David Leask
Music & Sound
Specialities: Songwriting
Contact Info
Please note that you must communicate with the artist to confirm details such as dates, levels or grades and workshop themes.
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Email address
Website address
Other Weblink
Resides in
Sir Wilfrid Laurier
Social Media
Experience working with
Student In
- Cycle 3 Elementary
- Secondary 1 & 2
- Secondary 3 & 4
- Secondary 5
- CEGEP
- Senior Citizens
Lifelong Learners
- Adult Learners
I regularly explore the following Broad Areas of Learning/Themes in my work
- Health and Wellbeing
- Citizenship and Community Life (Identity & Belonging)
- STEAM
Listed in the Quebec Culture in the Schools Repertoire
- No
I can facilitate virtual creative experiences
- No
Travel
- I am available for travel within the same day
- An extended residency is an option
I am a veteran songwriter, live performer, and creator of eight albums. As an educator with over 15 years of experience mentoring elementary and secondary students, I love nurturing the boundless originality of young people. My goal is to empower student creativity through hands-on songwriting. I dynamically adapt my practice to diverse classroom settings, inspiring individual voices and group collaboration while leaving schools with sustainable tools for self-expression.
Creative Approach and Experiences Offered
My workshops hinge on collaboration and demystifying the creative process. Songwriting can sometimes feel intimidating, so I break it down into an accessible, high-energy group puzzle. Rather than asking students to write about abstract concepts, we use concrete objects or historical artifacts or preselected themes as creative anchors. This focus lowers their inhibitions and naturally coaxes out authentic storytelling. We build our song using collaborative brainstorming, exploring word and music choices together to try and find the collective voice of the room, aiming for as much student connection to the song as possible. Students can discover a tangible, exciting outlet to "write themselves out" and walk away seeing that their unique personal experiences, histories, and observations can hold immense artistic value. Classmates listen to one another, compromise, and collaborate, building a sense of connection from writing a song together and a sense of the power of their shared voices.Video
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Big Red Oak Films