Meet Molly White | Songwriter, Musician and Teaching Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Molly White and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Molly, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I knew I wanted to have a business that would allow me to grow with the children I was teaching, becoming a music companion and coach through their growing up years. It has been a real joy to work with children of all ages! Just this year one of my earliest students who started when he was 6 is now graduating highschool and going to college! What an honor to have supported him through music (studying violin) throughout his life so far!

It’s also important that I have time for making music, doing research, performing publicly, recording music, attending festivals, as well as continuing my training/education, so I’m very thankful that my students are willing to be flexible with me.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
There’s a sort of coming full circle feeling in the last several years as several of my songwriting students have received full or partial scholarships to attend schools like Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan or Berklee School of Music in Boston. It feels like my identity as an artist has come together with my identity as a teacher, and that feels good.

I’ve always thought of myself as a disciplined songwriter, but truth be told, writing songs can be like pulling teeth, not so easy. I am disciplined with my journaling, but that’s only the first step. I find I do my best work when I am accountable to a co-writer, a friend with whom I can bounce around thoughts, feelings and ideas.
I really appreciate the book Syllabus by Lynda Berry, a graphic art and comics drawing teacher, with an approach that works well for creative writing as well. Notice what’s around you and see what sense bound writing comes out through your pen. A brilliant approach I try to use myself and I suggest for my students too! This is also what Pat Pattison advocates and he wrote the book on lyric writing, literally!

The songs for B is for Baroness were pop torch songs that I had been carrying around for a while, and they finally came through on that project thanks to wonderful friends and creatives who surrounded me at the time. Songs for the duo project Peach and Knife (with Elena Degl’Innocenti-also in B is for Baroness) were fun and silly, and also about relationships and a sense of nostalgia for a lost childhood. Our tagline was “fruity music with an edge.” Think vocal harmonies with guitar and uke.

The music I’ve written for the kids project Peach & Spoon (a solo project) has been a real joy. For about 10 years, I went weekly to a few different preschools as a music specialist, and the children would say “you need to write a song about the color purple” or “write a song about a blue shoe”. So many of my songs come from those assignments, and I was lucky enough to gain a stamp of approval from the kids before recording.

Those songs are both educational and entertaining. The first album was written with a Hello and Goodbye song so that teachers could use them in their preschool classrooms. The second set of songs is coming out this year, and the first single is a song called Bananas that I wrote with my nephew when he was just five. It’s a song for picky eaters dedicated to all those families out there who are just trying to do the right thing.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Malibu Seafood on PCH is a place I hope was spared by the Palisades Fire. I meet up with friends from the Fairfax and Leimert Park areas so we can split the distance between us and go on a hike or chill at the beach while we’re visiting. Great fish tacos and coleslaw!
I love eating the Venezuelan Arepas at Cafe Bolivar on Ocean Park Blvd. In Santa Monica. They have great coffee and fruit juices and provide a relaxed atmosphere for working on a computer or reading a book.
Sushi is often top of list for folks visiting and the original Katsu-Ya in Studio City is a favorite for their crab rolls and joyful cozy atmosphere. Noma sushi on Wilshire in Santa Monica is also a new favorite for lunch!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Yes! So many people to thank, starting with number 1, my husband Stephen who always makes time for what’s important to me, whether it’s my teaching business, helping mix my recording projects or supporting my continuing education.

I’m grateful to my parents who always valued creativity and the arts, and who exposed my sister and I to varied music genres growing up and their own musicianship too (my dad plays piano). I’m so grateful to have had a Waldorf education, as well as a Suzuki music education growing up, plus the huge benefit (thanks mom!) of having an English professor in the family!

A big thanks to my sister Naomi for the fun and silly times, and encouraging me to think outside the box, and embrace new perspectives.

Some of the teachers who impressed me most early on were my high school music teacher Lynda Sue Marks, my violin teacher Idell Low, my college senior thesis sponsor John Schechter, and my master’s thesis professor Dr Behague.

I worked at the San Francisco Community Music Center for a minute, but often bring that learning into what I do now for the Suzuki Music Program of LA, and I so appreciate my Co-Director Robin Johnson.

I am extremely grateful for 20 years of singing and performing in Nevenka Easter European Women’s Ensemble and for Trudy Israel and all the directors and amazing singers/friends/musicians that create a nurturing, creative and authentic performance atmosphere for performers and audience alike.

And as some of my first young students begin college, I am overwhelmed with gratitude for all of my students and their families who consistently show up for lessons, and performances, willing to put in the effort for co-creating a world where we can all be inspired by the small details and our efforts.

Also a special thanks to Music Together, Valleycat Music, Gillybean and Palisades Preschools. I learned so much from all of the children and teachers, and all of my children’s music is inspired by, and dedicated to those communities of early childhood education.

Friends who have supported my crooked journey include Abigail Strong, Raquel Bueno Morales, Maya Hagege, Ken McLeod, Steve Postell, Giulio Carmassi, Jeff Morris, Ellia Bisker, Estelle Bajou, Emerson Leyva, Leticia Meza, and Mateo Greenberg, (and so many more than I can name), and for the consistent love & support, collaboration and inspiration over many many years, Rebecca Stout, Steve Werner, Elena Degl’innocenti and Sherri Canon, you have been such an important inspiration to me and what I do.

Website: www.mollywhitemusic.com, www.peachandspoon.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mollyrocker/

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/molly-white-music-lessons-los-angeles

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@mollywhitemusicXYZ

Other: https://mollywhite.bandcamp.com/track/bananas

Image Credits
Photo credits: Naomi White, Stephen Clark, Pamela Garcia, Mia Mesa, Susan Weingartner