Songwriting workshop programs combine music, environmental exercises for annual song project

​The fourth annual Songs of the Susquehanna project is in full swing, as original songs by musicians within the Susquehanna watershed are being accepted now through Jan. 31, 2024, for consideration in Volume 4 of the popular project under the Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association.

"This project started during COVID as a way to engage people about river topics when in-person events were impossible and as a way to showcase some of the great musical talent our region is blessed with," said Riverkeeper John Zaktansky. "It continues to grow and we've had original music from all sorts of people representing genres from folk to rock to country to rap and everything in between. We've had songs that make you laugh, that make you tear up and some that make you want to take action and clean things up. I continue to be blown away by the creativity and the wide range of ages, skillsets and sounds represented in this project."

New for this year's project is a Songwriting Workshop, to be offered at 1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024, at the Montour Preserve's Educational Center. It will start with Zaktansky sharing info about the project, reviewing rules and discussing various elements of the river and environmental topics that could lend themselves to song ideas.

Also at the workshop will be a variety of musicians involved in the Songs of the Susquehanna project's previous volumes, including Richard Findlay, Rebecca Jade and Robert Gardner, offering tips on how to turn ideas into potential submissions for the project. 

"We want to give everyone a chance to participate in this project, to spark their creative juices and have their voices heard," said Zaktansky. "We're even looking to do a short program earlier in the day for younger kids and their parents."

That will begin at 11 a.m. and is open to kids under age 12 and their parents/families. It will be led by Zaktansky and Rebecca Jade, starting with a reading from some popular children's books focused on rhythm and rhyme and then transitioning to developing a group song related to the project. 

Pre-registration for both segments of the day is required (form is below). Either or both of these segments will be cancelled if there are not enough people registered for the events.

Ultimately, submissions for Songs of the Susquehanna: Volume 4 must be emailed to [email protected] by Jan. 31, 2024, preferably as .mp3 files. Songs that contain lyrics must have those lyrics included in the body of the email as part of the submission or attached as a separate document. 

To be considered, songs must be no longer than five minutes in length, must be original songs and we are accepting no more than two songs per musician or musical group each year. Submissions must be appropriate for all ages (lyric-wise, no swearing or inappropriate innuendos). They will be put online during the month of February for people to listen to and provide feedback on with the final playlist announced in early March 2024.

Learn more about the Songs of the Susquehanna project, including listening to clips from each song from all three previous volumes by clicking here. If you have any questions, please contact Zaktansky directly at [email protected] or 570-768-6300.

** While we work hard to keep programs affordable for people to attend, there are expenses to cover. If you are in a position to help cover some of the expenses of this program via a donation, please consider giving securely online via DonorBox below or via cash or check (made payable to Vernal School) during the event to the presenter.