APRIL 2027
YRAS SONGWRITER'S CAMP
A four-day songwriting camp for serious songwriters ready to write, collaborate, perform, and connect.
YRAS Songwriter Retreat brings together a small group of songwriters for four days of co-writing, mentor guidance, feedback, performance, and community in Kernville, California.
Across the retreat, participants will work with experienced songwriter mentors through writing sessions, feedback circles, breakout workshops, career conversations, campfire song circles, and a final showcase of songs written or developed during the retreat.
This is a creative working retreat, not a passive workshop. Come ready to write, share, listen, collaborate, and leave with new songs, new connections, and fresh direction.
What’s Included
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Four days of songwriting retreat programming
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Co-writing sessions with mentor support
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Small group feedback circles
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Mentor songwriter round
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Breakout sessions on lyric writing, melody, hooks, structure, and writing for film, TV, and media
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Career development session with Allison Shaw
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Industry spotlight conversation
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Performance and presence session
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Final showcase
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Campfire song circles, s’mores, and evening writers rounds
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Four community lunches
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Three community dinners
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Coffee, tea, and light refreshments
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Connection to the YRAS Global Music Network
Accommodation, breakfast, alcohol, travel, airport transfers, and personal expenses are not included.
Proposed Programme
Day 1 | Arrive, Connect & Create
Arrival and check-in begin at 12:00 PM, followed by a welcome lunch, opening circle, mentor introductions, and creative intentions for the retreat.
The afternoon includes a mentor songwriters round, where each mentor shares their journey, process, and selected songs, followed by a creative mixer and speed co-writing session.
The day closes with a community dinner and an informal campfire song circle with music, stories, s’mores, and conversation around the fire.
Day 2 | Collaboration & Songwriting
Day 2 focuses on co-writing, collaboration, and feedback.
Participants take part in guided co-writing sessions while mentors rotate through the room offering support, creative direction, and practical feedback.
The afternoon includes Beyond the Song: Building a Career in Music with Allison Shaw, covering artist development, branding, festivals, showcases, management, publishing, networking, building your team, and creating opportunities as an independent songwriter.
The evening closes with community dinner and a campfire writers round, where participants and mentors share works in progress.
Day 3 | Refine, Explore & Grow
Day 3 is dedicated to rewriting, developing ideas, and strengthening songs.
Participants continue writing and refining work with mentor support before choosing from focused breakout sessions, including lyric writing, melody and song structure, and writing for film, TV, and media with Helene Muddiman.
The afternoon includes an industry spotlight conversation with a music supervisor, publisher, sync representative, label executive, manager, or A&R professional, followed by open writing time.
The day ends with the final community dinner and a listening-room style writers round featuring mentors and selected participant performances.
Day 4 | Celebrate & Continue the Journey
The final day focuses on performance, presence, and next steps.
Participants begin with a session on stage presence, storytelling between songs, confidence, and connecting with an audience, followed by the final showcase, where participants perform one song written or developed during the retreat.
After closing lunch, participants are introduced to the YRAS Global Music Network, ongoing opportunities, future retreats, showcases, collaborations, and ways to stay connected.
The retreat closes with reflections, takeaways, new connections, and departures.
