The singer/songwriter Benjamin Dara made quite a statement last year at American Preparatory Academy when he taught kids how to write music and lyrics. Students from the West Valley classes still contact Benjamin with questions about songs and material they are working on as well as personal matters. “Bring Ben back!” says Andrea Thomson. When the Academy asked Ben to come again this year he was more than thrilled.
This will be his 2nd year he has worked with the academy as an honorary guest, all part of their week of Winterum. A magical week that contains a variety of the arts and music prepared for the middle schoolers. Winterum is something special, giving kids the opportunity to explore and forge a path of their own. Benjamin’s lesson will begin Friday January 16, 2015 at 8am – 10:15am at the Draper campus.
The songwriting lesson will be an hour long of Ben’s lecture and dialogue with the second hour dedicated to Ben and the kids working one on one in groups with songs they have written and are performing. Benjamin will get in the groups and help them improve the overall performance and sound by offering inspiration and suggestions. However before they get in the groups Ben will perform “Cracks of Life” a song he won an award for and a tune that usually gets the crowd going. He will be accompanied by another teacher from the academy Michael Hatfield whom used to play and perform in the rock band “Envoy” during the ‘80s.
Ben takes these lessons very serious and is very excited to prepare something that will hit them right where it matters. He believes that as a young musician or songwriter the very core of your future depends on how well you make a voice for yourself. His whole lesson will be geared to creating just that. Where so many focus on theory and tactics. Ben guides your voice to blossom in a more inspirational way, allowing your musical voice to come forward on its own. Loving the opportunity to work with kids he is ever grateful, as he states: “The kids are at the core of our future. I believe their voice matters more than anything. I’m here to help discover that.”
Benjamin Dara has been featured in the Salt Lake Tribune, Ogden Examiner, and St. George Herald. He is also the main songwriter, frontman, and founder of the world rock band DARA who is releasing a new single a week from today. Lots of people have been talking about his band around Salt Lake proper for the past couple of months. News on the street is this is going to be big so like and follow them on their Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/thedaraband.