Throughout this training, a group of singers and song leaders will have the chance to explore together and deepen different forms and models of collaborative vocal improvisation, including circlesinging.
Every song leader will have the opportunity to lead and be led by others, as well as acquire some fundamental tools to develop their own improvisational language and musicianship, and gain confidence in group-leading skills.
These four days are an invitation for everyone to begin a deep journey into their personal practice and explore together from their differences, openly sharing strengths and challenges, inventiveness and resources.
The purpose of the training is for participants to incorporate vocal improvisation and circlesinging into their life, work and community: singing group, school, nursery, retirement home, SEN setting, community choir, spiritual practice, or just with a group of keen and adventurous friends. Another aim is to expand beyond their personal practice as vocal improvisers and cultivate the skills for leading spontaneous singing activities with diverse communities and encourage connection and wellbeing in others.
There will be diverse exercises and games in the areas of rhythm, melody construction, use of invented language, harmony and tone quality. We will explore circlesinging and VoiceOrchestra techniques, grooves and harmonic sequences with two distinct and complementary objectives:
- to create strong, supportive, interesting backgrounds for the singers to explore and develop solo improvisation.
- to empower singers to create, orchestrate and conduct their own circlesongs and other forms of collaborative music.
Elements of the programme:
- Bringing people together and into an open state. Many ways in.
- Circlesinging. Learning from participants, making efficient patterns, conducting, flexibility, form, song architecture…
- CVI listening- space – my vocal identity and style- invented language- body, rhythm and sound- models and forms
- Learning to read the skill level and edge of participants, encouraging music that brings flow: a healthy balance between comfort zone and challenge. Adapting Vocal Improvisation for community settings.
- Conducting: roles – gestures. Encouraging, proposing, directing, leaving space. Giving feedback and inspiring change in participants.
- Our inner state – internal awareness and good housekeeping. Feeling, sensing, body techniques. Neutralising inner gremlins, cultivating self acceptance and lightheartedness.
- Troubleshooting. Responding to complex group dynamics and needs.
Timing:
11am on Thursday 3rd to 5pm on Sunday 6th April 2025.
The invitation:
To remember our innate musical intelligence and capacity to share music and meaning with other humans. To sing our essential nature, deepening the quality of our listening. To feel at home within ourselves and let our inner confidence grow… so that we can embrace many ways to learn, in togetherness and by ourselves, that don’t require striving onwards and upwards but instead, dropping deep into the joy and wisdom and creativity that lays within each and every one of us. Guillermo is interested in the dance between spontaneous music-making, listening, collaboration, sound and silence.
Some testimonials from the latest course:
- ‘I feel nourished and re- inspired- and I’ve come away with what I was hoping for- a renewed sense of confidence and some great ways to play/ practice.’
- ‘I have been singing singing singing. I feel something has changed in me and something new is arising. It’s very exciting.’
- ‘Thank you for the rich and transformative course and creative time together. I am convinced of the great worth of being together in this way. Connecting, singing, moving, laughing…I have decided to deepen this path and implement it in my life and work.’
