Icelandic vocal workshop Lewes 26 Feb

Subject: Icelandic vocal workshop Lewes 26 Feb
From: Valmai Goodyear
Date: 17 Dec 10 - 10:56 AM

Dear Everyone,
Booking for this is now open:

Lewes Saturday Folk Club Workshop No 141
Chris Foster & Bara Grimsdottir
ICELANDIC HARMONY SINGING & BALLADRY WORKSHOP
Places £30
Saturday 26th February 2011
10.45 a.m.- 4.45 p.m.
Elephant & Castle White Hill Lewes BN7 2DJ   

        Chris is a much-admired guitarist & singer firmly rooted in the English tradition. Bára is a fine singer in the Icelandic one.
As Funi ('Fire') they interpret the narrative traditional songs of their two islands using guitar, the Icelandic instruments Langspil & Íslensk fiðla, plus Kantele & spellbinding vocal harmony.
        The workshop day will include singing in unison & in the unique Icelandic 2-voice tvísöngur harmony style. There will be some opportunities for accompanying instruments. All music will be taught 'by ear' (notation also available). Icelandic texts will be provided with English phonetic spellings for non Icelandic speakers. No previous experience needed.
              
IN THE EVENING FUNI PERFORM AT THE ELEPHANT & CASTLE
Admission £7.
Advance tickets from address at end of this form.

CHRIS FOSTER & BÁRA GRÍMSDÓTTIR
ICELANDIC HARMONY SINGING & BALLADRY WORKSHOP
Saturday 26th. February 2011

Provisional Timetable
10.45   Registration & coffee; please order lunch at the bar (refreshments not included)

11.00    Introducing the Icelandic Rímur tradition with slide show, archive recordings and singing all together.

12.30         Lunch

13.30        Tvísöngur - Harmony singing & Vikivaki story songs while dancing in a circle. The roots of the ballad tradition.

15.00        Tea/coffee break

15.15         Rímur, ballads & kvæðalög - sharing songs from the Icelandic and British traditions.

16.45        Finish

N.B. Booking is recommended as numbers are limited. Music will be sent in advance & maps & accommodation lists on request.

CHRIS FOSTER & BÁRA GRÍMSDÓTTIR
ICELANDIC HARMONY SINGING & BALLADRY WORKSHOP
Saturday 26th. February 2011

BOOKING FORM
I would like to attend the workshop. I enclose a cheque for £30.00 (refreshments not included).

Name:

Address:





Telephone:

E-mail address:

Tick for map:    Tick for accommodation list:

No. of tickets @ £7 for evening performance (include SAE for these):

Please make cheques payable to Lewes Arms Folk Club (that's right) and send with this booking form to: Valmai Goodyear,
20, St. John's Terrace, LEWES,
East Sussex BN7 2DL

ICELANDIC HARMONY SINGING & BALLADRY: MORE ABOUT THE WORKSHOP

A unique chance to sing exhilarating harmonies, hear fantastic tales, explore the common threads and differences between the singing traditions of Iceland and Britain.

The folk music of Iceland largely remains a well-kept secret. This workshop day is a rare chance to discover hidden treasure.

The mediaeval histories and languages of Iceland and England are linked by the fantastic exploits of the Vikings, who colonised a large part of Britain, and settled Iceland in the late 9th century.

Iceland has a thousand years old singing tradition going back to the Viking settlers and taking in ancient modal melodies also found in medieval church music in Britain and across northern Europe.

The workshop will focus on the unique Tvísöngur style of two-part harmony singing, which is very accessible and also sounds great. The workshop will also include an introduction to the epic story song style called Rímur and to Vikivaki, the old style of singing story songs while dancing in a circle. These are the roots of the ballad tradition. We will also include related songs from the English ballad tradition.

Throughout the day we will weave in background information about the songs, including archive recordings, DVD footage and PowerPoint images illustrating the songs and places they come from.

At the end of the day there will be a grand singing of all the songs we have learnt.

The workshop is suitable for male and female voices and all abilities. All songs will be taught by ear. Notation will also be available for people who can use it.

Song sheets will be provided in Icelandic with phonetic 'English ' spellings for non- Icelandic speakers (Icelandic has some letters that English doesn't).

Subject: RE: Icelandic vocal workshop Lewes 26 Feb
From: GUEST,Philippa
Date: 17 Dec 10 - 11:35 AM

reading about all your wonderful workshops almost makes me want to relocate to Lewes!

Subject: RE: Icelandic vocal workshop Lewes 26 Feb
From: skarpi
Date: 17 Dec 10 - 01:58 PM

I wish I wish I was there .....dammm all the best to my friends
Chris and Bára ...:O)

kv Skarpi

Subject: RE: Icelandic vocal workshop Lewes 26 Feb
From: Valmai Goodyear
Date: 18 Dec 10 - 03:46 AM

Thanks, Philippa and Skarpi.

If the idea appeals, how about offering to help your local folk club organisers put on something similar? If we can do it, it can't be difficult.

Valmai (Lewes)

Subject: RE: Icelandic vocal workshop Lewes 26 Feb
From: Valmai Goodyear
Date: 03 Feb 11 - 02:42 AM

Advance music will be available for this workshop very soon, including Icelandic lyrics in phonetic spelling. On the day, these will be displayed on a screen so that people keep their heads up while singing - an excellent idea.

If you want more information about Icelandic sining traditions, Chris recommends 'the Ismus
website, which has masses of stuff including audio at and it is all available in English at the click of a button'.

Chris and Bára will be starting their UK tour very soon, so if you can't get to Lewes you'll have other opportunities to hear them.

You can hear Chris solo on MySpace and the two of them ('Funi') here.

Oh, and Jackie Oates gave this a mention last night at Arundel before singing a song she'd adapted from one of Bára's.

Valmai

Subject: RE: Icelandic vocal workshop Lewes 26 Feb
From: Valmai Goodyear
Date: 07 Feb 11 - 02:59 AM

The music and phonetic words of some of the songs to be used arrived this morning and are ready to be sent out by email straight away.

Valmai

Subject: RE: Icelandic vocal workshop Lewes 26 Feb
From: Valmai Goodyear
Date: 17 Feb 11 - 02:17 AM

We still have some places left for the workshop and evening. It promises to be a fascinating day.

Valmai

Subject: RE: Icelandic vocal workshop Lewes 26 Feb
From: Valmai Goodyear
Date: 24 Feb 11 - 01:32 PM

Refresh