Singing Courses & Choral Workshops & Training

The Voice Festival UK 2010 A series of workshops, masterclasses, competitions and social events for a cappella singers. Events will be held across the country in February and March 2010 as follows:

- Cambridge: Saturday 27th February (Emmanuel College auditorium)

- Oxford: Sunday 28th February (Jacqueline du Pre auditorium, St Hilda's College)

- St Andrew's: Saturday 6th March (Younger Hall)

- London: Saturday 13th March (St Paul's School, Barnes) and Sunday 14th March (Southbank Centre, Royal Festival Hall)

For tickets and more information please visit www.thevoicefestival.co.uk or thevoicefestival@gmail.com

The Swingle Singers at NSB Following a successful visit two years ago, international vocal group The Swingle Singers return to The Cripps Hall Theatre, Northampton School for Boys, on Sunday 7^th March. They visit Northampton following concerts in Italy and Poland, and before heading out to perform in Sao Paulo, in Brazil and Moscow. The Swingle Singers are an international a cappella phenomenon. For over four decades, the unmistakable sound of "Swingle singing" has defined the art form: virtuosic vocal agility and blend demonstrated by their signature close-microphone technique, combined with high-level entertainment that has thrilled audiences around the globe. The latest line-up of young and talented voices represents the group's transformation from pioneering classical/jazz crossover artists to contemporary vocal super-group. Their repertoire encompasses classical, jazz, Latin, pop and rock, all accompanied by their own vocal rhythm section. The Swingle Singers have performed all across the UK, America, Asia, and virtually every country in Europe, have released over 50 recordings, and have won five Grammy Awards. They have recently been seen in some scintillating performances on BBC TV’s ‘Songs of Praise’ and heard to good effect on the backing track to the new TV series ‘Glee’.

During the afternoon there will be a vocal workshop (2 – 3pm), open for anyone in the community to take part in. Members of the group will then be working with Northampton School for Boys Jazz Vocal Group in an open rehearsal (3 – 4pm). In the evening, at 7.30pm, the Swingle Singers will present a concert, open to the general public, supported by NSB Jazz Vocal Group, and featuring songs from their latest album ‘Ferris Wheels’. Prior to the concert the ‘Community Choir’ will perform the items prepared during the afternoon workshop.  If you are a fan of any style of choral singing, this is an event you will not want to miss. It is a fantastic opportunity to see and hear a world class vocal ensemble at close quarters, and at a price far cheaper than charged for their regular performances in the major London concert halls.

Northampton School for Boys Jazz Vocal Group has been in existence for eight years. As well as performing at regular concerts in school they have also taken part in performance tours to New York and Los Angeles (twice), and have twice performed at the National Festival of Music in Birmingham and the School Proms at the Royal Albert Hall, London. Most recently, they were the only school group in the country to be invited to take part in the inaugural London A Cappella Festival at Kings Place, the newest performance venue in London, curated by The Swingle Singers.

This is the third occasion on which NSB Jazz Vocal Group have worked with The Swingle Singers, and they are really looking forward to combining together with them for a performance of ‘Eleanor Rigby’. Further details of the concert and workshops can be found on Northampton School for Boys website, www.nsb.northants.sch.uk, or from The Cripps Hall Box Office (01604 258666). Tickets for the concert are going fast, priced at £12 (concessions £10). A combined ticket is available for the workshop and the concert, priced at £17 (concessions £13).

Exploring contemporary vocal music

This workshop is part of the CoMA Open Score project. We will be exploring six brand new compositions for flexible vocal ensemble by postgraduate students at Trinity College of Music. We will be working with the composers to share in the creative process of producing exciting and original choral works. The pieces will be varied in style and we will round off the day with an informal performance for the composers.

The workshop will be led by Sarah Leonard, a leading interpreter of contemporary vocal music and a regular tutor at the CoMA Summer School, from which CoMA Voices emerged. Sarah’s encouraging approach has helped many people develop their singing potential and understanding of contemporary music.

CoMA Voices is one of the ensembles of Contemporary Music making for Amateurs, which promotes participation in contemporary music for musicians of all abilities. Previous experience of contemporary vocal music is not necessary.

Time and place: 10:30 to 17:00 on Saturday 20 March 2010 at Trinity College of Music, Greenwich. Cost: £20/£15 concessions for CoMA members.

Booking: contact Mick Kahn on 020 7249 5139 or coma-voices@downham.org.uk Also see www.coma.org for information about all CoMA activities

Come and enjoy an afternoon of singing under the direction of Eamonn Dougan, The Sixteen’s Assistant Conductor. Eamonn and Sally Dunkley (founder member of The Sixteen & esteemed musicologist) will be running workshops which focus on music from the 2010 Choral Pilgrimage programme. The music will be sent out in advance in order to facilitate individual preparation; you will be expected to come able to perform this on the day. Places are £25 and include sheet music and refreshments.

Workshop participants are offered a special discount to any one of The Sixteen’s own-promoted Pilgrimage concerts – details of this will be given when workshop places are booked.  To book your place on the workshop, or for more information, please email intern@thesixteen.com or telephone 020 7936 3420. We want to ensure we have a balanced group so please let us know which part you sing.

Sunday 21 March – London

Saturday 5 June – Blackburn

Saturday 12 June – Norwich

Saturday 18 September – Tewkesbury

Saturday 16 October - Durham

Sarteano Chamber Choral Conducting Workshop w/Simon Carrington, Bronislawa Falinska and Brian O'Connell. Sarteano (Tuscany), Italy. This intensive conducting workshop is geared for music educators and choral conductors with strong vocal ability who are interested in rehearsing and performing chamber choral music. We heartily welcome qualified singers who are interested in attending the workshop in a non-conducting capacity; who love to sing in a chamber group environment and/or are very specifically looking to learn rehearsal and conducting techniques. Up to two graduate credits are available through The Boston Conservatory. There are three possible tiers of participation: Full Conductor, Conducting Auditor, and Singer. The afternoon session will consist solely of daily conducting Master Classes with Simon Carrington. Each Full Conductor will conduct in every master class. This year we are again delighted to offer a Q&A/Dialogue session with Simon. The two-part morning session will consist of group Vocal Pedagogy with Bronislawa Falinska utilizing the Rohmert Method of Functional Voicetraining; and clinics on developing a vital chamber choir, with Brian O'Connell. Conducting Auditors will also have time to conduct the ensemble. For a detailed description of the workshop and an online application form, please visit our website at http://www.sarteanochoralworkshop.com. Tel: Gail Leicher + 1 781.652.0158

Le Chant des Oyseaux offers a choral workshop in France, in Villeurbanne (Lyon) with Franck Pellé-Rolland, choral conductor. Repertoire : a cappella music by Claude Le Jeune, Tomas Luis de Victoria and Claudio Monteverdi. Free brochure available. Please visit our website http://le.chant.des.oyseaux.monsite.orange.fr

Le Chant des Oyseaux offers a choral workshop in France, in Arradon (Brittany) with Franck Pellé-Rolland, choral conductor. Repertoire : French music by Claude Le Jeune, Pierre Certon, César Franck and Claude Debussy. Free brochure available. Please visit our website http://le.chant.des.oyseaux.monsite.orange.fr

Malcolm Archer will once again be directing the Langlais Festival choral course in la Fontenelle, Brittany, birthplace of Jean Langlais, which will take place between 25th and 29th July, 2010.  As well as having the services of organist David Bednall, the course will also benefit from a new addition - vocal coach Hilary Jones.  For further details , see www.brittanymusicworkshops.co.uk or www.jeanlanglais.eu

Le Chant des Oyseaux offers a choral workshop in France, in the abbey of Caunes-Minervois (Languedoc-Roussillon) with Franck Pellé-Rolland, choral conductor. Repertoire : Italian music by Claudio Monteverdi and Giovanni Giacomo Gastoldi. Free brochure available. Please visit our website http://le.chant.des.oyseaux.monsite.orange.fr

Voices Unlimited present their International Choral Weekend in Veldhoven, the Netherlands. Voices Unlimited is an event which takes place every three years. Since the first festival in 1986 we have had the pleasure to receive guests from various countries, e.g. Sweden, Poland, Italy, Latvia, Ukraine, Russia, Estonia, Austria, Spain, Great Britain, Iceland, the Netherlands …. Some of the choirs even participated more than once!

What to expect during the weekend?

◦ International participants ◦ a professional jury ◦ freedom to choose your own repertoire (no compulsory songs!) ◦ the possibility to perform outside the festival hall ◦ a social evening with live music and a special cultural program  ◦  a farewell diner ◦  the opportunity to meet other choirs and make new contacts ….

And that’s not all. The proceeds of the festival will again be donated to a project for (handicaped) children in a Third World country.

Which choirs can participate?

The festival is open to all choirs, regardless of the genre. However, the age of the choir members is preferably between 14 and 40, but the rules are not very strict.

Interested?

In the attachment and on our website www.voicesunlimited.eu you will find more information on the next festival. If you have any further questions or if you wish to receive the information by mail, please contact Karin Hazenberg (the contact person) via the e-mail address below.

The entry form is available:

- via internet: www.voicesunlimited.eu

- via e-mail: info@voicesunlimited.eu or

- via the festival address: Voices Unlimited, Attn. Karin Hazenberg, Bree 60, 5501 JE Veldhoven, Netherlands. 

The closing date is 1 March 2010.

The number of choirs that can participate is limited, so send us your entry form as soon as possible!

London Community Gospel Workshop Choir This is a community workshop choir that meets once a week for anyone who would like to learn to sing in a gospel style. Gospel music is undoubtedly spiritual in nature and requires expression of feeling, using body, mind and spirit. We believe it is something that everyone can share in regardless of race, beliefs and abilities. Participants will learn gospel singing as an art-form and improve their proficiency in singing. The most important requirement on this course is the desire to learn, bags of enthusiasm and the willingness to experiment and conquer inhibitions. The course will run for 8 weeks and includes a public performance at the end....more