SONGLAB SERIES
DESCRIPTION:
The SongLab Series is an opportunity for teen songwriters and beginner music producers to take their creative skills to the next level in a group workshop setting.
Choose one or two of the three specific series offerings to dip your toes into OR choose the All Access Workshop Pass to participate in all three workshops, which will guide you through the entire song production process from the blank page to a recorded song, hook and beat.
LOCATION: 402 Arts Collective WEST - Collective “A” Classroom
16909 Lakeside Hills Plaza, Suite #119,
Omaha, NE 68130
I am a singer-songwriter, musician and artist who would love to help you unlock your creative potential.
I’ve had a passion for music and creativity for most of my life! My creative journey began with music. I developed my musical foundation as a vocalist, from learning to harmonize to songs in church as a child, to participating in the Iowa All-State Honor Choir in high school while attending Abraham Lincoln in Council Bluffs.
I discovered my passion for guitar as a teenager. I picked up my brother’s dusty classical guitar that he bought in a flea market on a mission trip in Mexico and began to experiment with making sounds and strumming. The next week I bought a lesson book from Sam Goody and taught myself the basic shapes and positions to play some of my favorite songs. I was hooked!
It wasn’t long before I stumbled upon my next passion: songwriting. With an instrument to accompany my voice, I began crafting songs. Many of them were sappy love songs at first but eventually I found a deeper way to express myself and interpret the world around me.
The process of discovering song ideas from life and turning ideas into melody and chords and eventually a completed song, which can then be shared with the hearts of others, continues to be one of the greatest thrills in life.
Over the past 20 years, I’ve honed my skills and craft as a musician while studying with various instructors to expand my understanding of composition, scales and music theory. I’ve also performed as a singer-songwriter in various venues in the Omaha metro area and recently been nominated for an Omaha Entertainment and Arts Awards for Best Folk as a solo artist and Best Soul with my funk-soul-rock band Jaguar James.
I received my Bachelor of Arts degree in Art and Business/Communication from Augustana University in Sioux Falls, SD and my Master of Arts degree in Communication from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. I work full-time as pastor at Dream City Church Omaha and help lead the leadership and worship teams in the congregation.
I can’t wait to learn more about you and your creative goals and to help you grow in your journey!
At first, the drums served as a conduit to channel a kid’s chaotic emotions. I’m proud to say that, throughout the last 16 years, the drums now (and continue to) serve as a mentor, friend, and an amazing way to constructively release stress.
I was introduced to the drums at a critical point in my life, where ADHD and anxiety were tough to manage as an 11 year-old. My father, a drummer himself, had an amazing sixth sense and somehow knew that the drums were what I needed to help me better manage those conditions. An amazing drummer and patient teacher, he set me off on my path to discovering an activity that would evolve into a lifelong passion.
Most of my experience in musical performance/projects have been through high school show choir and jazz band performances, and more recently through session work either as a fill-in for local bands or through Fiverr. I am currently involved with an active classic rock cover band known as the Riverfront Band, as well as leading my own improvisational jazz group.
It is my personal belief that for anyone, at any age, mental health and music will always have a positive relationship with each other. With my undergrad rooted in professional psychology, I have found a way to combine these principles with learning the drums, piano (for beginners), and mallets. I am beyond excited for the opportunity to share this knowledge and offer a constructive way to improve an individual’s mental health through rhythm, melody, and musicality.
Styles: Rock, Jazz, Fusion
Looking forward to meeting you!
