10 Reasons to Attend A Retreat

1) Be inspired to fulfill your dreams. At a Judy Stakee Songwriting Retreat you’ll be surrounded by a community of like-minded songwriters pursuing a creative path. Enjoy amazing food, lectures, days filled with writing, and feedback from an industry titan as you learn how to pursue your dreams with intention.

2) Practice Yoga. Every morning you’ll be led through an hour of yoga by a certified yoga teacher. We’ll set an intention to challenge our bodies as well as our minds thus opening us to new possibilities within our craft.

3) Connect and network with other songwriters. Each retreat will include a cohort of 15-20 songwriters who will learn the same methodologies as you throughout your retreat. You’ll get to write and work with these people during the retreat. Afterwards, you’ll be added to a Facebook group of over 700 songwriters who have participated in previous retreats who you can reach out to and collaborate with.

4) Eat great, healthy food. Each retreat will be staffed by a private chef who is committed to making healthy food that will keep you energized throughout the retreat.

5) Over 10 hours of lectures, exercises, and discussions about songwriting. Your retreat will include seminars that will give you the tools to write better songs, navigate co-writing spaces, and elevate yourself within existing music industry structures. You’ll learn from me and other guest speakers whose knowledge runs the gamut.

6) Co-write 3 songs. Each day you’ll be paired with two other songwriters from the retreat and tasked with writing a song. You’ll be challenged by writing prompts and a time constraint for finishing your song. As you write, I will poke my head in and give immediate feedback to you so that you can make the best songs possible.

7) Perform each night. Every night of the retreat, you will perform the songs from daily co-writes. You’ll practice singing in front of an audience and learn how to present a new song to a non-critical crowd.

8) Learn how to critique your own songs. As you go through the daily cycle of writing, critique, and seminar, you’ll equip yourself with the ability to determine if your own songs are at the level you hope to achieve. When you return home, you’ll be capable of looking over your songs with a more critical eye, correcting mistakes you might not have seen before.

9) Disconnect from your everyday life and responsibilities. Because each retreat is a self-contained set of days in a new space, you’ll be forced to fully engage with your immediate surroundings. Thrown into a world of learning and writing, you’ll only have time to be present as a student and as a writer.

10) Hang out with me for 5 days! My favorite part of these retreats is getting 1-on-1 time with you. We’ll get to talk about songwriting, the industry, and anything else on your mind while we learn and grow together in a new space.