'The Artist's Way' for Music Makers: 8 Week Creative Resourcing Course w / Isoldè Freeth-Hale

'The Artist's Way' for Music Makers, 8-Week Creative Resourcing Course w / Isoldè Freeth-Hale

Would you like to fill your 2024 with a creativity boost, move through blocks, and inspire a sense of flow in your music making?

Have you ever wanted to do Julia Cameron’s infamous ‘Artist’s Way’ course, or would you like to do it again with a musical focus?

Welcome to one of the first offerings in Murmuration Choir's new 2024 workshop programme, which will be sharing and creating community around the rich knowledge, skill and experience of the singers, artists and practitioners who we have collaborated with so far in our journey.

My name is Isoldè / Issi, and I’m a singer-songwriter, composer, teacher and director of Murmuration Choir. I hold a Masters in Creative Practice (Goldsmiths University), and studying how to nurture the creative process is at the core of my life's work. Alongside many methods & insights, I've returned to ‘The Artist’s Way’  as a creativity bible throughout my own music making, and it has served me as a vital companion in the 20 years of coaching, courses, workshops and retreats that I've held, as well as the creation of our wonderful choir community. 

WHAT IS ‘THE ARTIST’S WAY’?

Originally, ‘The Artist’s Way’ is a 12 week course for artists of any discipline, that teaches a method of creative ‘recovery’. Written by writer and creativity teacher, Julia Cameron, it is a groundbreaking guide that she initially developed to help herself move through the blocks and dry spells that she experienced as a screenwriter. The course offers an approach to cultivating an artistic practise, that is rooted in self-care, radical honesty, connection to joy, the powers that be* and the things that matter most to us in life.

WHAT DOES THIS COURSE OFFER & HOW DOES IT DIFFER TO THE ORIGINAL?

After many years of repeating ‘The Artists’ Way’ and working with Cameron’s pertinent reflections and exercises, noting what feels most helpful to me and others, I have developed a streamline version of the course which caters to the demands of modern life and limits on time that can cause many to not complete the course.

This course serves as an abridged version of the original Artist’s Way, which is adapted specifically for anyone who wishes to create their own music and / or songs. It does not aim to replace it, or claim to be a ‘better’ version of it, and I encourage you to complete the original course in its entirety at another point if you haven’t done so already. The main differences between this course and the original are the delivery length, plus the approach of responding to Cameron’s exercises using sound / music / song / other mediums, as well as words.

COURSE OUTLINE

Week 1 - Introduction

Introducing the Tools, Establishing a Fun, Healthy Creative Practise & Setting Realistic Goals.

Week 2 - Safety & Identity

Working with Monsters (Inner Critic) & Superheroes (Affirmations); Finding Voice in the Joy of Little Things.

Week 3 - Power & Integrity

Turning Anger, Shame & Criticism into Synchronicity & Growth; Practising Radical Self-Honesty & Uncovering Buried Dreams.

Week 4 - Possibility & Abundance

Finding Flow, Trading Virtuosity for Authenticity, Re-prioritising Our Resources & Feeling Rich.

Week 5 - Connection & Strength

Learning how to Listen, Remedying Perfectionism, Overcoming Loss, Finding Gain & Using the Time We Have.

Week 6 - Compassion & Self-Protection

Replace Fear with Love, What is Discipline? Blasting Through Creative Blocks, & Understanding the Effects of Fame & Competition.

Week 7 - Autonomy & Faith

Creative ‘Success’, Building a Shrine to Your Inner Artist, Reinforcing Trust & Mystery; Side-Stepping Sabotage.

Week 8 - Check-Out & Sharing

Reflection on the Journey, Sharing Work (Optional), Setting Goals to Sustain Your Creative Practise.

SESSIONS

Each week we shall:

∙ Summarise key points of the course & discuss how they relate to us as music makers.

∙ Work through the key exercises, with the opportunity to respond to them using musical composition and/or songwriting.*

∙ Check-in, set goals, celebrate wins and support one another’s journey.

COURSE GOALS

By the end of the course you will have:

∙ A sense of connection to who you are & why you want to create.

∙ Confidence in the joy of making sound, which is part of a holistic self-care practise.

∙ A toolkit of resources that help you to move through creative blocks & droughts.

∙ A portfolio of musical sketches that respond to some of the most deeply entrenched pitfalls of the creative process, which you can use as composition seeds to complete later, or as shoe horns to get you back into your flow.

∙ A composition / song to share with the group by the end of the course (optional).*

WHO THIS COURSE IS FOR

∙ Anyone who wishes to create original music, and establish a regular practise in a way that focuses on play, wellbeing, experimentation and radical honesty.

∙ Beginner to advanced levels welcome.*

∙ Those who are ready to work & play with with their creativity blocks, and have ‘make more music’ as a top 2024 goal*

TIME COMMITMENT

∙ 2.5 hours per week for each course session.

∙ 5-30 mins a day of unfiltered self-expression (any medium welcome).

∙ 1 x time slot of your choosing per week, for an ‘Artist Play Date’.

∙ 1 x time slot of your choosing per week, for intentional music making.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED

∙ A computer / Zoom app for online sessions.

∙ A recording device to record the sounds you create - preferably a DAW such as Garage Band or Logic to layer sound, but a phone app is also fine to use.

∙ Any tools to express yourself - pen & paper, music, paint, dressing up box etc.

∙ An original copy of ‘The Artist’s Way’.

COST & HOW TO BOOK

Earlybird: £110

2nd Release: £125

Full Price: £140

N.B.

*Spirituality - Cameron’s approach, and this course, will use the word ‘God’, which is interchangeable with ‘source’, ‘universe’, ‘higher self’ etc. There is no promotion of a specific religion or belief system, however, and the insights / exercises can still be of benefit to anyone who identifies as Atheist.

*Chapters & Exercises - We will only be covering summarised points & key exercises found in the original chapters of 'The Artist's Way', but you are welcome to read full chapters / complete other exercises in your own time alongside this course.

*Sharing Work - There is no obligation to share work with others during this course, but there is the opportunity to if it is useful to you.

*Musical Ability - This course encourages exploration, self-discovery and experimentation, which ignites the initial spark of creativity and is essential at any stage of your journey, regardless of skill / experience. If you wish to focus on more classic development of voice, song or music writing skills, please get in touch about 1-2-1 tuition or other courses, and / or reach out if you have any questions.

*Creativity Blocks - This course will offer a therapeutic approach to creativity in a contained & supportive environment, but it is not a registered form of psychotherapy. Please make sure that you have an understanding of the course before you book, and ensure that you have everything you need to navigate the insights it can bring to the surface e.g. additional therapeutic support.