eric Rodrigas
(keyboardist/composer)
"Michael's workshop provided me with
simple steps to take any words
and set them to a rhythm that really works.  
Our session got me thinking more about
the framework of music and I could see
how I can apply this to many musical genres."

Clark Natwick
(vocalist/1st-time composer)
"Thank you for teaching an outstanding
chant writing class, and the suggestion to record it.  
I have been listening back to the class
and have found that immensely helpful..."

Rev. Allen David Young, Ph.D.
(Minister, Illuminata Center for Spiritual Living
/The Aquarian Institute)
"The many eye-opening concepts from Michael Smolens'
Chant & Song Writing Workshop had a great impact on me,
and several of those concepts will live with me forever.  
Michael offered lots of practice and gave many resources
for those who want to take things further.  Although I am not
a composer, the initial chant I developed in the workshop
inspired me to develop it further with Michael's assistance.
Because this chant was featured in my ordination,
many others got the benefit of the chant in its expanded form
as a complete piece of music. I highly recommend his work!"

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