High school students learn songwriting from Sask. musicians

At total of 17 students from all over the province made their way on slippery gravel roadsto a building nestled in abelt of trees on the edge of Last Mountain Lake this weekend.

Their journeytothe national wildlife area was for a songwriting program led bySaskatchewan songwriters Ryan Hicks, MeganNashand Glenn Sutter.

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After learning how to write songs and draw inspiration from nature the students wrote a song calledHourglass.

Songs 4 Nature perform their song 'Hourglass'

8 years ago

Duration 3:43

After three hours of writing the students and their teachers perform their song 'Hourglass.'

"The idea was to see if people, given the chance to use their creative energies, would affect how they connect to nature," Sutter said.

Sutter said he felt right at home writing songs in nature. As a biologist, heoften uses song as a way to examine his field of work.

"I work in the field of environmental and sustainability education, dealing with climate change. It kind of wears you down," said Sutter. "I often turn to songwriting as a way to explore that stuff on my own."

Environment Canada, Campion College and the Royal Saskatchewan Museum helped fund theproject,which is free to all applicants.

Sutterwas the driving force behind the Songs 4 Nature program, and saidreconnecting with nature is important for everyone, but especially forthe next generation.

JaxonLalonde, a grade 12 student at St. Joseph High School in Saskatoon, hadbeen playing music for most of his life, but had neverwritten a song in full.

"I've had ideas for themusicforsongs for a long time. I've written down notes of cool lines. But now, I figured out how to put it together," saidLalonde.

While out in thenational wildlife area the group went for hikesand walks in nature to help draw on natural imagery and the metaphors that are present in nature.

Where they're coming from, is they love music. So as soon as they got together, they nerdedout on music.- Ryan Hicks

During one trek into the prairie landscape the group decided to lay down in a field and take some time to reflect.

"I like looking at the sky and the trees. It gives me a lot more inspiration," said participantCieran Sheard. "I like to sit on a hill, and just looking throughout the city, you get to see a lot."

Sheardandall the students were total strangers at the start of the weekend, and though the focus was on songwriting and nature the students all bonded over a mutual love of music.

"Where they're coming from, is they love music. So as soon as they got together, they nerdedout on music," said Hicks.

Hicks said when the teenagers got to know each other, spontaneous songs and performances became a norm.

"What I really came for was to meet other people who are interested in what I'm interested in," Mackenzie Sproat said.

Like so many other students this was an opportunity for Sproat to meet like-minded peers she might not otherwise be in contact with.

"The people in my life aren't really songwritersor interested in music like I am. So Iwanted to meet other people and I really connected with the people here as well," she said.

When it was time to go on Sunday, every student witha still-chargedcellphonewas taking selfies with their new friends, exchanging numbers and adding each other on Facebook.At least two group shots were taken.

The group will reunite in early May to see the returning migratory birds and in June the plan is to holda concertin either Wascana Park or the Royal Saskatchewan Museum.