Sam Parton and Leah Abramson have been friends for over ten years, sharing their love of music, songwriting, and community. Now they have joined forces as co-instructors for a series of songwriting camps in beautiful locations around British Columbia. Their first camp together takes place this summer at beautiful Rolling Earth Farm in Roberts Creek, British Columbia.
Sam PartonThe Be Good TanyasSamantha Parton has been writing songs professionally for 20 years. She has three critically acclaimed albums with The Be Good Tanyas, and later this year will be releasing an album with BGT co-founder Jolie Holland. Samantha’s music has appeared in film and TV shows such as Weeds, Skins, and Breaking Bad. Her song “The Littlest Birds” was nominated for a BBC Folk award and has arguably been The Be Good Tanyas most recognized and beloved tune. She has previously taught at songwriting retreats in the UK with Mercury Prize nominated artist Kathryn Williams, and is excited to partner up with Vancouver singer-songwriter Leah Abramson to co-tutor this summer’s retreat at Rolling Earth.
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Leah AbramsonThe Abramson SingersLeah Abramson is a singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and instructor from Vancouver, BC. After touring internationally with indie rock and folk bands, as well as her previous project, The Abramson Singers, Leah is now finishing her fourth original album of songs. Leah has taught songwriting courses and workshops in the Creative Writing Program at the University of British Columbia, The Vancouver East Cultural Centre (The Cultch), The Carnegie Centre, and Girls Rock Camp Vancouver. Along with her Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing (focus on lyrics) at the University of British Columbia, Leah has studied classical music at Capilano University and traditional Appalachian balladry and singing with Alice Gerrard and Ginny Hawker. Leah’s current project, Songs For a Lost Pod, is a collaboration with Pacific Northwest orcas that turns whale vocalizations into beats, and scientific research on marine mammals into lyrical fodder.
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Testimonials
“The retreat helped me place more importance on my writing and making sure I give it time and the energy I should. I’ve learnt tools to bring out my creativity, so I don’t just wait for it to hit me – I can consciously work at it so I can write more often.”
“Opportunities to collaborate were eye-opening and helped me feel less insular about my work. I have gained confidence and had great advice from the tutors. Tutors were so inspiring and encouraging, so hire them again! It’s been life changing to be honest.”
“I am sitting here reflecting on what was truly a life-changing and life-enhancing experience on last week’s song writing course. I often struggle to be away from home, but felt so quickly at home. After anxious anticipation before the course, I was so relieved to find myself in a place where nobody expected me to be anything other than myself.”
“This has helped me to organise and channel my passion.”
"Leah Abramson is a bit of a songwriting mystic. She gets under the skin of the lyrics and music, identifying patterns, shadows and rumours that you didn’t know were there. She sees the song beneath the song, the layers that could be peeled away to let other, unseen layers of meaning grow just below the surface. Leah’s always testing the boundaries of songwriting craft and, as a result, her work and workshopping embody a vision that’s inspiring and challenging. And throughout her process, respect for the listener is always key." | Rick Maddocks, songwriter and creative writing instructor
"I took two workshops with Leah as an undergraduate in UBC’s Creative Writing Program. The attention she pays to your work as a teacher is a reflection of the intelligent and generous person she is. She showed me where to vary my melodies, where to repeat a line to make a verse or chorus really sing, and I can honestly say that all of the songs we worked on together are better for it." | Curtis LeBlanc
“Opportunities to collaborate were eye-opening and helped me feel less insular about my work. I have gained confidence and had great advice from the tutors. Tutors were so inspiring and encouraging, so hire them again! It’s been life changing to be honest.”
“I am sitting here reflecting on what was truly a life-changing and life-enhancing experience on last week’s song writing course. I often struggle to be away from home, but felt so quickly at home. After anxious anticipation before the course, I was so relieved to find myself in a place where nobody expected me to be anything other than myself.”
“This has helped me to organise and channel my passion.”
"Leah Abramson is a bit of a songwriting mystic. She gets under the skin of the lyrics and music, identifying patterns, shadows and rumours that you didn’t know were there. She sees the song beneath the song, the layers that could be peeled away to let other, unseen layers of meaning grow just below the surface. Leah’s always testing the boundaries of songwriting craft and, as a result, her work and workshopping embody a vision that’s inspiring and challenging. And throughout her process, respect for the listener is always key." | Rick Maddocks, songwriter and creative writing instructor
"I took two workshops with Leah as an undergraduate in UBC’s Creative Writing Program. The attention she pays to your work as a teacher is a reflection of the intelligent and generous person she is. She showed me where to vary my melodies, where to repeat a line to make a verse or chorus really sing, and I can honestly say that all of the songs we worked on together are better for it." | Curtis LeBlanc