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Lyrics and Songwriting

Patricia King and Orlando Haddad work with students on the creative process of songwriting. By writing their own lyrics and setting these to music, students explore poetic meters and how these relate to musical pulse and rhythm as well as how compositional forms relate to poetic forms, finding commonalities between musical and poetic structures.

Pennsylvania Curriculum Standards

(A=Assembly; W=Workshop; R=Residency)

1.4 English Language Arts: Writing W, R

9.1 Production, Performance and Exhibition of Dance, Music, Theatre and Visual Arts W, R

9.2 Historical and Cultural Contexts W, R

9.3 Critical Response W, R

9.4 Aesthetic Response W, R

15.4 Learning Through Experience W, R

25.3 Pro-Social Relationships with Adults W, R

25.4 Pro-Social Relationships with Peers W, R

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Art Form(s): Music

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Genre: Latin/Brazilian

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Instrument(s): Percussion, Bass, Voice

Workshop and Residency Offerings

Lyrics and Songwriting Workshop

Patricia King and Orlando Haddad introduce students to the creative process of songwriting in this highly interactive workshop. By writing their own lyrics and setting these to music, students explore poetic meters and how these relate to musical pulse and rhythm as well as how compositional forms relate to poetic forms, finding commonalities between musical and poetic structures. Exploring great examples from many genres (Beatles, jazz classics, Brazilian songs and more), the class identifies the components of an effective song, and learns about simple, universal forms (such as A – B – A).  Through writing their own lyrics, students have a chance to express their own ideas, choosing subjects that are deeply meaningful to them. Older students study more complex structures, both musically and in terms of lyrics. (Max. ~ 25 students)


Best for: 3-12  •  After-School/Community

 

Also available as a Residency!

Featuring: Minas

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Minas takes Brazilian and American roots to create a sound that is fresh and innovative, from ballads tinged with melancholic traits of Blues and Choro, to Folk coasting on the subtle coolness of a Bossa Nova pulse, to upbeat Sambas elaborated with instrumental jazz improvisation, scat singing and whimsical whistling. With recordings of original music and a collection of over 100 songs, Orlando and Patricia’s compositions have been compared to classics by Cole Porter and Antonio Carlos Jobim. Capturing the essence of great songwriting with memorable melodies, inventive harmonies, and poetic lyrics, the music of Minas is engaging for audiences of all ages.

 

Orlando Haddad and Patricia King formed Minas in 1978 at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. They proceeded to play all over the eastern United States before moving to Brazil, where they lived, entertained and traveled, absorbing the essence of Brazilian culture. In 1984, Orlando and Patricia returned to the United States and raised a family while performing and recording extensively, building their reputation as one of the most sought-after Brazilian groups of its kind. Multi-talented as composers, vocalists and instrumentalists, and equally comfortable in Brazilian festive music and jazz, folk and classical genres, Minas has developed various performance styles which have placed them in front of every kind of audience and venue.


Orlando and Patricia have over 30 years of educational experience, having both taught full-time in the School District of Philadelphia. Orlando and Patricia hold degrees from University of North Carolina School of the Arts, Drexel and Temple Universities, and The University of the Arts.

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Joined Musicopia: 2000

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