2024 Faculty & Classes
ACAPPELLA CHOIR
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TONY BACKHOUSE (NZ) Composer, vocal arranger and singer, BA, BMus, and one of the leaders in the Australasian a cappella movement. For 21 years he directed the Sydney choir Café of the Gate of Salvation, and founded the Honeybees and the Heavenly Light Quartet. Tony has researched the Black gospel tradition at Memphis State University, and since 1988 has regularly visited the USA befriending and singing with choirs, quartets and congregations in New York, Chicago, Memphis and New Orleans. He has led nine gospel tours to the USA to participate in the African American church tradition, and has run over 2000 vocal workshops throughout Australia, New Zealand, UK, France, Italy, Canada, Fiji and Samoa. He is the author of the Black gospel songbooks A cappella • Rehearsing For Heaven and Move On Up, and a book on directing vocal groups Freeing the Song. Tony works with the passionate and exciting African-American repertoire, focusing on spirituals, gospel songs old and new, and choral and quartet styles, and embracing South African church songs, R&B and pop. The emphasis is on harmony, collective improvisation and freedom of expression. No music-reading skills are required, and you may record the sessions. www.tonybackhouse.com
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ANN LEHMANN-KUIT (AUS) is an engaging facilitator, music therapist, and performer. She has a passion for connecting through music, developing creative networks in the community and facilitating the creative process. She has gained a Master of Creative Music Therapy, which is an improvisation-based model of engaging people to reach their goals through music making and recently completed an Arts-Based Research Masters exploring song creation, flow, neurodiversity and mental health. Ann lecturers in the Masters of Music Therapy program and undergraduate music degree at Western Sydney University, and in the undergraduate music degree at the University of Wollongong. She has taught guitar at the Wollongong Conservatorium for 30 years with her students receiving acclaim as finalists in the National ACMF song writing awards and being chosen to perform for Encore at the Opera House. Ann is the coordinator of the Illawarra Folk School (Illawarra Folk Festival music workshops); KidsFest Shellharbour (a free weeklong festival); and Music Jam n Bread (free monthly community music making gatherings to sing, play, bake bread and share culture). www.facebook.com/ann.lehmannkuit
SONG CREATIONThe Flow Song Creation process can inspire both emerging and experienced song writers, acting as a catalyst to grow creativity, self-esteem and competence. We will explore collaborative improvisation techniques to bring new perspectives to inspire lyrics, melody and structure. Bring your own device to record ideas (i.e. phone voice memo) and a notepad. No prior experience required however advanced song writers welcome.
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UKE CAN DO IT & GUITARThe ukulele can be a versatile instrument to accompany and inspire song creations. The ukulele tuning is the same as the guitar with the capo on the 5th fret (without the 2 lowest sounding strings). This workshop will cover guitar and ukulule rhythmic grooves using simple one finger chords, building up to more intricate finger style playing incorporating practical musical theory tips. No prior experience required however advanced players also welcome. Some ukuleles/ guitars can be provided or BYO.
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PAUL GREENE (Aus) is an ARIA finalist, a Music Producer and Runs Sounds Delicious Records. He's collaborated or produced albums with some luminaries of the Australian Music Industry including Spy V Spy, Rob Hirst of Midnight Oil, James Blundell, Greg Arnold (Things of Stone and Wood), Wendy Mathews, Karl Brodey, Luke Dickens, Amber Lawrence, Chelsea Basham and Justine Whaline. Paul also runs events and music coaching lessons using recording to develop and improve musicianship, from beginners to experienced and seasoned professionals. As a gifted engineer and mixer with a great range of specialised Microphones, Pre Amps and Compressors as part of his own recording studio, Paul's strength as a producer comes from his songwriting with a philosophy of: everything must honour the song itself. Releasing 10 albums through his own record label Greene amassed a strong following on the back of frequent touring and careful attention to his work. www.paulgreene.com.au | www.soundsdelicious.com.au
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MUSIC PRODUCING
So you’ve written a song - then what? Its a long way to the top, but there's plenty of other places to go: Co writing, Writing to Brief, Jingles, or recording your own art - there are plenty of ways to go about making and recording your music, and also ways to make money out of it. In this workshop you’ll go through the process of Collaboration, Pre Production, Getting the songs recorded, Production and Producers in the studio environment. Plus the pros and cons of Home studio versus working with a producer or creative team, ways to get the best out of both, and what to avoid.
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SHELLY BROWN (AUS) Vocalist, Songwriter, Vocal Coach, based in Lennox Head, NSW. She has been a passionate singing teacher for over 25 years, whilst also writing and recording independent albums along the way. In the last 10 years Shelly has brought her vocal coaching techniques to group and choir singing practices. Creating the safe place to help people entwine their sound with their emotional heart space and educate about vocal technique to help build self-confidence and self-belief. Utilising movement, harmony, rhythm, groove, dynamics, expression, relaxation and a serious dose of silliness. Shelly brings her unique, playful vocal groups to music camps and retreats in Lennox Head, Ballina, Byron Bay, Brunswick Heads, Murwillumbah, Magnetic Island, and more. Shelly leads the vocal and song writing workshops at the Byron Bay Campus of SAE, as well as regular vocal session work for independent projects. She is currently leading “Brunch Choir” at The Lennox Head Surf Club and recording her new album, while Singing Lessons for No One Podcast Just hit over 50K Listens! www.shelly.com.au
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VOCAL TECHNIQUE & PERFORMANCE SKILLS
A stunning vocal intensive will develop your personal sound and strengthen you to express your own voice. In a calm, encouraging group of courageous, warm hearted people, you will take the steps towards finding your honest, open vocal tone. Leave your fear at the door. We'll improvise, with a basis of gentle music theory. Create a repertoire of songs you feel strong when you sing, find your “go to” vocal sound and lean on it with relaxed ease. Most of all, you’ll worry less and smile more, while you hold space for your art.
BAND LABPlaying simultaneously is not the same as playing together. There's something special about playing or singing with other musicians, when it just 'clicks'. Whatever the lineup, there are fundamentals that apply. Do you ‘hear’ band arrangements of songs in your head, but have never had the opportunity to try them out? Well, this is it! The aim of this workshop is to develop the skills necessary to make great music as part of a band, as opposed to just jamming or playing solo. In this workshop you'll develop your ability to play as part of a unit, and to communicate more effectively with other musicians. Develop rhythmic, harmonic and spacial listening skills, create arrangements, find your part, trust, band lead and learn simple charts. In this hands on workshop, we will develop participants’ original songs (probably one per day) into band arrangements, exploring structure, feel, dynamics, space, harmony, rhythm, tension/release, key, etc.
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KARL FARREN (AUS) After cutting his teeth in Dublin's music scene, he played in London in his self-styled ‘Pimp Rock’ era, then in Australia his music evolved to originals. ‘Firstborn’, featured on the ‘Fatherhood’ compilation album, alongside Paul Kelly, John Butler, Archie Roach and Tex Perkins. With a Dolphin Award (NCEIA) nomination for ‘Saddle Road’ and ‘The Fixer’, he took the Folk category award for ‘Pilgrim Song’ and finalist nominations in the National MusicOz Awards. He received 4 Dolphin Award nominations, including ‘Album Of The Year’ for his debut album ‘Repentance Creek’. In the ‘Production/Engineering’ category ‘No-One Ever’ took the ‘Country’ category and ‘The Fixer’ in ‘Folk’. Both as a solo artist, and as one half of folk/blues duo Mulberry Bend (with American singer-songwriter Susanna Carman), he has performed The Mullum Music Festival, Nannup Music Festival in Western Australia and the Woodford Folk Festival. In recent years, his passion has been teaching, where he draws on more than forty years experience, as both teacher and musician, to provide a personalised, student-centred music learning experience. reverbnation.com/karlfarren
INTERMEDIATE GUITARLearn how to play beautiful sounding chords, anywhere on the fretboard. If barre chords scare you, but you want to venture beyond the basics, this workshop is for you! We’ll focus on the really juicy notes in any chord, and we’ll explore ‘small chords’, triads and ‘shell’ voicings to open up the fretboard. This will transform your playing and your understanding of how chords work. Not a beginners class - should have basic chord knowledge and placement.
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PAM FREEMAN (AUS) has since the early 2000's, been a singer and song-writer and more recently has performed at festivals nationally as bassist for the grown up girl band, The Loveys. She teaches music to young people and adults in Mullumbimby and runs songwriting and voice jam workshops. She loves to nurture and encourage people towards achieving their musical goals. She also has 30 years of experience as a qualified massage therapist.
MORNING STRETCH AND MOVEPam will run a morning class designed to wake, shake, ground and center. We will get out of our brains and into our bodies through stretching, movement, dance and rest. We may event take it to the beach and rock pool!
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