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Auditorium Programs, Workshops, and Residencies
Tom Breiding offers several auditorium programs and workshops for students of all ages. A former English teacher, Tom has developed the skills needed to engage students and he shares a great rapport with young people. These programs are available through Gateway to the Arts, a fantastic non-profit organization in Pittsburgh, which brings music and the arts into schools where they are so badly needed today. Please find a link to Gateway's web-site on Tom's link page, but don't hesitate to contact Tom directly regarding these programs.
Steeltown: A Celebration in Song of Pittsburgh's 250 Years Auditorium Program
Songwriter-recording artist Tom Breiding's songs capture life in Pittsburgh throughout its 250-year history. Playing guitar, banjo, and harmonica, Tom delivers songs depicting generations of workers in the steel, coal, and glass industries of Pittsburgh. Students learn about Western Pennsylvania's key role in building and shaping America and about various musical genres, emphasizing the importance of American folk music. A former English teacher, Tom also examines the fundamentals of good writing and identifies those elements in his original folk ballads.
"Students do not have this type of experience in their lives. Bringing talented musicians (and others in the arts) to them in this manner is invaluable to a well-rounded life."?
– Megan Keller Wysoci, Teacher, McMurray Elementary School
The Unbroken Circle: Songs of the Coalfields Auditorium Program
Songwriter-recording artist Tom Breiding's unique musical stories tell of life in the coalfields of West Virginia and Pennsylvania over the last century. Accompanying himself on multiple instruments, Tom engages students in the history of West Virginia's coal industry, including early life in the coalfields, the struggles of the miners to earn a fair wage. Various American musical genres, including Appalachian folk music, are featured. Students gain perspective on the significance of these events in shaping today's work climate throughout America.
"[Students] could see a connection between history - community and their own families."
– Kay Tudor, Valley Senior High School
Audience Limit for Auditorium Programs: 250
Bringing History to Life with a Song Songwriting Workshop and Residency
Tom Breiding will help students to write their own historically accurate folk songs within the structure of verse, chorus, and bridge, tailoring historical connections for your school's specific needs. Pointing out several research strategies that he has used for his own work, Tom will asssign students to select an historical event or character about which they would like to write, list important facts from their research, and then assist them in constructing sound lyrics to be performed with traditional or original folk melodies. With his voice and instruments, he will give all students the opportunity to share their work, including those with little or no musical background. He can also engage students in open conversation about a wide range of industry topics that include: various approaches to the songwriting process, studio engineering, production, innovative recording techniques, tracking and editing on ProTools software, press and radio promotion, touring strategies, and performance techniques.
The Business of Music Workshop and Residency
Tom Breiding shares his experiences as a former staff writer for a major publishing company on Music Row in Nashville to his current experience as a touring artist and album producer. Tom engages students in open conversation about a wide range of topics that include: approaches to the songwriting process, studio engineering and record production, innovative recording techniques, tracking and editing on ProTools software, artist press and radio promotion, touring strategies, and performance techniques. This program is especially effective for schools hosting a radio station or advanced media center, and students who are interested in a career in the music industry. A touring performer with nine album releases, Tom is currently marketing his latest record, the highly acclaimed Unbroken Circle, which has received radio airplay on Americana stations in every corner of the country. Tom is also a Calliope teaching artist and co-producer of Calliope's When We Shine, a Pittsburgh 250 project.
Maximum # of students for Workshops and Residencies: 25
Requirements:
A large, clear classroom; pencils and paper
Minimum sequential workshops: 3
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Copyright (C) 2006 Tom Breiding Music, Railroad Town Records, AmeriSon Productions - All Rights Reserved - Pittsburgh, PA USA
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