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by Morten Mosgaard, Songs of the Moment (DK)

The 20th of June is the date for the next Songs of the Moment Nordic concert. On this occasion we bring you a short blog post trilogy inspired from the work done in the group Songs of the Moment. The project is a collaboration between seven selected singers from Rajaton, The Real Group, and Voxnorth focusing on group improvisations and is funded by Nordic Culturepoint. Read more about the concert and support the world-wide livestream here.

 

I truly believe everyone can become a better singer through working with group improvisations. At least I think I have become a better singer because of my focus on improvisation. That’s why I want to share some of the reasons, as I see it, as to why everyone should do group improvisations. This is the first post about the subject, focusing mainly on what improvisation can teach us and how we can use this knowledge every time we sing.

One of the things I’ve experienced as a choir singer is that if the music should really come alive, everyone needs to take the full responsibility for the music. It took me some time to figure out what this responsibility meant for every single singer, but the answer came through a discussion with a friend of mine who is a classical pianist. I told him that I thought classical music lacked the inspiring energy from improvisation, which was the reason I loved jazz. Luckily for me, my friend disagreed and told me that classical music has a lot of improvisation in it – it’s just in another form. When you play a piano piece, the notes you need to play may be written all the way through, there may also be expressions and a convention about how you “play this composer” – but within that framework, you have all the room you need to make your very own interpretation. This perspective made me realize that improvisation doesn’t have to be free improv or a solo between two choruses, it could also be the exact way you chose to play one specific note.

 

 

This approach to improvisation inspired me to start working even more on detail than I did before; not in the organised way where the whole choir decides “to be quiet here”, “to make a crescendo here” and so on, but in the “I’ll try to listen and see what the others are doing, and I’ll make my voice do what the music needs to grow”-kind of way.

 

The Voxnorth experience

If you see every sound you make as a chance to improvise just a tiny bit, then the piece you’re performing comes to life in a whole new way. When I was still a part of Voxnorth, this was the very exercise that I was doing in “The Four Loves”; that is, to stay focused and mentally present throughout the whole piece (A Roger Treece Suite thats 24 minutes long). This was also the approach we were working on when we were performing my tune “Frit Fald”. The idea with the arrangement was to have a kind of musical framework for the tune, and nothing else than this framework (notes) was decided beforehand. The dynamics, tempo or sound could then change from venue to venue in this different approach to group improvisation. “Frit Fald” was by far my favorite tune to sing in Voxnorth because it was never the same and therefore always gave the impression of a living organism. Every time we would sing it, we would start “the framework”, and, like a true explorer, I would work my way into the song to see where it would take us this time. As far as I can recall, we always turned up the volume on the last part of the “ah”-piece in the interlude, but it just seemed to make sense every time. Some of the times I was thinking “let’s not go up”, but I would let the music and not my thoughts decide where to go. When the tune was at its best, it was the result of a great collaboration between me, as the soloist, and the guys who accompanied me. Sometimes it would be like an unpredictable roller coaster where you never knew what was going to happen. For this to succeed, the tune required full attention from all of us.

 

Ways of practice

There are different ways to practice this “responsibility” for the music. First of all, the responsibility is all about singing what seems right for the situation. This is not necessarily what you decided at the rehearsal, so the responsibility entails being aware of where the music is going and making sure that what you sing is what suits the music better. This might sound a bit challenging, but it’s most of all about listening to the music and making sure that what you sing fits what everyone else is doing in terms of timing, pitch, loudness, sound, and expression.

My favorite way to practice the responsibility is through group improvisation. Group improv only works when each singer takes responsibility for the whole piece. This could also mean not to sing if that’s what the music needs. As I see it, the goal is to make each other sound better within the group than we sound alone. It’s my impression that this happens in lot of the improvisations we do in Songs of the Moment. I was amazed by how well every singer would take the responsibility for each tune during our last concert and amazed by how well it worked with people shifting in taking the lead when it was needed. It was the perfect example of “The unpredictable roller coaster”.

Take a (small) look at some of the musical moments at the last Songs of the moment Nordic concert in this video made for our coming project:

 

Links:

IndieGogo – http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/songs-of-the-moment-nordic-goes-world-wide-web/

The Four Loves – https://vimeo.com/24276162

Frit Fald #1 – https://soundcloud.com/voxnorth/frit-fald-live-i-musikhuset-i

Frit Fald #2 – https://soundcloud.com/voxnorth/frit-fald-recorded-live-in-g

by Jeff Meshel, originally posted as letter to Vocal Blog founder Florian Städtler (on the day of Florian’s birthday) on Jeff Meshel’s World on May 23rd 2013.

 

Dear Florian,

AAVF 2013 is chronologically over, but still pumping in my veins and breathing in my soul.

It was a wonderful, educationally enriching and communally loving experience. It would be impossible to give you an overview, but I’ll try to relate to you some of my personal experiences, in hopes that the subjective view will give some sort of representative impression of what went on.

It was all pretty well organized, user-friendly. My hotel was only a five-minute walk from the site, which was a big advantage. The biggest problem was not enough hours in the day—wanting to simultaneously attend all the workshops, watch the small group and large group competitions, hear the midday concerts in the foyer, grab some food, and schmooze!!

Concerts

Pre-Festival – Sono and Naura were both new for me, young Danish groups of about 20 singers, both really high quality, interesting repertoire, flawless performance, charming appearance, setting the bar high for the rest of the festival.

Friday – The Mzansi Youth Choir and the Boxettes gave two very different examples of how far contemporary a cappella can go and still knock out the crowd. The Girls Choir of Mariagerfjord were ‘just’ another one of those perfect Danish choirs.

Saturday – Since first hearing them in Vasteros in 2008, I’ve become an impassioned devotee of Vocal Line, so it was of course a really great thrill to hear them again. The combination of Vocal Line, VoxNorth and Eivør wasn’t easy for me. It was a new aesthetic, speaking in a musical language I was less familiar with. It sounds fascinating to me, and I plan on exploring it in the future (in the present, actually—I’m listening to Eivør as I write!)

Sunday – WeBe3 was a totally new treat for me, improvisation at its purest, and you know I’m a purist ;-). The Real Group and Rajaton both gave short but absolutely first-rate sets, showed why they’re the acknowledged leaders of our cult. It’s the third time I’ve heard both, and maybe the best. Level Eleven had some high points, and promises more to come in the future.

Monday – The group that completely blew me away was Jesper Holm’s Touché, as I had never even heard them recorded, let alone live. I knew they were a 12-voice group singing Count Basie big band charts and complex Gene Puerling arrangements from Singers Unlimited. What I wasn’t prepared for was the total, absolute technical perfection Jesper has achieved with these guys. Brassier than Basie, subtler than the Singers Unlimited, and purer than Gene Puerling, their mastery of these genres was TOTAL. The delivery was crystal-clear, as pure as glacial water. Even the soloists sang with superhuman control. And I was particularly impressed by how steeped these kids are in the vocal jazz tradition. They really do know where they’re coming from. And I can only dream where they’re going. More about that below. Just to make you even sorrier you weren’t here, I’ve posted the entire set as soundcloud links on Jeff Meshel’s World.

 

Reach Out and Touch a Star

It’s a strange situation at these festivals – you listen to the artist at home, think about their music; read about the upcoming concert; buy a ticket, buy a plane ticket and reserve a hotel; travel, with all the anticipation and excitement and build-up; and then an hour after the show you’re drinking a beer with the artist, with him telling you how he felt about the show. We’re used to admiring our ‘idols’ from afar. The warmth and intimacy of a festival such as this is a big part of its utter charm.

I met a guy on the train who was coming from Belgium to hear Bruce Springsteen in Denmark. They say Bruce is a really nice guy, but you’re watching him with 20,000 strangers from 3 kilometers away, with 500 armed guards in between you and him. Here, an hour after the show, you share a beer with the artist and hug him and thank him for the fine show, and he tells you how excited he was… Who de boss now?

Workshops

They started with the incomparable dynamo Line Groth Riis leading 800 people singing two ultra-cool arrangements, with really fine, overpowering results. Go beat that. And that’s just for starters.

The Single Singers had to prepare four songs, three of which were quite difficult, in two rehearsals with no clear conductor. No mean feat that! It seemed quite impossible at the beginning, but somehow it worked at the end. The really great thing that happened there for me was singing Vocal Line’s version of Peter Garbiel’s “Don’t Give Up” with Jens Johansen himself conducting! So, that was a thrill in and of itself, but the really inspiring aspect was singing the song, being part of the tapestry of that beautiful, divine arrangement. I had listened to the song many, many times, but there’s nothing like singing it from within. (Guess what is going to be Song of The Week on my blog tomorrow?)

I joined five other workshops, each one an education in and of itself.
The amazingly talented Roger Treece, the man behind Bobby McFerrin’s “VOCAbuLarieS” was really pushing the envelope of grasping how rhythm and pulse work. It was sometimes a stretch to follow him, but yet a lot of fun.
Everyone was raving about Jim Daus Hjernøe’s workshop in Sweden, and I finally caught up with him here. “Rhythm and Groove” was uplifting, mind-expanding. He made so much sense out of central elements I’d never been aware of previously. I told him that in my next incarnation I want to come study in Aarhus. He responded that they have a really good remote learning program. If only I had the courage! Me, studying with these giants?

I attended Katarina Henryson and Anders Edenroth’s “All Ears” workshop. I’d heard them go over the same material before more than once. And you know what? It gets better each time. Eighty strangers walk into a room, mostly fairly talented amateur singers. Then Katarina and Anders start teaching you the Art of Listening. And at the end of two hours we did a group improvisation – with our eyes closed!!! – about seven minutes of beautiful, transcendent, magical music. Just mind-boggling. Just these two hours were worth the 12-hour trip.
And Jesper Holm’s Advanced Vocal Technique. The program said ‘Harmonic complexity, swing feeling, jazz phrasing, sound and blend.’ Yes, that’s what he did. But I was reminded of the Yeats’ poem: That girls at puberty may find/The first Adam in their thought,/Shut the door of the Pope’s chapel,/Keep those children out./There on that scaffolding reclines/Michael Angelo./With no more sound than the mice make/His hand moves to and fro./(Like a long-legged fly upon the stream/His mind moves upon silence.) The absolute precision of his approach showed again that ‘God is in the details’. It was a truly inspiring workshop experience. Jesper is my new role model for doing a job well. And I’m proud to count him as a new friend.

People

I met SO many people—friends from Vasteros 2008, friends from Stockholm 2012, more recent Facebook friends, and new friends from Aarhus – too many to mention. I made a list of about 25 people that I had memorable interactions with, but I’m not going to list them because I know there were another dozen that are escaping my fuzzy brain, and hopefully another dozen that I’ll get to know now by writing. I did notice that the hugs have gotten tighter over the years, that each subsequent meeting with these fine people deepens the connection from the cordial to the friendly to the beginning of real involvement.

As you know, I do a lot of talking and thinking and writing about music, and I was fortunate enough to have three serious, focused, professional conversations.

The first was with Peder Karlsson. I first met Peder at Vasteros in 2008. I had brought a group from Israel and had briefly corresponded with him via email. On the first day I was nervous, confused, excited. Peder walked by, and I asked him timidly where the Whatever Room was.
I was a novice, a nobody, an attendee from afar; he was The Star. He looked at my nametag, looked at me, let out a shout of “Jeff!” and gave me a bearhug. I knew something different was going on in this community. Then in 2012, our second meeting, we became a bit friendly.
So now in 2013 I told Peder that I wanted to Skype with him about the history of TRG. He said, “Now!” For an entire morning, Peder told me about the origins of The Real Group’s music. There was a bit of an argument: I was maintaining that TRG invented our contemporary a cappella, while Peder was (over-modestly, I think) asserting that TRG drew from a number of different existing sources. In any case, we both agreed that this is fascinating piece of AC folklore, and it will be my pleasure to work our discussion into a printed interview in the near future. Oh, and now I can comfortably say that I feel Peder is a friend.

This is just one example of many–too many (and too personal) to recount here.

By the way, the origin of TRG’s music issue has riveted me for a long time and spilled over into several other conversations I had. Bill Hare had a lot of first-hand knowledge to share, and Jonathan Minkoff was gleefully maintaining that just about everything I think is diametrically opposed to the truth. Fortunately Judy Fontana was there to keep us from trans-Atlantic blows, suggesting the theory that vocal percussion was developed simultaneously on either side of the ocean. I’m gonna be thinking about that, Judy!

The second conversation was with Roger Treece, whom I’d asked in advance to meet with. I was aware of his work on “VOCAbuLarieS”, and really wanted to hear how Vocal Line was connected to that project. I also wanted to learn more about where Roger is applying his very prodigious talents these days. We had a great, honest, intimate talk which I hope to write up in one form or another (assuming that the glass of water I spilled on the table didn’t erase the file on my recorder). I sincerely hope Roger finds the perfect venue in which to work in the future, because I think his talent is unlimited and he can be a formative voice in a cappella in the next generation.

The third conversation was with Jesper Holm. I’d met Jesper very briefly in 2012, barely long enough to discover that we have a lot of overlapping interests and that I possess an obscure Singers Unlimited CD that he covets. I gladly brought it to Aarhus as an offering, looking forward to getting to know him a bit. We talked for less than an hour, but reached incredibly interesting places. We discussed the very substance of vocality, where group vocal jazz is today, and where it might go in the future. We also raised some ideas about utterly new vistas to explore, and concrete plans about how to do that. We were talking about inventing a new musical language. My blood is still pounding over that conversation. I hope that when the clouds clear, the substance remains and that Jesper sets out on that very profound journey.

What I’ve Taken Home

Oh, just so many ideas. And techniques for making better music. And exposure to new types of music. And hopes and plans for the future. And friendships. Membership in a most special community. And a whole lotta love.

I was at the original Woodstock festival. Given the choice of going back there or going to the next AAVF—no competition, man. Hands down, it’s Aarhus. Something is very sweet in the state of Denmark.

Really, I have only one serious complaint about the festival. You weren’t there, Florian. You and my old buddies Kongero and my new buddies The Swingles and my future buddies The Idea of North.

So I guess we’ll just have to make plans to meet again in Aarhus in 2015.

Till then,

Jeff

Please feel free to visit Song of The Week, where you’ll find lots of postings on a cappella and other musical genres.

Jess Hill,  Artist Manager, Ikon Arts Management

Coordinator, London A Cappella Festival & London A Cappella International Summer School

www.ikonarts.com

www.londonacappella.com

 

 

Jess, you have worked for London-based artist management company Ikon Arts for quite a while now and as an Artist Manager, you work for all kinds of musicians. What makes working for a cappella singers special?

For me, it’s the shared passion. In addition to instrumentalists and coordinating the London A Cappella projects, I work with The Swingle Singers (I think you might have heard of them…!) and early music vocal ensemble Stile Antico, both of whom have full-time touring schedules. I love the contrast – it allows me to spend my time talking passionately about Clemens non Papa, Byrd, Bach, Debussy, The Beatles & Mumford & Sons– and that’s all in one breath!  

 

Which brings us to your “a cappella baby”, the London A Cappella Festival. Can you sum up why this project has become so dear to you?

It’s been such a treat to work on the London A Cappella Festival (LACF) over the last 4 years. This January we’re looking forward to the fifth LACF and it’s amazing to look back and see how it has grown. The reason it has become so much more than a job to me is the reaction, support and love it has received from the worldwide a cappella community – it just wouldn’t be the same without it. We’ve been blessed with being able to invite some of world’s top headliners each year – just this January we welcomed (along with our co-hosts The Swingle Singers) groups such as The King’s Singers, Rajaton, The Magnets, Postyr, Retrocity and that’s before we start talking about the workshop leaders. Now the challenge is to top that next year – don’t worry, we plan to!

 

Actually the LACF will soon have a sibling. The London A Cappella Summer School (LACISS) sounds like a really innovative project in music education. Tell us a more about what the London A Cappella team has in store for singers from all over the world in August 2014!

We’ve teamed up with Kings Place & The Swingle Singers to create what we’re calling ‘an unforgettable vocal experience in the heart of London’.  Kings Place is a stunning arts complex right in the centre of London and so the perfect place for a cappella singers and fans to come and learn from the world’s finest a cappella folks whilst having a brilliant summer holiday with like-minded people. All we need now is for the British weather to be on our side…

 

One of the great things about artist management is the aspect of internationality. Does this mean that you have to travel a lot?

It is certainly an appreciated perk of a predominantly office job in the arts! And an important one too as the more we get ‘out and about’, the more of a finger we have on the pulse of the industry. Very recent highlights have included travelling to Dubai with the lovely Swingle Singers. This is a new territory for the group and ‘classical’ (in the loosest sense) music concerts are a new artistic territory for Dubai so a really exciting time to be out there. Another recent highlight must certainly be heading to the America Cantat VII was held in Bogota, Columbia.

 

We would love to learn more about your recent trip to what the international choir community calls the summit of choral music. Was the ACDA National Conference in Dallas, Texas worth the trip?

‘Summit’ is a fair description! And very much worth the trip. What an experience to see and meet so many singers, music fans, industry experts, artists, agents and promoters all in once place and on such a large scale.  Even as we got on the plane from London to Texas it was evident that the trip was going to be a winner as we were joined by the likes of former King’s Singers Phil Lawson & Bob Chilcott, ex-Swingle Ben Parry and  composer Roxana Panufnik and of course my lovely colleague Nicola Semple (who was there representing The Songmen)

 

There are a lot of showcases and of course many, many interesting people to meet. What were your special ACDA moments?

Wow – I could go on for ever! I won’t, I promise. The conference was a choral melting pot and as such there were endless opportunities to meet up with old friends and get to know new artists and industry experts. 

 

Highlights include an epic service where over a thousand people myself included belted out Vaughan Williams’s ‘Let all the world in every corner sing’ backed by a symphony orchestra; meeting a cappella students and tutors from universities across America; watching the frenzy created by Eric Whitacre arriving in his aviators; double denim efforts and hugely popular flashmob performances of The Songmen; Nicola’s navigation of a seven lane highway in an automatic and tasting beers named wonderful things like ‘Moose Drool’ with The Songmen & Phil Lawson.

Now back in London, what’s on your desk, what are you looking forward in 2013?

Golly what a question – my ‘desk’ is certainly piled high…

In addition to planning the LACISS, working on the artists’ tours and projects for this year and beyond, this year is a particularly exciting one as we’re in the midst of The Swingle Singers’ 50^th Anniversary (as I’m sure you might have heard by now!). On my desk today is a touring project with Stile Antico, Carnegie UK Trust & harmonia mundi USA called ‘The Phoenix Rising’ and a project entitled ‘Michelangelo in Song’ performed by Sir John Tomlinson (what a voice!) and pianist David Owen Norris. Variety is certainly the name of the game at Ikon Arts. We’ve just had our annual LACF programming meeting where Costa (Director of Ikon Arts) and I sit down with the Swingles and brainstorm ideas for January’s festival. My job is to now go away and put together a festival so watch this space!

 

As they say, there’s no rest for the wicked….

 

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We are looking forward to staying in touch with you, Jess and the Ikon Arts team,

goodluck to you and to all your future projects – thanks for the interview!

 

 

 

by Florian Städtler and Aaron Jensen.

Aaron Jensen, artistic director of SING! – Toronto Vocal Arts Festival which ends today after four days of vocal extravaganca passed on Florian’s questions to some of the participants and organizers of the event. The answers show that SING! is one more fantastic celebration of the international vocal music community. Congrats to Aaron and his team. And if you haven’t been there – how about going to Toronto in 2014?

For those of you who were at SING! and those who answered the questionnaires below – comment on how the festival really went, if you met the people you planned to meet and what you liked most about Toronto’s vocal music highlight of the year. This is a rather long article, but I think the statements by those involved give a very good picture of how SING! inspired everybody.

—

Suba Sankaran, Age 39, singing with FreePlay Duo, Retrocity, Hampton Avenue, Sing! Singers, and leading the World Collaboration Concert, Canadian (with South Indian roots), Vocalist, arranger, director, collaborator

SING! is a big vocal music community event. What is your contribution to the festival and the community?

I will be contributing in a way that really speaks to my identity as a person and musician: everything from intimate solo singing in the World Concert, to vocal duo and live looping with FreePlay Duo, close harmony and contemporary jazz with Hampton Avenue, a cappella 80s with Retrocity, new works and arrangements with the Sing! Singers, and teaching, arranging and directing in various concerts as well. As far as the community is concerned, I get to use my personal and artistic toolkit while working with both community and professional groups and everything in between! It’s a great way to stretch the voice, ears, mind and body as the teaching and directing so often informs and inspires the performance side, and vice versa.

Who’s the person who you are really looking forward to meeting in Toronto – and why?

I’m looking forward to re-connecting with The Real Group and The Swingle Singers, with whom I’ve already had the pleasure of sharing the stage. The beauty of these sorts of festivals is that it gives us an opportunity to celebrate the voice – something we all have, and something that is unique to each of us – and share our musical cultures under one roof.

Why should vocal music fans from Canada, the US and from all over the world make their trip to SING! ?

It’s a one-stop shop for all things a cappella. The human voice is arguably the most powerful instrument and musical storyteller. With the Sing! Festival, you will hear music spanning several centuries and continents, in every possible style…not to mention the limitless possibilities of the voice!

 

—

Ilan Muskat, Countermeasure A Cappella, Canadian, 34, logistics coordinator.

SING! is a big vocal music community event. What is your contribution to the festival and the community?

I sing in Countermeasure, a 15-member Toronto a cappella group, and I assist in the organization of the festival with logistics.

Who’s the person who you are really looking forward to meeting in Toronto – and why?

I’m extremely excited to meet the members of The Real Group; I’ve been singing their music for more than fifteen years and it always delights me.

Why should vocal music fans from Canada, the US and from all over the world make their trip to SING! ?

A remarkable gathering of talents from within Toronto’s burgeoning choral and contemporary a cappella community is on display. And the international acts that are joining us are absolutely the best in the world. And much of it is free, and what isn’t is worth many times what you’ll pay. It is exposure to and education in singing at the highest level.

—

John-Michael Erlendson, BSc, MEng (General Manager SING!) is the co-founder of Countermeasure A Cappella, award-winning composer, recording artist and international performing artist, consulting engineer. Once deemed “the youngest professional songwriter in Canada” at age 11, J-M grew to becoming a key member of internationally-recognized collegiate a cappella groups Onoscatopoeia (the Hart House Jazz Choir at University of Toronto), Varsity Jews (University of Toronto), TBA (Tunes, Beats, Awesome), and his own New Resonance Choir (University of Toronto). He has toured throughout Europe, the UK, Canada and Asia as a singer/songwriter/instrumentalist for 16 years, and represented Canada as a “cultural ambassador” to major events in several foreign countries.

SING! is a big vocal music community event. What is your contribution to the festival and the community?

I am the general manager of SING! and Countermeasure, one of the groups performing at the festival.

Who’s the person who you are really looking forward to meeting in Toronto – and why?

I’m really looking forward to seeing CJ from the Swingle Singers, as I have a huge amount of respect for him as a singer, and really enjoy him as a person!

Why should vocal music fans from Canada, the US and from all over the world make their trip to SING!

SING! has become one of the premiere festivals for all levels of choristers and lovers of vocal music. Young music fans can take workshops with some of the best artists from around the world. Casual and up-and-coming singers can hear a wide variety of free and ticketed performances, as well as take unique professional workshops from top clinicians. Serious music lovers and professionals can hear some of the best music in the world through headline performances. All together, SING! has something for everyone, and vocal music fans should certainly make the trek to Toronto to experience 4 unforgettable days!

 

—

Daniel Galessiere, 39, Italian-Canadian, vocal performer at SING! with The Watch, Retrocty and the SING! ensemble

SING! is a big vocal music community event. What is your contribution to the festival and the community?

To me SING! is indeed that – a big vocal music community event – but it is so much more; it is an international vocal music, city-wide event.  While my contribution is one of being a vocal performer in the festival, I feel my contribution locally is raising awareness that a capella is alive and well in Toronto, and just as entertaining and enjoyable as any movie, play or concert around.  Raising awareness about local a capella groups and ensembles will hopefully foster an increased interest in watching these groups perform live, year-round.

Who’s the person who you are really looking forward to meeting in Toronto – and why?

It would be very special for me to meet The Real Group. Their musicianship and execution are outstanding.

Why should vocal music fans from Canada, the US and from all over the world make their trip to SING! ?

There are so many reasons:  Toronto is a must-see city; the festival is 80% free which makes it all about sharing great music; the line up of groups is second to none; as a professional the opportunity to network and make connections is invaluable; and on a personal level the friendships formed with other a capella lovers will last a lifetime!

 

—

Art Mullin, 36, Canadian, bass with Retrocity and The WatchSING! is a big vocal music community event. What is your contribution to the festival and the community?My contribution to SING! is singing!  I sing with two groups that are featured at the festival (Retrocity and The Watch), and I’m also singing backups or as part of a choir in a couple of other concerts. I’ve been spreading the word about the festival, so I suppose my community contribution is letting people know how much great vocal music will be happening in Toronto this weekend. Who’s the person who you are really looking forward to meeting in Toronto – and why? I’m looking forward to hearing The Real Group, and would love to meet them. They’re pretty stellar and I’d love to talk shop. Why should vocal music fans from Canada, the US and from all over the world make their trip to SING! ? SING! has put together a really eclectic mix of vocal music, rather than focussing on one genre. I think that must be why they use the term “vocal arts”, because their programming covers the gamut of what we can achieve with our voices.

—

Name: David Lee / Group: Countermeasure A Cappella / Age: 29 / Nationality: Korean-Canadian / Role at SING!: singer

SING! is a big vocal music community event. What is your contribution to the festival and the community?

I sing with Countermeasure, which is involved with several events. For me, the highlight will be opening for the Real Group on the Fridaynight performance,

Who’s the person who you are really looking forward to meeting in Toronto – and why?
I really look forward to meeting the Real Group from Sweden, whose CD “Unreal” was the first vocal jazz CD I’ve ever owned. I was 16 at the time, and it both introduced me to the world of vocal jazz music and inspired me to eventually end up in Countermeasure.

Why should vocal music fans from Canada, the US and from all over the world make their trip to SING! ?

Although many participants of SING! live in Toronto and its surrounding area, they have heritage from all over the world because Toronto is a famously multicultural city. So, everything in SING! is quite diverse — be it style of music, the singers, or the culture that they bring to the music they sing.
—

Gianna Antonacci, Countermeasure, performing at SING!

Why should vocal music fans from Canada, the US and from all over the world make their trip to SING! ?
A love of vocal music is palpable throughout the weekend at SING! The Toronto acappella community creates a welcoming atmosphere where music students, enthusiasts, and professionals connect and learn from each other. To both have the opportunity to see groups like The Swingle Singers and The Real Group perform and also workshop with them in a small group environment is outstanding!
—

My name is Hayley Preziosi. I sing with Countermeasure A Cappella, I am also a private vocal teacher. I’m 27, Canadian, and I will be performing, volunteering, and taking part in workshops at Sing! This year.

SING! is a big vocal music community event. What is your contribution to the festival and the community?

I am a member of Countermeasure A Cappella, and we will be performing at various concerts throughout the weekend. I am also a vocal teacher and performer, and I look forward to learning and growing as a musician at as many workshops as I’m able to attend throughout the weekend.

Who’s the person who you are really looking forward to meeting in Toronto – and why?

The Real Group and The Swingle Singers – I grew up idolizing these groups in my high school vocal jazz ensembles. These groups represent the goal we all strive for in a cappella in terms of precision, style, blend & performance and to meet and learn from these singers is a priceless opportunity.

Why should vocal music fans from Canada, the US and from all over the world make their trip to SING! ?

If you want to be entertained, you should come. I guarantee you will be opened up to a new musical style or performance you didn’t know was possible without instruments.

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Dylan Bell. For groups, see below. Canadian. Age: 41.

SING! is a big vocal music community event. What is my contribution to the festival and the community?

I’m all over this thing, doing ten events with five different ensembles: The Watch (TTBB 4tet), Hampton Avenue (6-part vocal jazz), FreePlay Duo (duo with live looping), Retrocity (80s pop), and the SING! Singers (the a cappella “backup band” for some shows). Plus, I’m doing workshops with Aaron Jensen, and my own workshop on a cappella arranging, with (hopefully) a book-signing session for my book of the same name.

Who’s the person who you are really looking forward to meeting in Toronto – and why?

That’s a tough one. The folks in the “international” groups (the Swingle Singers and the Real Group) have become friends over the years, so I’m always happy to see them again. But the person I’m most excited to see is probably my dear friend Kevin Fox, my former partner in Cadence and my friend of over 20 years.

Why should vocal music fans from Canada, the US and from all over the world make their trip to SING! ?

Well, it’s always exciting to get international-calibre groups from Europe over to North America. But Toronto has an amazing wealth of a cappella talent, and it deserves to be seen by the whole world. Toronto’s vocal scene is a very fertile: this is where Wibi, Cadence, Retrocity and The Watch all came from. Most importantly, it’s a big family, and we invite the world to become a part of it.

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Aaron Jensen, Artistic Director SING!, 30 years old, Canadian, Musical Director of Countermeasure, Singer with Retrocity, The Watch, & the SING! Singers

SING! is a big vocal music community event. What is my contribution to the festival and the community?

I am the Artistic Director of SING! The Toronto Vocal Arts Festival, and have done much of the programming of the 100 events featured at SING! this year.

Who’s the person who you are really looking forward to meeting in Toronto – and why?

So many of the performers at this festival are deal friends (both the local groups, and the international ones.) I am really looking forward to working with the choirs (The Elmer Iseler Singers, The Elora Festival Singers, and Cawthra Park Chamber Choir), all of the world ensembles, and of course to my new friends, the Real Group.

Why should vocal music fans from Canada, the US and from all over the world make their trip to SING! ?

SING! is unique in its breadth. We offer an exhaustive schedule of concerts, workshops, collaborations, and interactive events, and more than just presenting artists singing their usual repertoire, we have programmed some exciting concert events that audiences would never see elsewhere: NFB Sings! Concert where classic Canadian short films are paired with vocal artists, World Collaborations Concert which interweaves vocal traditions from Mongolia, Spain, South Africa, Georgia and South India, and a New Works Concert that features new choral settings of poems from every province and territory of Canada. Unlike many other vocal festivals, SING! truly casts the net wide, and showcases artists from every vocal style and tradition including: classical choirs, vocal jazzers, world ensembles, live-looping artists, pop vocal bands, barbershop quartets, collegiate gleeclubbers, folk groups, vocal improv collectives, and even a cappella comedy troupes.

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Questions and editing by Florian Städtler, Vocal Blog. See you in Toronto 2014!

 

 

 

via Jouni Kannisto, Club for Five

Finnish vocal band Club For Five is making some radio history in Finland. Since April 8th, the biggest commercial radio station “Radio Suomipop” bas been using all vocal theme music and soundscape by Club For Five in its morning program. The show “Aamulypsy” (trans. Morning Milking) is by far the most popular morning program in Finland airing daily from 6 to 10 am, so this is quite unusual and noticeable exposure for a cappella music in the country.

Since the style of the show is rather unruly and funny to begin with, Club For Five was naturally also encouraged by the station to go a little “overboard”. The band composed and produced a set of quite insane sounding comical farm/western themed music and animal noises and other sound effects for the show. Club For Five had such a blast in the studio that they decided to make a little Making of Video. It’s comprised by studio footage and some of the all vocal theme music companied by “a little out of the ordinary” use of the human voice…

The Making Of Video:

The radio program’s page, listen to the all vocal theme music:
http://www.radiosuomipop.fi/ohjelmat2/aamulypsy—klo-6-10

Morning Milking Teaser – audio sample featuring “Finnish cattle”:
https://soundcloud.com/club-for-five/the-teaser

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If you want to find more about Club For Five, go to their website or like them on Facebook. Unfortunately we haven’t received their cds etc. at Acappellazone, maybe you could drop the occasional line on their social media to join the platform and make it easier for people around Europe to one-stop a cappella shop… [FSt]