CWU Student Takes 3rd In Lennon Songwriting Contest

May 24, 2005

Contact: Robert Lowery (509-963-1487/ fax: 963-2301/ e-mail: loweryr@cwu.edu)

ELLENSBURG, Wash. - "Picasso," a song written by Central Washington University senior Josh Schroeder, took 3rd place in the national 2005 BMI John Lennon Songwriting Scholarship program.

It was among 50 state winners that advanced to the national finals for vocal/instrumental performance. The winners were judged to have the most broad-based popular appeal.

The invitation-only program, co-sponsored by BMI and the National Association for Music Education (MENC) is open to college students an institutions with a MENC chapter.

Schroeder, a singer, songwriter, guitarist and music business major at Central, received a $5,000 scholarship for his winning entry, which he wrote while studying abroad in London two years ago. The work of his favorite artist, paired with Schroeder's personal heartache, inspired the song lyrics.

"It came from my feeling that you can turn a broken heart into something creative and something beautiful," Schroeder says. "I've played it for a lot of people and they really seem to connect with it."

A native of Salem, Ore., Schroeder, 23, admits to being disappointed with the current state of popular music, adding "I think we need more bands that take it back to good songwriting and musicianship."

Today, he writes songs for his Seattle rock band, "Oxbow Scar," which was formed when he returned from England in the summer of 2003.

Schroeder describes his songwriting as "sporadic," often writing as many as three compositions in a week, ranging in styles from folk to blues to rock.

"I can't seem to focus on one type of music," Schroeder explains. "Maybe that's what makes me a songwriter, in a true sense of the word."

While at CWU, Schroeder has also performed as a featured soloist with the University Chorale, Chamber Choir and Vocal Jazz 1.

He chose to study at Central because of his mentor, teacher and friend, Vijay Singh, CWU music business and vocal jazz professor.

In high school, Schroeder commuted from Salem to Portland weekly for voice lessons with Singh, then a well-known vocal jazz director and composer at Portland State University. When Singh came to CWU in 1999, Schroeder followed.

"He has played a huge role in where I am today," Schroeder says. "Everything I know, my musical philosophy and style, came from Vijay."