Noye's Fludde
12.06.2013. - 13.06.2013
Vybes, my London Choir will be playing the role of God in Highbury Opera Theatre's production of Noye's Fludde at Union Chapel.
7pm, Wednesday 12 June,
5pm and 7pm on Thursday 13 June
Highbury Opera Theatre
Classical Vybes (End-of-Term) Concert
02.07.2013.
Auditorium, City of Westminster College
Paddington Green Campus
London
Unicorn Voice Camp Germany
20.07.2013. - 28.07.2013
Teaching Gospel and Spirituals Songs at Germany's answer to Britain's Natural Voice Practitioner's Network (NVPN)
Sing for Water London
as part of the Thames Festival
15.09.2013.
Leading a choir of over 800 people with Roxane Smith to raise money for WaterAid.
The Scoop
South Bank (next to City Hall)
Music Learning Live Asia 2013
23.10.2013. - 26.10.2013
Music Education Conference in Singapore.
Michael is a guest presenter
I, Too, Sing America- American Art Song, Spirituals and Operatic Arias
Jackdaws Music Education Trust
22.11.2013. - 24.11.2013
Great Elm, Frome
Somerset
BA11 3NY
Michael Harper in Concert with Sounding It Out (choir)
Music Director, Candy Verney
07.12.2013.
St. Swithin's Church, Walcot, Bath
BA1 5LY
Gospel Singing Workshop
19.04.2015.
St Augustine's Church Hall
Richmond Road
Cambridge
The Natural Flow
Singing in the African-American Tradition
15.05.2015. - 17.05.2015
The Natural Flow is a weekend workshop led by Michael Harper.
For further information: Hill Cottages Retreats website.
Many Voices
A Capella Singing Workshop
19.05.2015.
Featuring spirituals, gospel, African and world music, all taught by ear. No need to read music, or believe you’re a great singer. It’s just for fun!
London Spirituality Centre, Lombard Street
EC3V 9EA
Bank/Monument Tube
For further information: Many Voices website.
A Gospel Workshop with Michael Harper
12.07.2015.
North East Gospel Choir
Time and Place TBA
Contact: The North East Gospel Choir:
northeastgospel@gmail.com
Life, Love & Spirit
a workshop with Michael Harper
13.07.2015. - 31.12.1899
Michael will be introducing songs from a variety of backgrounds – from around the world, and from the easy classical repertoire.
The material will be suitable for all singers, and will mostly be taught by ear, so the ability to read music is not essential.
Stannington Village Hall, (near Morpeth)
NE61 6EL
For further information: the 20,000 Voices website.
Gospel Workshop, Norwich
18.07.2015.
£30 (or £20 concession)
Send cheque made out to S A C Smith to 18 Conesford Drive, Norwich NR1 2BB (01603 616647) with an email address
St Luke's, Aylsham Road
Norwich
Sing for Water London
Totally Thames (formerly Thames Festival)
13.09.2015.
(Rehearsal: Saturday, 12 September 2015)
Don’t miss this 800-strong, UK-wide mass choir as it comes together to sing for WaterAid. Co-founded in 2002 by renowned composer, singer and musical director Helen Chadwick and the Thames Festival, every year Sing for Water draws choirs from all over the UK to raise money for WaterAid. The mass adult choir is now an annual feature of the festival and a spectacular must-see event. This year’s choir will be led by Roxane Smith and Michael Harper.
Come join us in raising voices and money for the charity WaterAid bringing fresh water, sanitation and hygiene education in Africa and Asia.
The Scoop
South Bank (next to City Hall)
Contact: Kate Forde at Totally Thames
k.forde@thamesfestival.org
For further information: Totally Thames.
more information: Water Aid .
Off the Page Into the Air
Jackdaws Music Education Trust
16.10.2015. - 18.10.2015
Learning and Interpreting a song often entails a lot of different steps that tend to be skipped in the process. - language translation and inflection, historical investigation, harmony and structure, melody, phonetic transcription, emotional and intellectual interpretation and yes(!), even counting! How do you get your song off the page and into the air and really make it mean something. It's not magic. Come and learn a few techniques to make your performance work for you and your audience.
Bring a couple of relatively new pieces and let's dissect them together.
For further information: Jackdaws website.
2016 NATS Eastern Region Conference
Adjudicator for Student Auditions and NATS Artist Awards Semi-Finals and Finals
01.02.2016.
John J. Cali School of Music,
Montclair State University
Montclair, New Jersey
Contact: Lori McCann Region Governor
mccannl@mail.montclair.edu
Visiting Artist
Westminster Choir College, Rider University
21.03.2016. - 22.03.2016
Masterclass - African American Art Songs and Spirituals
Breath, Voice, & Spirit Workshop
Westminster Choir College, Rider University
Princeton Campus 101 Walnut Lane Princeton, NJ 085
The Natural Flow
Exploring breath, voice and spirit through song A May Bank Holiday Three Day Singing Workshop
29.04.2016. - 02.05.2016
Michael Harper is an international countertenor, singing teacher and workshop facilitator. He is returning to Hill Cottage Retreat Centre with the ‘Natural Flow’ which will provide another opportunity for singers to take part in this exceptional workshop. This is a chance to work closely with Michael, over a period of three days to develop and enrich vocal technique and range
Michael brings a body mindfulness based approach using movement, exercises and gentle relaxation techniques to achieve free breathing and to uncover the range and expression within our voices. He will work with songs he grew up with from the African-American tradition, as well as material he thinks will enable the group to develop vocal potential. There will also be space for small group and individual tutorials to help us find the ‘flow’ or ‘spirit’ that can enrich our vocal interpretation of sound and song.
This workshop stands on its own as well as forming the first part of a longer, more in depth, five day workshop with Michael planned for October
“My aim is to discover and expose each person’s abilities to find the song in themselves whether it be opera, Lieder, folk song, soul, blues, jazz or any other style. There is a natural flow that is present in everyone.” www.michael-harper.net
Hill Cottage
Rhos-y-meirch Knighton Powys LD7 1PD
Contact: Jeremy Bruce & Zarine Katrak
info@hillcottageretreats.co.uk
For further information: http://hillcottageretreats.co.uk/hill_cottage_holi.
Unicorn Voice Camp in Deutschland!
Spirituals and Gospel Workshops
22.07.2016. - 31.07.2016
Ellernhof Natur und Business Akademie GmbH & Co. K
Contact: Marita Horn
info@unicorncamps.de
Sing for Water London
Totally Thames/WaterAid
11.09.2016.
Annual Event raising money for WaterAid on the Southbank at the Scoop.
The Scoop, Southbank London
Master Class with Voice Students
Master Class on Technique and Interpretation
10.10.2016. - 12.10.2016
10 October 2106 and 12 October 2016
Westminster Choir College
Princeton, New Jersey
Westminster Jubilee Singers
Westminster Choir College
10.10.2016.
Workshop on Repertoire and Interpretation
Westminster Choir College
Princeton, New Jersey
Presentation/Workshop on Stillness
Westminster Williamson Voices, James Jordan, Conductor
12.10.2016.
12 October 2016
4.30-5.30 pm
Master Class with Voice Students
Longwood University, Farmville Virginia
15.10.2016.
2.00-4.00 pm,
15 October 2016
Longwood University
Farmville, Virginia
Mater Class with Voice Students
John J. Cali School of Music, Montclair State University
21.10.2016.
1.30-3.30 pm
21 October 2016
Leshowitz Recital Hall, Chapin Hall, John J. Cali
Montclair, New Jersey
Stillness, Movement & Expression
A Five Day In-depth Singing Retreat – 25-30 October 2016
25.10.2016. - 30.10.2016
Michael Harper – Stillness, Movement & Expression
Michael Harper20162
A Five Day In-depth Singing Retreat – 25-30 October 2016
“But I want to move – I need to move to sing!” Is often heard from the singer who has not yet understood the importance of stillness in singing. Just think – the simplest change in the expression on your face can change the use, the colour, and the tone of your voice.
This workshop is intended to help singers create free and intended expression in singing, using a combination of gross and fine motor skills. It is an opportunity to work closely with Michael for an extended period to achieve freer expression in singing.
The group will spend time on stabilising the body by exploring control and freedom in movement and then focus on the importance of stillness in singing. Simple songs will be used to uncover how the voice is used and how to liberate it, through gentle releases, within the body. Each singer will have one-to-one time with Michael in the group during the workshop.
Some Comments from Michael’s previous three day workshop The Natural Flow at Hill Cottage (May 2015)
“On one level, it was just marvellous to hear Michael’s voice; on another, he skilfully took me, through song and body awareness, to a new place, a deeper place and, with great humour and love. It was hard work and fun and at the same time instructive and moving. The space we worked in proved a perfect setting to support our individual journeys.” Jan Norton
“What a triumph! There aren’t any words for it all, but it wouldn’t have been the same without every single detail; the people, Michael’s laugh and his wonderful smile, the room – and the rugs – and the cold windy sunshine, the food of course, and the voices – most of all the voices.” Hilary Shepherd
“Such a nurturing and glorious weekend…….. a sense of coming together and building trust and connection and finding the songs, the harmony, the awe, soul-beauty and generosity of Michael’s sharing and his singing….. such a gift.” Lucy Bronwin
Hill Cottage Rhos-y-meirch Knighton Powys LD7 1PD
Contact: Zarine Katrak
info@hillcottageretreats.co.uk
Art Songs by Black British and African American Composers with Michael Harper
Accompanist: Nigel Foster
24.02.2017. - 26.10.2016
In this class, we will explore the influence of Samuel Coleridge-Taylor and Harry T. Burleigh on generations of composers in the genre of the American and British art song. With each song, we will explore stylistic interpretation, diction, poetry, and historic context of the song. Composers included: Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, Harry T. Burleigh, Margaret Bonds, Florence Price, Hall Johnson, Aldophous Hailstork, Errollyn Wallen, et al.
Each participant will prepare two art songs and a spiritual. A list of anthologies and suggested repertoire is available on request. There may be a final recital for friends, family, and friends of Jackdaws.
***
All courses are held at Jackdaws in the village of Great Elm, a small village to the west of Frome in Somerset, roughly 30 minutes drive from Bath. Frome Train station is roughly 2.5 miles from Jackdaws with direct trains from Bristol, Bath, Cardiff and London.
A £50 deposit is required to guarantee your place on a course. The total course fee is inclusive of all meals and tuition except breakfast, which is included in the separate B&B price. Please let us know of any dietary requirements at the time of booking and we will be happy to accommodate. Meals are lovingly prepared on site by our cooks using fresh, local ingredients where possible.
B&B rooms are located in friendly family homes and are either within walking distance or a short drive away (5 – 10 minutes). Breakfast is the only meal served at the accommodation; all other meals are provided on site at Jackdaws.
Jackdaws Music Education Trust
Great Elm, Frome, Somerset, BA11 3NY, UK
Contact: music@jackdaws.org
music@jackdaws.org
Sing for Water London 2017
Conducted by Michael Harper and Katie Rose
17.09.2017.
Totally Thames/WaterAid
11.09.2016.
Annual Event raising money for WaterAid on the Southbank at the Scoop.
The Scoop, Southbank London
The Scoop at More London
Queen's Walk,
London SE1 2DB
Contact: Totally Thames
A Quiet Revolution
London Song Festival
20.10.2017.
19:15 Friday, 20 Oct 2017 - A Quiet Revolution,
Nadine Benjamin – Soprano,
Julien van Mellaerts – Baritone,
Nathan Medina - Speaker,
Nigel Foster - Piano
Concert curated by Michael Harper
All the concerts take place at Hinde Street Methodist Church, 19 Thayer St, W1U 2QJ, in the heart of London’s West End, and begin at 7.15pm for Friday evening concerts, and 2pm for Saturday concerts.
Nearest stations are Bond Street and Oxford Circus.
Hinde Street Methodist Church,
19 Thayer Street
London W1U 2QJ
Contact: London Song Festival
info@londonsongfestival.org
Breath, Body, and Song
A Five-Day Holistic Singing Retreat
24.10.2017. - 29.09.2017
This five-day retreat is intended to help singers create more freedom and authenticity in singing. Michael has devised an approach based on a combination of meditation breathing techniques to free the mind of anxiety, exercises to realign the body in order to use the breath more effectively for singing, as well as traditional and innovative vocal training methods. It is an opportunity to work closely with Michael for an extended period to achieve freer expression in singing.
“My aim is to discover and expose each person’s abilities to find the song in themselves whether it be opera, Lieder, folk song, soul, blues, jazz or any other style. There is a natural flow that is present in everyone.”
Michael’s singing retreat will take place in the Hall Barn which is an intimate space that also hosts meditation weeks and other group events. Arriving at 5.00pm on Tuesday evening with dinner and a short session and continuing from 10.00am-5.00pm on Wednesday to Saturday and 10.00am- 4.00pm on Sunday. Participants can stay in shared twin rooms in Alder Barn and Ash Barn or single rooms in Rowan Cabin and the new Studio.
Cost of the Retreat – Tuesday evening – Sunday 4.00pm
Workshop, full board and accommodation in a:
Single Room £400
Shared twin room £350
Limited non-residential places £250
Accommodation and Food The food will be vegetarian. It will be organic and locally sourced where possible. There are 12 residential places. Participants will be asked to help with clearing up and keeping the space alive and welcoming.
Please contact Zarine for more information or a booking form info@hillcottageretreats.co.uk
Hill Cottage Retreat Centre
Rhos-y-meirch,
Knighton, Powys, LD7 1PD
Contact: Zarine Katrak or Jeremy Bruce
info@hillcottageretreats.co.uk
Legacy of the Fisk Jubilee Singers
A Weekend Workshop as part of Hull City of Culture
03.11.2017. - 05.11.2017
A one day workshop for adult singers with dynamic choral leader Michael Harper, exploring Spirituals and the musical legacy of the Fisk Jubilee Singers.
In 1870’s a group of freed slaves from Tennessee, the Fisk Jubliee Singers, toured Europe. They visited Hull and enthralled audiences worldwide with a new style of music. In this workshop we will explore that story and some of their original songs.
TBC
Contact: Clare Drury
Clare.Drury@hullcc.gov.uk
I, Too, Sing America
Art Songs by Black British & African American Composers
23.02.2018. - 25.02.2018
Art Songs by Black British & African American Composers
with Michael Harper
Friday 23 February – Sunday 25 February 2018
Level: Intermediate-Advanced
Fee: £220
Course No. 3269
Solo Study Course
Explore the influence of Samuel Coleridge-Taylor and Harry T. Burleigh on generations of composers in the genre of the American and British art song. With each song, we will consider stylistic interpretation, diction, poetry, and historic context.
Participants should prepare two art songs and a spiritual. Suggested composers include Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, Harry T. Burleigh, Margaret Bonds, Florence Price, Hall Johnson, Adolphus Hailstork and Errollyn Wallen. A list of anthologies and suggested repertoire is available on request. The weekend will end with an informal concert on the Sunday afternoon.
***
Location
All courses are held at Jackdaws in the village of Great Elm, a small village to the west of Frome in Somerset, approximately 30 minutes drive from Bath. Frome Train station is just 3 miles from Jackdaws with direct trains from Bristol, Bath, Cardiff and London.
Deposit
A £50 deposit is required to secure your place on this course.
Course Fee
The Course Fee is inclusive of all meals, refreshments and tuition at Jackdaws, except Breakfast which is included in the separate B&B cost.
B&B
Accommodation is payable in addition to the Course Fee. B&B rates start at £39 per night (single room, shared bathroom) and from £49 (en suite, subject to availability) booked through Jackdaws. Please let us know your requirements when booking on a course.
B&B rooms are located in friendly family homes and local Guest Houses, and are either within walking distance or a short drive away (5 – 10 minutes).
Meals
Please let us know at the time of booking of any dietary allergies or if you require a vegetarian menu, and we will be happy to accommodate. Meals are lovingly prepared on site by our cooks.
Breakfast is the only meal served at the accommodation; all other meals are provided on site at Jackdaws.
By booking onto a Jackdaws course you agree to our Terms and Conditions.
Address:
Jackdaws Music Education Trust
Great Elm
Frome, Somerset
BA11 3NY
Map and Directions
Start Date: February 23, 2018
End Date: February 25, 2018
Start Time: 6:30 pm
End Time: 4:00 pm
Price: £50.00
Jackdaws Music Education Trust
Great Elm, Frome,
Somerset BA11 3NY
Contact: Jackdaws Music Education Trustja
music@jackdaws.org
For further information: https://www.jackdaws.org.uk/voice/.
Den Norske Oper (Norwegian Opera)
Teaching and Master Class
30.09.2018. - 08.10.2018
Lessons and Master Class for the Norwegian Opera
Master Class - Friday, 5 October 2018 1-4 pm.
Oslo
PORTRAIT OF A LIFE (OR MANY): ART SONGS FROM THE AFRICAN DIASPORA
Songs by ground-breaking African American and Black British composers exploring the role of music and poetry in the search for life and love in an unfair and unbalanced system.
12.10.2018.
Americana '18
Nadine Benjamin
SOPRANO
Michael Harper
SPEAKER
Nigel Foster
PIANO
Even before the turn of the 20th century, there were African Americans and Black British composers creating art song from African, European and other influences. During the 1920s, the Harlem Renaissance brought a burgeoning of a new generation of writers, artists, and composers projecting a self-determined voice into the world in which they lived and the lives that they inhabited.
This recital explores the art songs by African American and Black British composers and poets. It considers the works of some of the composers influenced by the history of the African Slave Trade and the insurrections against it, the Harlem Renaissance, and the movements for Civil Rights and equality – including Florence Price, Margaret Bonds, William Grant Still, and Undine Smith Moore, and British composers, Dominique Le Gendre, Shirley Thompson, Errollyn Wallen. Their songs reveal a multitudinous approach to composition and employ both ancient and contemporary texts. These composers and poets have mined the rich seams of African, European and other influences and reflect through their song a portrait of a life (or many) in the African diaspora. They have left us with a legacy of song that deserves a place in the canon of classical song literature.
Songs by ground-breaking African American and Black British composers including Florence Price, Margaret Bonds, H.Leslie Adams, Nailah Nombeko, Brittney Elizabeth Boykin, Errollyn Wallen, Shirley Thompson, Dominique Le Gendre, and William Grant Still, with words by Derek Walcottt, William Blake, Edna St Vincent Millay, the poets of the Harlem Renaissance including Langston Hughes and those influenced by it - Nikki Giovanni, Robert Hayden, Mari Evans, Maya Angelou, and Mary Moore Easter — giving a vivid picture of the fight for human dignity and the important role that music and poetry played in the struggle for civil rights and the creation of a rich and sometimes joyous life in black communities of the African diaspora. Programme devised by Michael Harper.
St John's Smith Square
Smith Square, Westminster, London SW1P 3HA
Contact: BOX OFFICE (0)20 7222 1061
Breath, Body and Voice – A Five Day Holistic Singing Retreat
30.10.2018. - 04.11.2018
This singing retreat is the third five day event Michael has run at Hill Cottage. It is intended to help singers create more freedom and authenticity in singing. Michael has devised an approach based on a combination of breathing techniques to free the mind of anxiety, exercises to realign the body in order to use the breath more effectively for singing, as well as both traditional and innovative vocal training methods. It is an opportunity to work closely with Michael for an extended period to achieve freer expression in singing.
“My aim is to discover and expose each person’s abilities to find the song in themselves whether it be opera, Lieder, folk song, soul, blues, jazz or any other style. There is a natural flow that is present in everyone.”
The group will focus on the breath, then spend time on stabilising the body by revisiting static posture and freedom in movement, to uncover how the voice is used and how to work with the body to liberate it. Michael will also teach some songs from his extensive repertoire.
Each singer will have a one-to-one session with Michael within the group . This benefits both the individual and group who continue to learn via these short masterclasses. It is useful to bring a couple of simple song to work on during these sessions. Support pairs are encouraged to meet each day to discuss the general teaching and how to act on the individual advice that Michael gives.
Five days together can create a sense of community. Sharing meals and informal singing time in the evenings offers another important dimension to the retreat. The feedback from participants reflects the progress that everyone makes, as well as the impetus to continue developing their voices, as a result of concentrated time spent with Michael.
Hill Cottage Retreat Centre, Rhos-y-meirch, Knight
Contact: 01547 520044
info@hillcottageretreats.co.uk
I, Too, Sing America with Michael Harper
Art Songs by Black British and African American Composers
25.01.2019. - 27.01.2019
Solo Study Course
Explore the influence of Samuel Coleridge-Taylor and Harry T. Burleigh on generations of composers of African heritage, with a focus on stylistic interpretation, diction, poetry, and historic context. Particular emphasis will be given to Black Women Composers including Amanda Ira Aldridge, Margaret Bonds, Valerie Capers and Avril Coleridge-Taylor. Some of the music is readily available in anthologies or on the websites of the composers and the African American Art Song Alliance. Please see below for a full a list of anthologies and suggested repertoire.
Each participant should prepare two art songs and a spiritual, and will have individual coaching sessions in the group. Duos and singers with their own accompanist are also welcome to attend, to work with the tutors. There will be a final recital for friends, family, and friends of Jackdaws.
Repertoire Suggestions:
Particular emphasis will be given to Black Women Composers including: Amanda Ira Aldridge, Margaret Bonds, Brittney Elizabeth Boykin, Valerie Capers, Avril Coleridge-Taylor, Maria Thompson Corley, Shirley Graham Du Bois, Jacqui Hairston, Hannah Kendall, Betty Jackson King, Dominique Le Gendre, Dorothy Rudd Moore, Undine Smith Moore, Nailah Nombeko, Julia Perry, Zenobia Powell Perry, Florence Price, Shirley Thompson, Errollyn Wallen.
Some of the music is readily available in anthologies or on the websites of the composers; List of Anthologies of Art Songs by Black American Composers. Other sources for information are the African American Art Song Alliance and Videmus Publishing.
***
Location
All courses are held at Jackdaws in Great Elm, a small village to the west of Frome in Somerset, approximately 14 miles south of Bath. Frome Train station is just 3 miles from Jackdaws with direct trains from Bristol, Bath, Cardiff and London.
Deposit
A £50 deposit is required to secure your place on this course.
Course Fee
The Course Fee is inclusive of all meals, refreshments and tuition at Jackdaws, except Breakfast which is included in the separate B&B fee.
The balance payments for fees are due 3 weeks before the course start date, as indicated on your deposit receipt. Balance payments can be made in the following ways;
- By card, phone 01373 812383
- By cheque
- By bank transfer (BACS info sent out on request)
B&B
Accommodation Fees are payable in addition to the Course Fee. Jackdaws will take care of booking your accommodation; B&B rooms will be allocated a few weeks before the course starts, and we will send you details of where you are staying. B&B rates start at £39 per night (single room, shared bathroom) and from £49 (en suite, subject to availability) including booking fee.
B&B accommodation is arranged with local hosts, who are happy to welcome Jackdaws course participants, and includes a continental breakfast. Several are within walking distance of Jackdaws in Great Elm, and in neighbouring villages just a short drive away (5 – 10 minutes). Alternatively, we can arrange accommodation in local inns and guest houses (with a cooked breakfast available) please call us to discuss your requirements.
Meals
If you are vegetarian/vegan or have any food allergies please let us know in plenty of time, so that our cooks can plan the meals for the weekend accordingly. All meals and refreshments (except breakfast) are prepared and served at Jackdaws by our dedicated cooks, Loo and Alex. We are ‘allergy aware’, but we rely on participants letting us know if they have specific food allergies. Please also let us know if you carry any emergency medication.
During the weekend, communal lunch and dinner will be served at the table, allowing you to converse with your fellow participants and tutors.
By booking onto a Jackdaws course you agree to our Terms and Conditions, and understand the Privacy Policy regarding our handling of your data.
Jackdaws Music Education Trust Great Elm Frome, So
Contact: 01373 812383
music@jackdaws.org
Discovering Opera
29.07.2019. - 02.08.2019
National Opera Studio, London
The Clore Building, 2 Chapel Yard, Wandsworth, Lon
Teaching Lessons at the Norwegian Opera in Oslo, Norway
14.08.2019. - 15.08.2019
The Norwegian Opera -
Den Norske Opera & Ballett Kirsten Flagstads pl. 1
The Outsiders Fight Back
A commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots
17.10.2019.
Felix Kemp - Baritone
(Royal Opera House Covent Garden Oxford Lieder Festival, British Youth Opera, English Touring Opera)
Lotte Betts-Dean - Mezzo
(Winner Oxford Lieder Festival Young Artist Programme 2019)
Nigel Foster – Piano
Michael Harper - Speaker
Peter Tatchell - Guest of Honour and Guest Speaker
The Stonewall riots, centring on the Stonewall Inn in New York, are seen as the catalyst for the fight for LGBT rights worldwide. The concert will feature readings of eyewitness accounts from people who took part in the riots, giving a vivid impression of the events of the summer of 1969. There will be songs by William Bolcom, Christopher Berg, Chris DeBlasio, Margaret Bonds, Lee.Hoiby and others. The concert will feature two exciting world premieres. One is a song cycle, commissioned by The London Song Festival, called And Another Song Comes On, which was inspired by the pop songs on the jukebox at the Stonewall Inn in June 1969. The music is by Ben Moore, one of America’s most prominent contemporary composers, known for his tuneful and lyrical style, whose works have been commissioned and premiered by the Marilyn Horne Foundation, Palm Beach Opera, the Glimmerglass Festival, and whose songs have been sung and recorded by Deborah Voigt, Susan Graham, Nathan Gunn, Frederica von Stade, Lawrence Brownlee and others. The lyrics and concept are by Pulitzer Prize and Grammy Award winner Mark Campbell, who has written 32 opera librettos including Stonewall, recently produced by New York City Opera, with music by Iain Bell. This concert will also a performance of a new song by Anthony Green, composer, performance artist and gay rights activist, on the subject of Marsha P Johnson and Silvia Rivera, both activists and drag queens who played a prominent role in the Stonewall riots.
Hinde Street Methodist Church W1
Hinde Street Methodist Church, Hinde Street W1U 2
The Moment of Ingeniousness
A Five Day Holistic Singing Retreat
22.10.2019. - 27.10.2019
This singing retreat is the fourth five day event Michael has run at Hill Cottage. It is intended to help singers create more freedom and authenticity in singing. Michael has devised an approach based on a combination of breathing techniques to free the mind of anxiety, exercises to realign the body in order to use the breath more effectively for singing, as well as both traditional and innovative vocal training methods. It is an opportunity to work closely with Michael for an extended period to achieve freer expression in singing.
Hill Cottage
Hill Cottage Retreat Centre, Rhos-y-meirch, Knight
Contact: Zarine Katrak
info@hillcottageretreats.co.uk
Teaching Lessons and Master Class at the Norwegian Opera
26.11.2019. - 02.12.2019
The Norwegian National Opera & Ballet - Den Norsk
Den Norske Opera & Ballett Kirsten Flagstads pl. 1
Master Class - Guildhall School of Music and Drama
08.01.2020.
Guildhall School of Music & Drama Silk Street Barb
I, too, Sing America with Michael Harper
Art Songs by Composers of African Heritage, Black British, and African American Composers
24.01.2020. - 26.10.2019
Explore the influence of Samuel Coleridge-Taylor and Harry T. Burleigh on generations of composers of African heritage, with a focus on stylistic interpretation, diction, poetry, and historic context. Particular emphasis will be given to Black Women Composers Some of the music is readily available in anthologies or on the websites of the composers and the African American Art Song Alliance. Please see below for a full a list of anthologies and suggested repertoire.
Each participant should prepare two art songs and a spiritual, and will have individual coaching sessions in the group. Duos and singers with their own accompanist are also welcome to attend, to work with the tutors. There will be a final recital for friends, family, and friends of Jackdaws.
Repertoire Suggestions
Particular emphasis will be given to Black Women Composers including: Amanda Ira Aldridge, Margaret Bonds, Brittney Elizabeth Boykin, Valerie Capers, Avril Coleridge-Taylor, Maria Thompson Corley, Shirley Graham Du Bois, Jacqui Hairston, Hannah Kendall, Betty Jackson King, Dominique Le Gendre, Dorothy Rudd Moore, Undine Smith Moore, Nailah Nombeko, Julia Perry, Zenobia Powell Perry, Florence Price, Shirley Thompson, Errollyn Wallen. Some of the music is readily available in anthologies or on the websites of the composers; List of Anthologies of Art Songs by Black American Composers. Other sources for information are the African American Art Song Alliance, Videmus Publishing and Classical Music Reprints - Glendower Jones.
Jackdaws Music Education Trust
Great Elm Frome BA11 3NY
Contact:
music@jackdaws.org
Residency - Ohio University
Teaching and Master Class
01.02.2020. - 29.02.2020
Dates and Time TBC
Ohio University School of Music
School of Music 497 Glidden Hall Athens, Ohio 4570