School of Song has hosted songwriting classes and creative programs with a bunch of high-profile, beloved songwriters — Adrianne Lenker, Robin Pecknold and Phil Elverum, to name a few — but their upcoming January program is a real doozy.
The legendary multi-hyphenate Brian Eno will be teaching the upcoming program, "[guiding] students through his multifaceted relationship to the creative process, sharing many techniques and practices he has developed throughout his career."
Eno has been making music and art in various forms for decades, and he's inarguably changed the face of popular music a few times. His most recent album, ForeverAndEverNoMore was released back in October 2022, and he has recently written his second book, What Art Does, co-authored with Bette A., which is set to arrive in the new year.
The workshop "will cover a wide range of topics related to music making and is geared towards anyone interested in furthering their musical practice." A selection of workshop topics topics includes: The Role of Surrender, Avant Gardening, Creating a Compelling Sonic World, Oblique Strategies, and Should Music Still Be Called Music?
Of the program, Eno said, "I'm looking forward to the chance to properly articulate some ideas about the creative process that have been fermenting over the last 50 years. To be able to do this with some fresh young minds and imaginations was a chance that I couldn't refuse."
The workshop will include four lectures, taking place on Sundays — January 5, 12, 19 and 26 at 12 p.m. PT (3 p.m. ET). Each lecture is approximately 75 minutes, with the first class lasting two hours to include a live in-class writing exercise. The course will also include hour-long Q&As on Wednesdays — January 8, 15 and 22 at 12 p.m. PT (3 p.m. ET). The program will run you $160, and the deadline to sign up is January 4, 11:59 p.m. PT. Recorded lectures will be available and sent out afterward for anyone unable to attend at those times.
You can sign up here.