The art form of song has been present and impassioned since Ancient Greece. Yet, song as we know it is an art form young and blossoming. In the budding and pernicious age of AI in art, never before has the distinctly human and expressive art form of songwriting been so vital.

Sappho Inspired by Love, Angelica Kauffman, 1775

The New York School of Songwriting teaches a distinct vision and philosophy of creating art. Whether you are a beginner, professional, or parent of a musical child, students will be inspired and mentored to develop their own unique voice as an artist.

Music should resonate with the deepest and most simple of human emotions, metaphysical emotions such as melancholy, nostalgia, despair, joy, and love. We must strive for our music to be compelling, involved, and beautiful, yet without a single extraneous note. Music too simple is boring to the ear, and music overly complex does not speak to the heart.

Because music resonates with emotions, our lyrics should be about the internal state. Song may be broadly defined as the combination of music and poetry. But it is a specific, personal kind of poetry that is appropriate to our art form. A poem, perhaps by Sylvia Plath for instance, that expresses personal emotions and feelings is called a lyrical poem. The songwriter is the expert of lyrical poetry. Above all else, our lyrics should be honest.

Astronomers are the students of the cosmos. Geologists are the students of the Earth. Artists are the students of humanity. The songwriter should, with passion and sobriety, examine and explore their minds. Your mind is your window into the shared human condition, and your personal experiences are the education that will produce works that many will resonate with.