{"id":52486,"date":"2022-08-27T12:12:00","date_gmt":"2022-08-27T16:12:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/emu.edu\/now\/news\/?p=52486"},"modified":"2022-09-05T11:44:01","modified_gmt":"2022-09-05T15:44:01","slug":"trent-waglers-songwriting-class-signals-new-opportunities-for-music-students","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/emu.edu\/now\/news\/2022\/trent-waglers-songwriting-class-signals-new-opportunities-for-music-students\/","title":{"rendered":"Trent Wagler\u2019s songwriting class signals new opportunities for music students"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eastern Mennonite University junior Maggie Garber<\/strong> has been playing guitar since she was 13. Between school choirs and worship bands, she also has an extensive history of performing publicly. However, spring 2022 marked the first time she performed her original compositions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The occasion was a \u201csongwriting showcase\u201d hosted by EMU faculty member and alumnus Trent Wagler<\/strong> ’02<\/strong>, the lead singer and songwriter for the nationally recognized Shenandoah Valley-based roots music band The Steel Wheels<\/a>. Wagler earned degrees in theater<\/a> and peace, justice, and conflict studies (now peacebuilding and development<\/a>) at EMU in 2002. Spring 2022 marked his debut as an EMU instructor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wagler\u2019s first students were Garber, graduate student Tyler Goss<\/strong>, and junior Joseph Whetzel<\/strong>. Having a teacher of his caliber was an exciting surprise for all three of them. Garber said she \u201cwill forever be astounded by the way that the EMU Music Department contributes to an incredible education of its students by bringing in talented teachers and performers to lead us.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The addition of Wagler to the faculty broadens avenues for students to explore genres, styles and forms of artistic expression, said Professor David Berry, music program director. \u201cWhat many people don\u2019t realize is that in addition to being an amazing and accomplished musician, Trent Wagler is also an excellent teacher. We are very fortunate to now have him here on faculty at EMU, inspiring and helping to shape the next generation of songwriters.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition to Wagler’s class, EMU music also offers digital songwriting and production lessons with local producer and recording studio owner\/engineer Lexington Bowler<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Berry says there are plans to add more sections of these songwriting classes in the future focusing on different styles and genres of music.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Leaving judgment behind<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wagler has taught songwriting classes in the past through the Front Porch folk music school<\/a> in Charlottesville, as well as guitar and banjo lessons. \u201cSongwriting is a unique pleasure to teach,\u201d he said. \u201cMany people come to a class with a bashful writing identity and a lot of self-judgment about their writing abilities. I like watching people gain confidence as they share their songs and I marvel at the many directions people can take a writing prompt to create something imaginative and new.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Left to right: Joe Whetzel, Maggie Garber, and Tyler Goss.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Garber felt both excited and nervous to work with Wagler, but Wagler \u201cis seriously so supportive and a really wonderful performer, writer and teacher,\u201d Garber said. \u201cBefore this class, I was so afraid of creating anything because the pressure of making anything subpar was so crippling. Through this class, I’ve learned that making something imperfect is better than making nothing at all.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Goss echoed this sentiment; he loves songwriting because it is out of his comfort zone. \u201cI wanted to stretch myself and try something new, find some new way of processing, creating, and expressing,\u201d he said. \u201cI have gained such a rich understanding of song structure and lyricism, things like learning how to show it rather than say it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sessions cultivate artistic expression<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Having one-on-ones with Wagler interspersed with group sessions \u201cwas a great balance of learning to write songs and also learning to listen and provide helpful feedback on songs others write,\u201d said Goss. He also appreciated Wagler as a teacher. \u201cHe is so skilled yet humble, and he meets each of us where we are. I never felt embarrassed for my limited skill set. He always had something constructive and helpful to say after each play-through,\u201d Goss said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This style of class was also ideal for Whetzel. \u201cI love to write stories, and often those stories tend to be thinly veiled memories of my own life,\u201d he said. \u201cI think songwriting is the ultimate medium for that. I came into this class with only a little songwriting experience on my own, and it’s been really nice to sit down and workshop my pieces with Trent and the other students. It’s really easy to be overly critical of your own work and I think this class has been helpful in just letting ideas flow.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whetzel learned through his private guitar lessons that EMU was offering private lessons in songwriting, and jumped at the opportunity. He didn\u2019t know Wagler would be his instructor. \u201cTrent is awesome,\u201d he said. \u201c[and] great about digging into each aspect of the songwriting process to make you question your work, in a good way.\u201d Whetzel appreciates the way Wagler gives suggestions without micromanaging, so that \u201cthe writer can move the way they want to.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Songs \u2018born and raised\u2019 in class<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This songwriting class was meant to be practice-based, said Wagler. \u201cWriters write, and sometimes we improve through repetition and practice.\u201d Wagler likes to think of it as he would think of a yoga class. \u201cWe\u2019re all practicing together, writing, exploring, and growing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The academic portion of the class included discussing classic popular song forms and listening and critiquing songs. There was often a weekly writing prompt and class time \u201cincreasingly became about sharing new works and critiquing them with the goal of building each student\u2019s repertoire towards the final performance,\u201d said Wagler.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wagler cherishes getting to perform with the students and being present for their public sharing. \u201cEach student has their own unique writing voice and has grown throughout the semester,\u201d he said. \u201cThere\u2019s something really satisfying about hearing a song performed that was born and raised in the class.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Having Wagler as an instructor was extra meaningful for Garber\u2014as an early high school student, she \u201cfirst watched The Steel Wheels play at the Redwing Roots Festival on a sticky night with a crowd standing shoulder to shoulder at Natural Chimneys campground,\u201d Garber said. \u201cSince then, I have wanted to be on that stage, playing my music.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Eastern Mennonite University junior Maggie Garber has been playing guitar since she was 13. Between school choirs and worship bands, she also has an extensive history of performing publicly. 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