Important: "No previous knowledge of African music is required!"
African Music workshop: "Mainly featuring SING AFRICA SING and NYELA AFRICA"
The diverse music of Africa has a way of drawing you in with its catching rhythms, captivating melodies and constant fusion with movement and dance.
Important:
"No previous knowledge of African music is required!"
“People from younger age groups also see my workshop as a great taster course!”
Groups you are most likely to meet at my African Music workshop:
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People who love African music or who want to try it out
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Singers who sing in a choir or solo
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Choir leaders who want an introductory course on the subject or who want to expand their knowledge on the subject
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Music teachers who want some ideas for their own professional input
The course provides an insight into musical diversity of (South) Africa!
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Songs are presented on different themes in pursuit of this aim
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Vocal coaching and rhythm exercises facilitate the delivery of the songs
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All the songs are taught and practised with dance steps and choreography sequences
In Africa every type of music-making is tied up with dance and movement
Focal points of the African Music workshop:
1. Sing Africa Sing:
There has been an increasing trend in recent years for choirs to include music from South Africa in their repertoire.
The great appeal of this music and its ability to draw in both the musicians and the listeners come through its melody and harmony but, first and foremost, through its rhythm.
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We will feel the effects of these forces during the course
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Vocal warm-ups, rhythm practice and my exercises on the individual songs will facilitate the delivery
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It will also be possible to introduce or try out potential instrumental accompaniments, including…
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Mallet instruments
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Drums, percussion and other instruments
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Body percussion
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Vocal percussion
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etc.
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2. Nyela Africa:
(Educational establishments use Nyela Africa as a resource in cross-cultural music teaching)
How are arrangements prepared for singing and making music together?
I will show you from experience how you can prepare the music of sub-Saharan Africa as an arrangement for a group (your group).
We will work together on traditional harmonies and catchy pop songs from sub-Saharan Africa to produce flexible arrangements.
You will leave with a kind of toolkit which will allow you to make changes very easily in order to achieve the right results for the arrangement with a group (your group).
Brief summary… what the workshop has to offer
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Development of flexible arrangements (modular approach to allow adaptation to any given group)
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Experience of the rhythmic, harmonic and melodic force of African songs and easy choral arrangements
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Experimentation with the interplay between singing and movement
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Traditional African storytelling
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Vocal warm-ups and rhythm exercises on the individual songs
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Instrumental accompaniment options (drums, body percussion, vocal percussion, instruments)
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Singing of the songs with choreography sequences
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Songs for (your) music lessons – with and without accompaniment
Most importantly of all, however, this workshop is also great fun.
I look forward to meeting you.