This interactive, experiential presentation and workshop will explore the creative process in songwriting and storytelling, from ideation to finished composition. Drawing on material from her two publicly released albums as well as works in progress, visiting artist Melinda Rothouse will describe her songwriting process and perform several of her songs, tracing their development from lyric inspirations and musical snippets to final completed works. The workshop will include several experiential writing and sound improvisation exercises designed to inspire participants' own creativity.
Participants are encouraged to bring their instrument(s) of choice, along with a notebook and pen.
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Melinda Rothouse is a creativity, career, and leadership development coach and consultant, as well as an educator, facilitator, and public speaker. She is also a singer, songwriter, and bass player with many years of training and experience as a performing musician. Her songs interweave poetic lyrics (many originally written as stand-alone poems) with bass and melody lines that draw from a variety of genres, focusing on archetypal themes of love, loss, spirituality, and the journey to wholeness. Her other creative pursuits include contemplative photography and writing.
She holds a BA in biopsychology, master’s degrees in religious studies and performance studies, and a Ph.D. in psychology with a specialization in creativity studies. She is a longtime meditator and mindfulness practitioner teacher, and leads workshops and retreats in contemplative arts and creativity, both in the US and internationally.
Melinda is the author of two bestselling books Syncreate: A Guide to Navigating the Creative Process for Individuals, Organizations, and Communities and A Mindful Approach to Team Creativity and Collaboration in Organizations: Creating a Culture of Innovation.