Thank You!!
We have so much appreciation for our wonderful instructors, and all of the talented songwriters that joined us this year!
Cheers to all of you!
We can’t wait to do it again in 2027!
Lutsongs - A Songwriters' Retreat | April 23-26, 2026
Lutsong Productions is excited to announce that Master instructors, Michaela Anne and Siri Undlin (Humbird), will be our guides this April!
Joining them will be our co-hosts and instructors, Sarah Morris and Molly Maher!
Join us for our second full weekend of immersive songwriting instruction. A creative cold plunge into writing great songs! Our veteran instructors will help you say what you want to say and guide you to a deeper understanding of what makes a great song. Draw inspiration from the rocky shores of Lake Superior and unlock your creativity.
Last year's inaugural retreat exceeded our expectations—excellent instruction in a beautiful location, with great food, friends, and vibes!
Almost full! Last chance to join us this year. Sign up now!!
Lutsong Productions was founded on a love for great songs and the desire to present that art and share it with a growing community.
Our hope remains that those songs and artists will connect with listeners in a meaningful way.
We will always believe in creation and the magic of song, and hope to help others discover the magic that dwells in each of us.
LODGING
Join us at Cascade Lodge and Surfside Resort on Lake Superiors North Shore!
Travel north of Duluth up scenic Hwy 61, to the origins of Minnesota hospitality.
Grand Marais, Lutsen, and Tofte were carved out of the dense boreal forest and built on Lake Superiors rugged coastline to welcome travelers looking for adventure and inspiration. There is nowhere in the midwest that fosters creativity and inspiration more than the big lake, and we are excited to share this special place with you!
The historic Cascade Lodge is the perfect place to connect with other writers, expand your craft, and learn more about yourself and your songwriting journey. Our master classes, breakout sessions, and co-writes will take place on this beautiful property and in it’s main lodge, with the Cascade bar and restaurant providing great meals and playing host to our guitar pull open mic on Friday night!
Saturday evening we’ll gather at Up Yonder in Grand Marais for an amazing family style dinner followed by Lutsongs Presents… A concert for the public by Lutsongs instructors and students.
Visit the Cascade Lodge website for more information: https://cascadelodgemn.com/
Our Songwriting Guides
Michaela Anne
Michaela Anne’s music resembles the diversity of her upbringing and evokes the ever-changing landscape of life she witnessed first hand as a traveling child of the military. Her songs weave stories of the hardships and pleasures in life - blending singer-songwriter, americana and folk with heartfelt lyrics and a powerful vocal delivery.Along with her writing and performing she has been instructing for over thirteen years taking forms of one-on-one sessions, group classes, lectures, and camps. Her teaching facilitates a comfortable space for students to explore their voice and creativity through expression and storytelling. In-between, Michaela has also written a handful of instructional books and been a participant and judge in several songwriting competitions.Throughout her career she has been praised by outlets from Billboard and USA Today to NPR landing her on major festival stages from Bonnaroo to Hardly Strictly. She’s spent time touring with bands like Watchhouse, Bonny Light Horseman, Ryan Bingham, the Wood Brothers and Ron Pope; teaching and sharing her passion for music; and co-hosting the podcast The Other 22 Hours with producer and husband, Aaron Shafer-Haiss.
Siri Undlin
Songs, at their best, reflect something of where we are, where we've been, or where it is we're going. Sometimes all at once, right when we need it.
Humbird makes music in pursuit of exactly this phenomenon. With deep roots in the midwest heartland, Humbird also travels like a bramble, fusing experimental folk and indie rock genres in a mosaic of theaters, clubs, gardens, festivals, barns, and other strange locations. Siri Undlin, the songwriter behind the moniker, forges an explorative embodiment of the narrative folk song and balladry tradition for these modern times.
Following the surprise success of the self-released debut album Pharmakon and the pensive reflections of 2021’s Still Life, her 2024 critically-lauded album Right On (Nettwerk) was the next iteration in her process of witnessing the world in all its complexity and responding with candid consideration. It is nine tracks of electrified, gritty, Midwest Americana with a little magic fairy dust thrown in. The band's latest project, Astrovan: The Love Song Vignettes reevaluates the rules with eleven short love songs spanning just under fifteen minutes.
Humbird spent much of the last few years on the road, both headlining clubs across the U.S. and supporting such artists as Indigo De Souza, Watchhouse, The Milk Carton Kids, and Lady Lamb, as well as appearances at festivals like AMERICANAFEST, SXSW, and NPR’s Mountain Stage.
In 2016, Sarah was a top four finalist in the NewSong Music Contest at Lincoln Center in New York City, 2nd place winner of the Chris Austin Songwriting Competition at MerleFest in Wilkesboro, NC, and an Americana semi-finalist in the International Songwriting Competition. In 2018, she went on to win the Kerrville New Folk Competition, collecting an honorable mention at the Telluride Troubadour contest along the way. More recently, Sarah was named Midwest Country Music Organization’s Songwriter of the Year for the third time.
Friend to the Twin Cities music community for over 25 years as a musician, producer, curator, artist management, guitar tech, stage manager, and teacher. Co founder of Lutsong Music Festival, Lakeside Guitar Festival and Music Mission (a nonprofit supporting connection through music throughout the Americas). Co founder of the award winning concert series "Real Phonic Radio Hour" as well as curator/booker for many other music series around the Twin Cities. Molly Maher resides on the musical border between Americana and world influences. Moving beautifully between them, blending simmering guitars and cutting lyrics. She has traveled the roads and returned to sing about it with an authentic and sage voice. An incomparable singer and songwriter with compelling depth and soul.
Check out last years schedule for an idea of what to expect!
2026 · Schedule
THURSDAY
3:00 PM ARRIVAL & CHECK-IN
4:00 PM WELCOME — MAIN LODGE
5:30 PM DINNER*
— CASCADE LODGE RESTAURANT
7:00 PM SONG CIRCLE — AT THE CHALE
FRIDAY
8:00 AM BREAKFAST* order the night before
9:00 AM MASTER CLASS — MICHAELA Songwriting with Your Subconscious
10:30 AM BREAK
10:45 AM MASTER CLASS — SIRI The Power of Bridges + Pre-Chorus
12:15 PM LUNCH — ON YOUR OWN
1:15 PM MASTER CLASS — MICHAELA & SIRI: CO-WRITING
2:15 PM CO-WRITING SESSION – partners assigned
3:45 PM BREAKOUT SESSIONS – Molly (Open Tuning), Sarah (Free Space), Michaela (Object Writing)
5:00 PM BREAK OR GROUP HIKE led by Siri, weather permitting
DINNER on your own
7:00 PM OPEN SONG SHARE — AT THE RESTAURANT
SATURDAY
8:00 AM BREAKFAST* order the night before
9:00 AM MASTER CLASS — MICHAELA & SIRI: SONGS IN RESPONSE
10:30 AM BREAK
10:45 AM MASTER CLASS — SIRI: NO RULES SONGWRITING
12:15 PM LUNCH — ON YOUR OWN
1:15 PM MASTER CLASS — MICHAELA & SIRI: EDITING IS YOUR SUPERPOWER
3:00 PM FEEDBACK SESSIONS – Siri, Michaela, Molly, Sarah
4:30 PM BREAK drive to Up Yonder
5:30 PM DINNER* & PRE-SHOW SHARING – UP YONDER
7:00 PM UP YONDER CONCERT: EVERYONE ON STAGE
SUNDAY
8:00 – 10:00 AM BREAKFAST* and Goodbye :) order the night before
*These meals are included with your lodging pass2026 · Class Descriptions & Program Notes
MASTER CLASSES
SONGWRITING WITH YOUR SUBCONSCIOUS (Michaela)
This class will explore how to connect more to what you truly want to write about, rather than what you feel
you should write about or what you think others want to hear. Through free-writing exercises as well as writing
of actual songs, we will explore how to quiet those outside voices and pressures to better listen to and more
easily access our own unique stories and perspectives. Throughout this exploration and actual writing of
songs, we will explore what it means to us, individually, to be an artist, to make work in private or public, and
how to nurture and honor our own creative dreams and write more freely as ourselves.
THE POWER OF BRIDGES + PRE-CHORUS (Siri)
What is a bridge? What is a pre-chorus? Do you need them? We'll look at effective examples within
legendary songs, explore their functionality, and experiment with writing them.
CO-WRITING (Michaela & Siri)
We'll witness our lead instructors model the benefits and challenges of co-writing a song in real time. We'll
follow up this class by assigning everyone a partner for a co-writing session.
SONGS IN RESPONSE (Siri)
Dissecting a favorite songwriter or specific song — looking at who's talked about and in what way originally,
then working to switch perspectives in a new song you write in response.
NO RULES SONGWRITING (Siri)
A relaxed exploration of creative songwriting. Students can expect a variety of provocative and quirky writing
prompts, collaborative projects, and exercises to take home and incorporate into everyday life. Especially
geared towards folks with a love of lyrics and melody, or wanting to strengthen that skill.
EDITING IS YOUR SUPERPOWER (Michaela)
The hardest part can be finishing the song. But how much better could it be if you went back and tried
again? This class will explore the art, tedium, and power of editing. We consider every 'finished' song a first
draft until we go back through and explore and play with each line until we feel it is exactly as we hoped it
could be. Bring a song you started or finished from any class or source of inspiration this week — we will go
through the editing process together.
BREAKOUT SESSIONS
MOLLY MAHER — Open Tuning
Let's take the "ope" out of open tunings. Molly wants you to find inspiration in open tunings. She will show you
two tuning variations and a few tricks for moving up and down the fingerboard.
"Open tunings transformed
the way I play guitar and approach songwriting. I want the same spark for you.
" Bring your guitar and an
open mind — Molly will demystify these really accessible tricks.
SARAH MORRIS — Free Space (Ask Me Anything)
With all the inspiration and information coming to you at Lutsongs, maybe you have some questions about
what to do after we leave Lutsen. Sarah will host an open space for questions around topics she is a huge
nerd for: music business, sustainable creative practice, workflow, social media philosophy, Patreon, YouTube,
and more.
MICHAELA ANNE — Object Writing
This class focuses on bringing more physical imagery into our songs. How do we balance "telling" and
"showing" a story through our lyrics? How can painting a picture sometimes evoke more emotion than
explaining a feeling?
FEEDBACK SESSIONS
We'll split into small groups — bring a song to share. Each group is hosted by one of our instructors: Siri,
Michaela, Molly, and Sarah. Each writer will have a chance to share and receive feedback. If possible, bring
printed copies of your lyrics to hand out to your group.
A few guidelines for peer review:
Speak to the positive first — what was strong, what stays with you.
These are comments on songwriting, not on performance.
Offer ideas with "I wonder" statements: "I wonder what xyz would sound like in the bridge...
"
Recognize the difference between your preferences and generally accepted practice.
PERFORMANCE OPPORTUNITIES
THURSDAY NIGHT — Held around the campfire or in the lodge. Low-key and welcoming. A hello song circle!
FRIDAY NIGHT — Songs in the round at the Cascade Restaurant. Likely one song per person. No assigned order — people choose their own moment to step up.
UP YONDER CONCERT — Held at Up Yonder, a local music venue. This evening is open to the public. Names are drawn for order, everyone introduces themselves and plays one of their songs. Instructors have a bit more time.