Festival voice workshop - outcome

Subject: Festival voice workshop - outcome
From: GUEST,Claire
Date: 03 May 04 - 03:30 PM

This year, I bit the bullet and gave a "voice techniques for folk singers" workshop at the Tucson Folk Festival. Happily it went really well. Last winter, I wrote into Mudcat with my early ideas for the workshop, so I thought I'd give you the update.

First of all, it was well attended (21 people). I was worried that few would attend, because when I personally mention vocal techniques to people who sing trad or folk, I often get a luke warm response. Also, I have never given it before, so there was no precedent. While walking down to the workshop site, my seven year old assured me that she would be there to listen, even if no one else came. That reassurance in hand, I went for it.

Based on the attendance, I think there is a real interest in this type of workshop out there. Half, or more, of the attendees had sung in bands or in some semi-professional capacity - so they had a vested interest in the things I taught, which made it easier. Many of them added comments and participated in the discussion.

I had broken the workshop down into 4 topics, breath support (breathing deeply, quickly, and using catch breaths), singing on the vowels (easy and hard ones) and the affect of consonants(voiced and unvoiced), focussing your singing (learning to resonate in your face), and song interpretation. These topics were also covered in the handout I distributed.

The bad news was that (no surprise) it was to much info for the hour time slot. But not as much too much as I thought it might be. I think I could have done it, if I had actually had the whole hour. People arrived over about the first 10 minutes of time and I made 2 time sucking mistakes, which I will pass on. 1) I repeated my opening statements to new commers as they trickled in, 2) I had everyone introduce themselves and say a bit about what type of music they sing. While introductions are nice, getting all the info would have been nicer.

Next time, I will also rearrange the material slightly, get more examples of songs that illustrate certain problem consonants, and cut out some of the song interpretation examples that I had prepared, but didn't get to do. Instead I would use single lines from familiar songs and have them sing them so that they get the body feeling for things. I did some of that, but not enough.

Even though I didn't get to everything, what I did cover seemed to resonate (excuse the pun) with people. I got a lot of good feedback and now I am psyched to do it again.   

Claire

Subject: RE: Festival voice workshop - outcome
From: wysiwyg
Date: 03 May 04 - 05:23 PM

Record it and I bet you'd have takers on a CD or video!

~S~

Subject: RE: Festival voice workshop - outcome
From: GUEST,Claire
Date: 03 May 04 - 08:38 PM

I think I have some perfecting to do before then, but thanks for the thought.

Claire

Subject: RE: Festival voice workshop - outcome
From: Abuwood
Date: 04 May 04 - 12:23 PM

It sounds fascinating - where is your next workshop Claire?

Subject: RE: Festival voice workshop - outcome
From: The Unicorn Man
Date: 04 May 04 - 01:25 PM

Yes please Clair. I have just started a group called "The Folkaholicks" and your workshop might be just what I need.

Subject: RE: Festival voice workshop - outcome
From: GUEST,Claire
Date: 06 May 04 - 05:16 PM

Folkaholicks - that sounds fun.

I live in Tucson, AZ, and we will add this to the list of workshops that my band, Round the House, offers throught the AZ commission on the Arts. However, I hope to do the workshop on the folk and dance festival circuit in Arizona and this summer, I will plug it with the CTMS folks for Summer Solstice next year.   

I'm glad it sounds inerestesting to you. I had a really good time preparing and doing it. Thanks for the positive comments.

Claire

Subject: RE: Festival voice workshop - outcome
From: David Ingerson
Date: 06 May 04 - 05:42 PM

Sounds like a good opportunity many would be interested in. It also sounds like you have a good handle on leading it. Way to go!

I'd like to make a couple of suggestions. Don't dispense with the introductions (but do keep them brief, of course). Too often classes are thought to be only for the dispensing of information, whereas the greatest value in most classes is in developing a learning community, for however short a time. The acknowledgement of each individual's differences and purposes for being there not only builds community (and the best learning occurs when people feel good about and trust each other) but allows the teacher to tailor the instruction.

And don't forget that some singing traditions ask for non-classical vocal production. For example, Irish sean nos singers frequently close the sounding consonants, like n or r; or the Balkan raucous-sounding full-throated singing, or Tuvan throat singing.

If qualifications make any difference, I am a classically trained musician (and vocalist) who now sings mostly in the sean nos (old style) and have taught school for 18 years.

Good luck with your future workshops! (And it sounds like you have a valuable assistant!)

David

Subject: RE: Festival voice workshop - outcome
From: Desert Dancer
Date: 07 May 04 - 02:21 AM

The thread where Claire asked for help and ideas for planning the workshop is here.

I think she did a great job of condensing basic ideas about breath and air control in the workshop; I wish we'd had time for some of the other stuff, but it's almost another workshop in itself. (This was 60 minutes.) Definitely appropriate discussion for singers of a variety of styles. Her teachers have had classical training, but they and she have done well in identifying what a non-classical style singer needs to know.

~ Becky in Tucson

Subject: RE: Festival voice workshop - outcome
From: The Unicorn Man
Date: 07 May 04 - 07:59 AM

Oh I did not know you where in the U.S, here is some more positive vibe come to Barton le Clay in Beds, England and do your workshop please. PS if any one wants some singing, playing or anything to do with music lessons, try GreenBank Music Village in Luton very good. Come and see the owner in action at The Bull in Barton le Clay Beds on Saturday 29th May. 8.30pm start. Floorspots available. PM me for more details.

Subject: RE: Festival voice workshop - outcome
From: GUEST,Claire
Date: 07 May 04 - 12:03 PM

Hi again,

Thanks Becky for the feedback. First time out of the gate, I certainly learned some things.

David, While I agree that those introductions are good, they take a lot of time. If you have 5 people, no big deal, if you have 20 people, it is 10 or 15 minutes of your workshop, and if it is 30 to 40 people - no way. I think it might be handled differently. Next time, I will ask questions such as, how many of you have or do sing in a performing band, how many are involved in song circles, how many sing classic folk, Irish, English, cajun. How many have taken voice lessons before. This will allow me to adjust the class appropriately, and will allow them to be "known" a bit, but it will take at most 5 minutes. And those straggling in, won't affect the pace of the workshop.

As for non-classical persuasion. One of the main points of the workshop was singing styles and how these differ from classical singing. I discussed the way folk and traditional singers sing with a much more closed mouth and throat than operatic singers. I discussed sung consonants and when I discussed these and problem vowels and such, I stressed that they might choose to use these sounds to create their particular traditional sound. For example, there were some bluegrass singers and I discussed how bluegrass singers will focus their voice high in their face producing a nasal and cutting a sound that would not be so appropriate or even pleasant sounding in other traditions, but is perfect for bluegrass.

I find it endlessly interesting to think about this stuff,and fun to pass on to others.

Claire

Subject: RE: Festival voice workshop - outcome
From: The Unicorn Man
Date: 07 May 04 - 01:14 PM

Pass it on in Barton.

Subject: RE: Festival voice workshop - outcome
From: David Ingerson
Date: 07 May 04 - 08:32 PM

Thanks, Desert Dancer, for the link. Had I read that first, I wouldn't have made my second comment.

Wow, Claire, you sure have it all covered well. You are obviously a thoughtful and responsive teacher. If you're ever up in Oregon or Washington, let us know. There are many who would love a workshop like that. In fact, you might be an ideal guest artist for our Singtime Frolics.

Glad there are people like you out there.

David

Subject: RE: Festival voice workshop - outcome
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 08 May 04 - 07:06 AM

It sounds like a wonderful, productive workshop. I've been singing all my life, but I would have loved to be there!

Allison