From: Folk Spots [folkspots_at_btinternet_dot_com]
Sent: 11 August 2006 12:19
Subject: Traditional singing Workshops for singers at all levels with Jerry Epstein

Tenterden Folk Festival

PRESS RELEASE: 

 

Still a few places available:

Traditional singing Workshops for singers at all levels with Jerry Epstein

 

There are still a few places available for participants at the special series of workshops for traditional singing for singers of all levels, to be run by Tenterden Folk Festival guest Jerry Epstein.  The workshops will be held in Cranbrook, approximately 10 miles west of Tenterden, on the four evenings of Monday 9th to Thursday 12th October.   Participants should preferably be able to attend on all four evenings to get the full benefit, but it could be possible to attend either the first two or last two evenings only if you are unable to attend all four evenings. 

 

The cost of attending the complete series of workshops will be £48.00 per person, while for attending on just two nights the cost per person will be £28.00.  There are only 9 places available in total so you are advised to register an interest as soon as possible.

 

To express an interest or reserve your place on these workshops contact:

Alan Castle info_at_tenterdenfolkfestival_dot_org_dot_uk or telephone (evenings preferably between 7.00 and 9.00 p.m.) 01233 626805.

 

Jerry Epstein was a guest at Tenterden Folk Festival last year and so impressed us with his knowledge of traditional songs and how to sing them, that we have invited him back for this year’s Festival.  In addition Jerry has offered to run this series of intensive workshops for singers immediately after the Festival.

 

Tenterden Folk Festival will be co-ordinating and sponsoring a full set of Jerry’s intensive workshops for singers covering every aspect of the singing of folk songs.  Whether your need is in just using the voice with freedom and power, holding pitch better, repertoire and performance, or the stylistic aspects that make a song memorable such as timing, declamation of words, decoration, diction, etc., these sessions will be a revelation.  Jerry has been leading similar workshops for more than 30 years, all over the north eastern U.S.A, England, Scotland, Australia and New Zealand. “Remarkable changes often happen in only a few minutes, making the sessions very exciting“.

 

Jerry will play recordings of a range of great singers for discussion, but the prime focus will be, in his words “voices-on”.  These are not lectures; they are very much participatory workshops.  Each participant (limited to 9 for this reason) will work on a song in each of the four sessions, although you will find that you learn as much from listening to the work with someone else as you do when working yourself.  Other participants will give their immediate reaction to what they hear and you will use these as a springboard to “peel the onion”, layer by layer, removing obstacles to the most immediate and effective delivery, the most natural sound, and the best narrative.

 

The sessions are open to, and work well with, a mix of participants at all levels, from beginners to advanced and professional singers.  The whole process is of interest and value for any singer interested in this type of singing.  The sessions are informal and very supportive.  Participants should be able to carry a tune, although real beginners can also make great strides in these sessions. Participants should know at least a few songs to work on.  Instruments are acceptable, but you are likely to be asked to sing unaccompanied, at least at first.  How to maintain good narrative over a regular rhythmic accompaniment is an important topic that will often come up.  There is no set programme of topics, the issues that are dealt with come entirely from the needs and interests of the participants and each workshop is different.  Since almost every issue that emerges is of general interest, we can guarantee that no one will get bored!

 

The latest details of Tenterden Folk Festival 2006, the full guest list, details of the two camp sites and a ticket booking form can be found on our web site at

 www.tenterdenfolkfestival.org.uk

 

To receive our regular email updates send an email to info_at_tenterdenfolkfestival_dot_org_dot_uk with "add to festival news list" in the subject box.

 

Join the postal mailing list by sending a s.a.e. to Tenterden Folk Festival 2006 (mailing list),

15 Repton Manor Road, Ashford, Kent, TN23 3HA.

 

 

Press release – 11th August 2006

 

 

 

Alan Castle

Trustee and Festival Director

 

Tenterden Folk Day Trust and Tenterden Folk Festival (Registered charity No 1038663)

Promoting folk song, music and dance

 

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