Women’s Sacred Circle Songs
Karleena Ravenwood, Founder/Director of Tucson Women's Chorus and Natural Voice Practitioner trained in England, will teach and lead songs, rounds and chants that have been used in women's circles of various kinds throughout the country over the last few decades. The songs are from many countries, cultures and traditions, as well as those arising from women meeting in sacred circles in this country. The workshop is also open to those who wish to sit in the midst of such singing, even if they do not wish to sing themselves.
Ukelele
The Ukulele Workshop is oriented to all levels of players from beginner to advanced. It includes a discussion of the origin of the ukulele, types of instruments, resources and some basic playing techniques. Handouts will be available. It will also include examples of the various styles of music performed on the ukulele including Hawaiian, country, jazz, blues and finger picking styles. This workshop will be open to sharing of stories and songs oriented toward the ukulele. All participants are urged to bring their ukes along.
Alternate Tunings for Guitar
Called a “master of her craft”, award-winning singer / songwriter Kate Wallace, is a former Nashville recording artist and writer whose “Amereclectic” style — which encompasses everything from the Blues to Bluegrass — has made her a crowd favorite at major Folk Festivals (Kerrville, Bliss, Wildflower, Napa) and acoustic venues throughout the country. “The voice of an angel,” says Maya Angelou ” Kate writes utterly memorable songs that are deeply personal and yet universally accessible, and that say something. She’s also witty and slightly irreverent, which always makes for an infectious and entertaining show. www.katewallace.com.
Spiritual Kalimba
The kalimba is capable of many types of spiritual music - trance music for Shona spiritual possession ceremonies, African American spirituals, new age healing music, church hymns, hospice music, and as a tool for personal awakening. We'll touch on a little of everything in this hands-on kalimba workshop. Bring your own kalimba, or use the ones we bring. Martin Klabunde is a professional musician dedicated to a path of awakening through music and has over 20 years of teaching, performance, and class and workshop facilitation experience. Mark Holdaway has revolutionized kalimba education with the invention of simple but expressive kalimba tablature. He has written over 20 kalimba books and instructional downloads.
Mandolin Family Instruments
Mandolin Family Instruments: All of your problems solved! All of your questions answered! Bring your mandolins, mandolas, octave mandolins, bouzoukis, citterns, and questions.
Music Theory for Folk Singers
We want to keep memorization to a minimum. Memorizing is not learning. We don't need to read music or refer to written material. Everything you need is already on your guitar. We will learn the names of the strings. We will learn how the strings are numbered. We will learn what a major scale is, how to find it in any key, how to build chords from it and how to harmonize it; there is a chord for every note in the scale. We will learn what chord inversions are, the circle of fifths (already on your guitar) and how to use the capo as a teacher and to create two harmony parts (your guitar and capo do this automatically). This is a workshop, not a lecture. Bring a guitar.
Reviving the Dormant Performer
Stephanie Baldwin of “MATANGI, punk rock kirtan” is quite pleased to be part of the festival this year. In other realms she plays a fusion of indian goth folk on vichitra veena & harmonium. A review said, “that she sounded like David Bryne singing a duet with Nico in Patti Smith's garage band.” Stephanie LOVES that description. She bangs the drum relentlessly to get people to overcome the blocks to performance and just get out into the creative dance.
Singing for Performance
Beth Fitchet Wood has sung professionally all her life, in live performances as leader and background vocalist, recorded her own cd's, sung on hundreds of cd's and commercials, and several IMAX movies. She studied bel canto technique with Theo Verlyn for six years, and took additional vocal studies for six more. She uses all this training to sing everything from rock 'n roll and Motown, to folk and jazz. She has a degree in music, and knows theory, history and composition. She's a pretty decent guitarist and a passable pianist. She has helped many students find their voices. www.bethfitchetwood.com
Slide-Guitar
I'll discuss open tunings used for slide guitar, plus right hand and left hand techniques employed, along with some simple helpful tips and a few trade secrets.
Fingerpicking Guitar
In this workshop we will learn the basic principles of alternating bass style guitar. This is what you hear Elizabeth Cotton and Mississippi John hurt playing. We will learn some simple tunes and exercises to build these skills. Written material and tableture will be handed out at no cost. This is a lot of fun and not too difficult to do. BRING YOUR GUITAR !!!
Blues Harmonica
Open to all, beginners on up. First half is instructional. Second half is open discussion. I like to give you the secrets of this idiom and always end up learning something new myself! www.danahubbard.com
Rise Up Singing — the Songs of the Civil Rights Movement
The freedom song - A text book example of how collective singing can change reality. At meetings, in the streets, in jail, these songs put fear in its place and courage on the front line. A community with a singing tradition lifted their songs into the bright sunshine and both the songs and the people were altered accordingly. Some of the most influential music, world wide, that Americans ever produced.
