Classes 2020
A CAPPELLA 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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MARK BROMLEY BMus Hon A Mus A, is a community multi-instrumentalist, educator, performer and composer trained at UNE Armidale who's been educating and making music in his communities for over 30 years. He currently teaches at the Northern Rivers Conservatorium, Lismore, and as freelance director educator in the Northern Rivers Region. He performs guitar with flamenco troupe, Arte Gitana, plays bass with the Mish Songsmith ensemble, and fiddle with Red Dirt Gypsy. He runs the jazz and blues ensemble and the junior rock band through the con, and herds the Mullum folkies into a semi-organized orchestral mob. He has composed scores for large orchestras and choirs, small ensembles and solo works.
PRACTICAL THEORY AND IMPROVISATION FOR DUMMIES AND REALLY SMART PEOPLECheck out what keys, scales, chords and progressions mean and apply that to real time making music on the spot. For people of all theoretical levels. If you know your alphabet from A to G and can count to 7, you've got what it takes to apply theory to your music-making and extend your musical identity beyond your wildest dreams.
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THE EVERYBODY ORCHESTRAThe Everybody Orchestra. An all in music extravaganza. Grab an instrument and learn how to be a part of a whole, where the sum of all parts is far greater than the individual. Find how dynamics, articulation, rhythm and silence can effect a soundscape. Indulge in the joy of making music en mass, no matter what level you are. Find and enjoy the chaos in organised sound??
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PERCUSSIVE GUITAR & BEATBOXINGExplore the capabilities of sounding like an entire drum kit using the acoustic guitar and human voice. Starting with the very basics, we will explore the different percussion sounds achievable with both our mouths and the hollow wooden cavity of the acoustic guitar. Combine these techniques to create a one man band or incorporate these ideas into your own compositions, arrangements to add flare to your performances.
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SARAH KOPPEN (AUS) Brisbane-based Sarah Koppen is a fingerstyle guitarist known for blending classical, funk, flamenco, two-hand tapping, percussive techniques and beatboxing into solo guitar material. She is currently building quite a buzz from the ground up via busking to ever-growing crowds and media coverage in Guitar World and on Ultimate Guitar. Following the release of her debut EP in July 2018, Sarah toured around Australia performing with internationally acclaimed fingerstyle guitarists Michael Fix and Andrea Valeri. She has taught guitar workshops organized by Arts Queensland, Loose Acoustic, JP Guitar Studio, The Guitar Gym, and high schools throughout Queensland.
INTERMEDIATE GUITARAimed at intermediate players with knowledge of open chords and basic strumming. We’ll take a look at skills to take your playing to the next level including fingerpicking, rhythmic & percussive techniques, alternate tunings, scales & improvisation.
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TIM BENNETT (AUS) The bass guitar has seen Tim Bennett performing around the globe since 1993. Tim has recorded on over 50 albums and has co-produced albums with numerous Australian and Canadian Artists, including his own release “Crystal Water” in 2014. He’s performed at dozens of major festivals in Australia, Canada, USA and Europe. He’s taught within the Music Outback program in Central Australia, and also plays a few other instruments. 'In silence you will find melody, in each breath, a song.’ Tim’s received these reviews of his own work: “With a heart as big as the Aussie desert and a voice kind enough to soothe the Rockies, Tim Bennett’s solo show is a feast for the senses.” "First off it must be noted that this music is sexy. Not a funky kind of sexy, but a yearning, sophisticated, understated, deep sexy that comes from someone who knows how to hold back."
BASS GUITAR - Tim will be offering a closer look at the many rolls and sounds of the Bass guitar in a daily workshop designed for beginners through intermediate players. |
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SOUND ENGINEERING - Tim will uncover the most efficient and effective methods for musicians to record and engineer their own music for fun and posterity using portable, affordable equipment he’ll supply. They may even get a bit of song-crafting accomplished in the process!
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SHELLY BROWN (AUS) Singer, Songwriter, Vocal Coach, born and raised in the bayou of Ballina NSW, with music enveloping her life and family. She immersed in the family business; manufacturing Light Sport Aircraft and studied music at university. She created some fearful albums, some fearless albums, learnt a little, taught a lot, travelled, toured and wrote.
“The Fortunate Souls” album and project, created in collaboration with Producer Dirk Terrill, is taking shape for a 2018 Digital Album Release; Vocal Trio project Mrs Miyagi is recording and performing in the Northern Rivers; solo performances at Newkulele Festival 2018 (Newcastle’s Ukulele Festival), and Mullum Music Fest 2018; involvement in NCEIA’s Dolphin Music Awards; Judging for local songwriting comps and mentoring students for performances with the Lismore Jazz Orchestra. www.shelly.com.au VOCAL WORKSHOP - Find the cream Get the sugar |
This week long stunning vocal intensive will develop your personal sound and strengthen your building blocks for expressing 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. You won’t need it here. It’s ok. Improvise, with a basis of gentle music theory. Know whats happening in the music underneath you, and soar free, my pretty. Create a repertoire of songs you feel strong when you sing, find your “go to” vocal sound and lean on it with relaxed ease. Explore your most far fetched vocal sounds and desires and breath into them with a sense of extreme excitement and unabated desire. We’ll explore learning and finding knee melting harmony, simple poetic original rhyme, we’ll plant your favourite tree in your diaphragm and strengthen your body with breath, grace and grounding. But most of all, you’ll worry less, and smile more, while you sing and hold space for your art.
And really, that’s what matter most. See you there.
And really, that’s what matter most. See you there.
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JANE CORNES Jane Cornes is an award-winning features writer, editor, creative writing teacher, musician and songwriter. Jane was the Artistic Director of the Nanga Music Festival for almost a decade. Jane also runs Lived Experience therapeutic writing programs for women who have experienced domestic violence. She has written dozens of songs, released four CDs of original music and was half of acclaimed gal duo Doris. Today, her trio Jane and The Rain performs at festivals and events throughout Australia. Jane lives in Woodbridge, Western Australia, with her husband Neil and two flatulent dogs. She is currently writing her first novel.
SONGWRITING - Words & MusicThis class is highly effective for anyone wanting to write more or better words, regardless of their experience. The two questions Jane is most frequently asked are "how do you come up with ideas for your lyrics?" and "how do you structure a song?". Both questions will be answered in this class, which will guide you through creating words and crafting them into song structures. Using a variety of interactive, simple writing exercises, Jane will introduce you to new ways to add colour, texture and depth to your writing. Jane will also guide you through some simple, effective techniques for creating melody.
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BEGINNER GUITARAs a non-music reading guitarist of questionable ability, Jane is all too familiar with the problems that face those trying to master the guitar. This class is aimed at beginner or early-stage guitarists who want to expand their skillset without stress or competition. This is a relaxed, non-competitive workshop which will cover the basics, including chord structure, strumming styles and basic guitar terminology. If you can play an F chord with ease, this isn’t the class for you.
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ELLIOTT ORR Respected as one of the leading proponents of African rhythm in Queensland, Elliott has been performing, teaching and making African drums for over two decades. With a degree in Environmental Science also under his belt, Elliott's passion for African rhythms has meant a full and busy performing and teaching life from his Brisbane base.
Elliott has performed and recorded on dozens of albums, including several by Ganga Giri, Yeshe, Bobby Alu, and many more. His own percussion machine, Spankinhide, has toured Australia and overseas, and is continuously evolving in line up and repertoire! WEST AFRICAN DRUMMING: Djembe, Doon Doons and Shakers)
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Relaxed, fun-loving, passionate and knowledgeable Elliott will facilitate your entry into African rhythm, or the extension of your existing drumming skills, with ease. Supported by Tsoof of Spankinhide the sessions will be off the hook wicked grooves that will build over the week. No previous drumming experience required; Elliott's fluid teaching means that at whatever level you're at, you're going to get better!
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JENNY PARENTEAU hails from New Zealand where she started her singing career in two Maori bands, followed by a stint in New Caledonia where she learned classic French songs. In Tanzania and Argentina she fell in love with new, infectious rhythms and music. In Qatar she taught ukulele to locals, including members of the Al Thani Royal family. In Singapore she taught uke to Filipina maids and locals. Back home in Byron shire she writes and performs on the uke quirky songs for her band The Loveys, and still teaches ukulele (at the Mullumbimby Neighbourhood Centre). The Loveys have performed at over a dozen festivals all over Australia and will debut at the Woodford Folk Festival upcoming.
Jenny first came to Summersong as a nervous, not so good guitar player and took her first songwriting class with Kristina Olsen…a step that changed her life journey completely. UKELELE with Jen Jen |
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Ukulele Session will cater for all levels of Uke playing- from simple to more challenging. A knowledge of basic chords in the first fret would be good but not essential. We will also be exploring playing melody via reading tabulature (easy peasy) and creating a beautiful orchestral ukulele sound together!! There will be spare ukes on site- come along and have fun with this wonderful, accessible instrument!!