“I learn so much and am blossoming in your community and am beyond grateful for awakening, loving, collaborative musical family is a reality!”
— Jesse Star
Ignite your creative expression, cultivate your songwriting artistry and collaborate in community!
Are you looking to:
Learn to write songs with more ease and impact?
Up-level your skills and grow your craft?
Write your first song, or inspire your next album?
Feel deeply connected to your creative community?
Take your songs from your the closet to the stage?
Whether you are a seasoned professional or just starting out on your journey, we all share the need for the same thing: Connection, creative community, and inspiring places that support you to grow your skills and hone your craft.
We are SO excited to welcome you to a unique event hosted by the Songwriter Soiree called Songs in the City! A two day immersive songwriting experience for Songwriters of all levels!
Featuring nationally renowned songwriting teachers Laura Veirs, Beth Wood, Lewis Childs,Robin Jackson, and other special guests!
Friday Novemer 6th — Sunday November 8th 10:30am-10pm Tickets on sale soon!!! Below are the teachers from our June event. New teachers released soon.
“You could not ask for a more receptive, listening, and encouraging audience to play for! It was so inspiring to see some people who had never played or performed before, or played anything before, allowing themselves to get up and be vulnerable and show themselves….The whole experience was something special!”
— Dee Wirak, Participant
What you’ll receive by coming
Expert songwriting guidance
Tips and tricks to improve your craft
And opportunity to workshop and co-write your song with a band!
Opportunities to connect and collaborate with others
Deep support, encouragement, and care
Vocal freedom and group singing
A super fun time!
WHAT YOU’LL EXPERIENCE
Songs in the City is a two day event centered around songwriting and creative connection. The event will consist of two workshop sessions per day, group singing, time to connect and jam, and an intimate and connected Soiree open mic experience in both evenings! It will be held at an inspiring and uplifting space between the whimsical Portland Kennedy School and Flora Bowley’s private Art Oasis (across the street).
WHAT WILL BE OFFERED
Inspiring Songwriting Workshops
We will be offering three unique workshop sessions (happening at the same time), twice a day. You can choose which workshop you attend (you can repeat, or switch). For a full description of songwriting workshops, see below.
Group Singing
We will gather in the morning and afternoon to share in theincredible experience of singing as a group. Singing is one of the most healing, inspiring and connecting activities we can do as humans and a great way to support your journey as a songwriter. Unlock the power and birthright of your voice with us!
Soiree Open Mic
Our open mic is the heart of the Songwriter Soiree. Join with us in a deeply supportive and inspiring space where you will have the opportunity to share your original song with the group, either alone or with your new backup band! Here, we emphasize the act of sharing vs performing, and our favorite thing to say is we support you!
Please note that sharing a song or writing a song isn’t required at all. How you participate is up to you! Just listen, bring your presence, give feedback, relax, learn, and enjoy!
Location and Food
The event will be held between two locations which are a short 2 minute walk from each other. One is at the charming and whimsical Portland Kennedy School Community Room, located at 5736 NE 33rd Ave, Portland, OR 97211 (enter in the back of the building). The other is at a secret art Oasis (location given at the event). You may park in the Kennedy School lot or nearby. We will meet at the beginning of the day in the community room.
Accommodations
Live out of town? We have two accommodation options available:
Make it a weekend and stay in the incredible Kennedy School! This is a historic and utterly whimsical space with a spa, movie theater, tons of restaurants, gardens, events, and more! To book, contact the Kennedy Schooldirectly. Unfortunately there are no reserved rooms or discounts for this event.
Food
We will have two meal breaks. For dinner, your registration will include a delicious, healthy, catered feast of NW cuisine both nights in the garden for all guests! This will be a great time to connect together.
For lunch, participants will be responsible for their own food. You can eat at the Kennedy School or there are a bounty of amazing local restaurants and food carts within a 5 minute walk. This is a great time to connect with meet with other songwriters and talk and Jam (both spaces will be open during meal times for jamming).
Beth Wood is an award-winning songwriter, poet, joyful singer, teacher, and believer in the power of word and song. Beth has been writing, performing, and creating for over thirty years — delighting and inspiring audiences with her exceptional musicianship, intelligent writing, powerhouse voice, and warm and commanding stage presenc
Beth has released fifteen albums, four books of poetry, and a collection of funny stories from the road. Beth’s poetry book Ladder To The Light is the winner of the 2019 Oregon Book Awards People’s Choice Award and was a finalist for the Stafford/Hall Award for Poetry. Beth is a co-founder of She’s Speaking, a collective that creates forums/spaces for women’s voices and women’s stories to be heard, along with friends and fellow Oregon singer-songwriters Bre Gregg and Kristen Grainger.
Beth’s work has expanded to include teaching and song coaching as well as leading and facilitating workshops, classes, and retreats. She is the director of Sisters Folk Festival Americana Song Academy. Beth’s dream is to build community through music and poetry, and to move something with her art, whether it’s a swirling emotion or a curious mind or tapping feet. Beth loves helping others access their creativity through songwriting and poetry. She lives in Sisters, Oregon with her dog Hannah Laroo.
Lewis Childs is a songwriter, performer, educator and recording engineer based in Portland, Oregon. Born in Los Angeles, California he started playing electric guitar at the age of 13 and studied musical theater at Cuesta College, and vocal performance at the U of O school of Music. He has performed all over the world and has taught workshops at educational institutions throughout the Pacific Northwest. His artistic collaborations include harmonica virtuoso Joe Powers, Márcio daLari (Brazilian Master of Percussion), Maggie Wheeler (actress and singer known for her work on the popular T.V. show “Friends”), Galen Clark (Trio Subtonic) and Robin Jackson (Singer-Songwriter and musician). You can often find him working at, Groundswell Studios, where he works to produce emerging artists and foster the next generation of talent by offering music instruction for kids and adults. lewischilds.com
Laura Veirs
Songwriting Instructor
Singer-songwriter Laura Veirs has produced 14 albums over 25 years, toured internationally and collaborated with luminaries such as kd lang, Neko Case, Sufjan Stevens, Jim James, The Decemberists, Bill Frisell and many more. Her music blends the poetic sensibilities of folk with the rough edges of indie rock. She was inducted into the Oregon Music Hall of Fame in 2024.
Laura has been teaching music on-and-off since her mid-20s. She’s taught private lessons at home and group workshops through Stanford University’s Continuing Education Program, at Reed College, Carleton College, the University of Washington, the Newport Folk Festival and the online School of Song. She has also taught at Rancho La Puerta in Mexico and at Richard Thompson’s Frets and Refrains Summer Music camp in NY. She lives with her blended family in Portland, OR. lauraveirs.com
Robin Jackson
Creative Event Facilitator and Songwriting Instructor
An award-winning songwriter, teacher, activist, and spirited impresario, Robin has dedicated himself to creating connection through art and music. Robin’s work is rooted in the idea that everyone is creative and that most of us simply need the space to be seen, heard, and supported for positive transformation to take place. He has toured the world with his music for 25+ years, has three solo albums and countless collaborations with notable artists. His popular Songwriter Soiree events and online courses have helped thousands of people unblock their voices, hearts, and creative natures.
James Julian Villa is a multi-instrumentalist producer known for producing and co-writing albums with artists across the Pacific Northwest.
Originally from Canada, James graduated from Selkirk’s Contemporary Music & Technology Program, earning the Fred Sharett Award and gaining hands-on experience working with successful touring acts across multiple genres.
After relocating to Portland, Oregon, James led an eight-piece funk band as the eccentric “Brizzleman” before finding his true calling in the studio, writing and recording for other artists.
Drawing on his deep production background, James delivers polished, radio-quality mixes rich with dynamics, layers, and thoughtful ear candy. His multi-instrumentalist skills and touring experience allow him to serve as a one-stop shop for artists in pop, folk, hip-hop, rock, and electronic music, with a trusted network of session musicians to support any project.
Combining words and melodies is a powerful and mysterious alchemy. I’m excited to share some of my philosophies about songwriting including the importance of restrictions, non-attachment, vulnerability, finishing, imitation, lyric writing from liminal spaces and ruthless editing. I will provide students with prompts (from my Kaleidoscope Creativity Card system) and guide students through writing and sharing new work during the workshop.
Guitar Tricks – Fingerstyle and Tunings
Laura Veirs • Friday 3pm – 5pm
Chord progressions are the engine of songwriting—they make everything move. There’s a kind of magic in a great progression, a mix of soothing familiarity and thrilling surprise that has emotional power even without the melody and lyrics. Every songwriter needs to be fluent with chord progressions, but the process of figuring out which chords to use and how to sequence them can be mystifying. In this workshop we’ll delve into how progressions work, drawing on examples from classic songs, and learn how make the progressions in your songs more distinctive and impactful.
Organizing Your Music Life — Habits and DIY Philosophies
Laura Veirs • Saturday 3pm – 5pm
Combining words and melodies is a powerful and mysterious alchemy. I’m excited to share some of my philosophies about songwriting including the importance of restrictions, non-attachment, vulnerability, finishing, imitation, lyric writing from liminal spaces and ruthless editing. I will provide students with prompts (from my Kaleidoscope Creativity Card system) and guide students through writing and sharing new work during the workshop.
Tension and Release: The Power of Space in Songs
Robin Jackson • Friday 11am-1pm
We all know the old saying “Less is more” and it’s never been more true when applied to songwriting. While the notes and words are important, often equally ( or more) important is the space between. Many songwriters suffer from verbosity-itus, and it can often leave songs with verse after verse or too many ideas in one space. In this workshop, we will explore the immense power of saying more, using less. We’ll play with the concepts of tension and release, rhythmic and lyrical pacing, instrumental pauses, emotional phrasing, and the power of dynamics. We’ll listen to some examples and then write and share some of our own on the spot. You will leave with a new understanding and approach of how to write emotionally compelling songs that leave your listeners captivated and brought alongside you as you share your story.
Vocal Workshop: Easy Warmups and Tips for Natural, Dynamic Singing
Beth Wood • Friday 11-1pm
A quick refresher on the basics of dynamic, natural, free singing along with simple warmups you can use any time you sing! Our voices are instruments, and we can practice and develop skills just like we do when learning to play other instruments! We’ll make funny noises, sing together, and pay attention to how our bodies feel when we sing. For all levels of singing experience.
Songwriting Workshop: Turning A Phrase – Wordplay for Writing Impactful Lyrics!
Beth Wood • Friday 3-5pm
Have you ever wondered what makes a good lyric? Can you think of lines or phrases from a song that stay with you long after the song is over? (Sunset is an angel weeping by Bruce Cockburn from “Pacing the Cage” comes to mind!) In this lyric-focused workshop, we will dive into wordplay with generative writing exercises and games. We will spend time in the world of poetry and consider how writing poetry can inform our lyrics. And we’ll listen deeply and use our noticing skills to see what other songwriters can teach us about the power and magic of potent lyrics.
The Magic of Melody
Beth Wood • Saturday 11-1pm
What makes a memorable melody? How can we play with melody to tell stories and convey emotions? Why are Beatles songs so catchy? We’ll dive into melody and ways to wield its magic in songs! This is a hands-on workshop for all levels.
Songwriters Circle
Lewis Childs • Offered all sessions
Borrowing from the songwriter in the round format, this workshop offers participants a unique opportunity to share their songs and a bit about their creative process. It’s also an opportunity to get feedback from the group on songs that you are currently working on. We will talk about developing strategies for overcoming challenges that come up during the creative process.
Please be aware that we will only be able to focus on a handful of participant’s songs during each workshop. That said, we make the process valuable and applicable for everyone. If you come and your song is not selected, you will still gain valuable insight into the creative process for your own work. This workshop is also offered twice in the day.
WORKSHOP GRID SCHEDULE
SONGS IN THE CITY SCHEDULE
Friday, June 5th, 2026
10:30-11:15am: Welcome and singing
11:15-1:15pm: Workshop session 1:
Songwriting — Kaleidoscope Creativity Cards | Laura Veirs|The House
Vocal Workshop: Easy Warmups and Tips for Natural, Dynamic Singing | Beth Wood|Kennedy School Room
Songwriting Circle| Lewis Childs and James Villa|The Art Studio
Tension and Release: The Power of Space in Songs| Robin Jackson|The Front Garden
1:15- 2:15pm: lunch
2:15–2:45: Whole group singing session
3 – 5pm: Workshop session 2:
Guitar Tricks – Fingerstyle and Tunings | Laura Veirs|Kennedy School Room
Songwriting Workshop: Turning A Phrase – Wordplay for Writing Impactful Lyrics! | Beth Wood|The House
Songwriting Circle| Lewis Childs, Robin Jackson and James Villa|The Art Studio
5:00 – 5:30pm Song sharing circles
5:30 – 7pm: Catered Dinner Buffet and connection time
7-10pm: Soiree Open Mic (with teacher features)
Saturday, June 6th 2026
10:30-11am: Welcome and singing
11-1pm: Workshop session 1:
Songwriting — Kaleidoscope Creativity Cards | Laura Veirs|The House
The Magic of Melody | Beth Wood|Kennedy School Room
Songwriting Circle| Lewis Childs, Robin Jackson and James Villa|The Art Studio
1- 2:15pm: lunch
2:15–2:45: Whole group singing session
3 – 5pm: Workshop session 2:
Organizing Your Music Life — Habits and DIY Philosophies| Laura Veirs|Kennedy School Room
Songwriting Workshop: Turning A Phrase – Wordplay for Writing Impactful Lyrics! | Beth Wood|The House
Songwriting Circle| Lewis Childs, Robin Jackson and James Villa|The Art Studio
5:00 – 5:30pm Song sharing circles
5:30 – 7pm: Catered Dinner Buffet and connection time
7-10pm: Soiree Open Mic
REGISTRATION
Your registration includes:
All workshops and singing groups with Laura Veirs, Beth Wood, Lewis Childs and Robin Jackson
Performance and enjoyment at our intimate Open Mic Soiree
Twofully catered delicious dinners provided in the garden!
Access to our private Facebook community for ongoing connection
One month FREE access to our online community, The Songwriter’s Nest (new members only)
Access to all facilities in a gorgeous and chic location
So much fun!
Price: Normal Entry: $549 Sponsor ticket: $649 — helps sustain our programs and sponsors a songwriter in need!
Prices will go UP again on April 1st, so get yours now!
Payment plans offered if needed. We have a small number of scholarships available for those in need. Please contact us before signing up!
What began in 2009 as an open mic for original music, the Songwriter Soiree provides a nurturing environment for individuals to connect through songwriting, music, and collective creativity. We uplift the craft of songwriting and celebrate the art of performing original material through retreats, workshops, gatherings, an online hub, and regular performance opportunities. Learn More
SAFER SPACE POLICY
To read learn more about our values, mission, and commitment to creating inclusive and safer spaces, please read our about page HERE.
