Instant Poetry and Vocal Music – 11+12 February

Voice enthousiasts and improvisation singers will gather next weekend in the Genetic Choir workshop “Edge of Language”, and there are still a few places open, if you would like to join!

We will explore the exciting realm of “Instant Poetry” as an entrance into vocal music improvisation.

As always, all levels of experience are welcome, and we have a great, committed group already.

THE EDGE OF LANGUAGE

a Genetic Choir workshop

When we improvise with our voices, sometimes sounds emerge which are language-like, or even very much like comprehensible words. How do we treat this moment when singers are on the verge of becoming improvising poets?

It is fun to play with the sound of words, mix them and change them. It is what children do a lot and it is a bliss to indulge ourselves into this word-sound playfulness.
But as improvisers, we are looking for more: clarity and depth of expression, not only in music but also when words come in to play.

Workshops March/April

Coming Up:

Resonant Voices workshop

23-25 March 2012 – few places left – click here for more info

  

In planning state:

The edge of language

22 April 2012 – 10:00-17:00

A one-day workshop taking further the research of the Language Choir.

Zooming in on the aspect of deconstructing & reconstructing words in the Genetic Choir pressure-cooker: Sound, syllables, from words to sound and from sound to words. Poetry created from a choir that knows the power of vowels and consonants. 🙂

Pioneers: 35,- Euro  (for the first 6 people who sign in)
Normal price: 60,- Euro
(excl.BTW)

Give yourself up through the form on the Contact page.

Words in the moment / The Language Choir

Here is a worskhop completely about words and talking in improvisation!

Amsterdam, February 2012 – 4th/5th/9th/10th

As our interest is Instant Vocal Composition, we approach language in this workshop from the point of music, notwithstanding the fact that with language recognizable words open a whole new playing field: the field of meaning. There is no way in which your mind can not create an image in your head when you hear ‘toothbrush’. The speed with which we create meaning from recognizable words is amazing, and you can have a lot of fun staying on the border between sound (playing with vowels, consonants, syllables that don’t mean anyting) and words (when the mind ‘hooks’ on to a possible meaning/image). But this is just the beginning…
Once words are recognizable, and we enter into strings of words, sentences, poems, dialogues or monologues, it is crucial that as improvisers we are fit for the game. What choices can you make, how do you define your playing field? How do keep focus in what you are doing with all the freedom and possible layers of meaning you end up with? How do you prevent the moment where you (and your audience) is totally lost in the soup of words and sentences? Once we play the game of ‘meaning’ (of concrete verbally uttered images) we have the responsibility to bring it to a meaningful end. (whether that ending makes ‘sense’ in a literal, a poetic or musical way).

We will work solo, in small groups and in big ensemble producing pieces of stories, poetic dialogues, language sculptures and wise words.

The workshop will be held in Dutch and/or English, depending on the wishes of the participants. For your individual work during the workshop any language is welcome (French, German, Spanish, Japanese…)

Saturday   04-02-2012    12:00-18:00
Sunday      05-02-2012    10:30-12:30 + Genetic Choir session 13:30-17:30
Thursday  09-02-2012    18:00-22:00
Friday        10-02-2012    12:30-18:15 + concert (until +/- 19:00)

Workshop fee for the four days is: 165 Euro excl. BTW
Place: Amsterdam

You can give yourself up for the workshop or ask for more information by sending a message through this website (see Contact in the menu above)