Programs
Brendan in California!
Singing Weekend in Northumbria
Spring Singing Weekend in Vermont
Summer Singing Week in Languedoc, France
One-Day Workshops
Our harmony singing camps are a week long, and testament to the extraordinary things ordinary people can achieve when they come together. We spend 6 to 7 hours singing each day, with the three leaders taking turns to present material. Each leader brings their own focus and expertise, making the musical blend of each camp unique. Through the week we learn and refine repertoire, usually building towards a concert at the end of the camp.
In addition to all the singing, there is time during the week to walk and play and explore. We incorporate dancing into the daily schedule, and often find opportunities to dance in the local community. One evening during the week we put on a cabaret, where everyone is encouraged to share music and comedy and fun.
Our weekend retreats begin on Friday with dinner and run through Sunday lunch. We sing for two hours on Friday evening, about 8 on Saturday, and another two hours on Sunday.
The retreat centers we use provide healthy food and welcoming spaces. Food is usually vegetarian and sleeping spaces shared. The centers ask that we help to clean up after the meal. Sharing food, space and work adds to the sense of community that we create during our time together. If you have any special dietary needs or restrictions, please let us know so that we can accommodate you.
Our one-day singing workshops run from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Saturdays, with an hour-long break for lunch at 1:00 p.m. These shorter opportunities allow us to come together for some singing and to focus on the repertoire of one or two leaders.
Please visit us at facebook, where we have pictures of past programs.
Brendan in California!
Saturday and Sunday, January 7—8, 2012
in Santa Cruz
Join Brendan on his first singing trip in California as he shares traditional American songs (gospel, bluegrass, original shape note songs) and makwayera songs from Zimbabwe.
The workshops will be held at the home of Irene Herrmann at 220 Spring Street, Santa Cruz, CA: 10:30 a.m.—4:30 p.m. each day / lunch not provided. The cost is $45 for one day / $80 for both. The American material will encompass songs from the early gospel quartet tradition, bluegrass and Carter family standards, and original shape-note compositions. The Zimbabwean songs come from Brendan's 2011 work with choirs there: these songs range from church choruses to exhortations on the importance of education to folk songs about a bachelor's hapless attempts to impress the girls. Some have mbira accompaniment, some are sung acapella: all are a joy to sing. The common thread between these two themes is that both are participatory, community-based traditions: songs that draw people together around the world.
To reserve your space, please fill out a registration form.
Singing Weekend in Northumbria
24—26 February, 2012
with Ali Burns and Brendan Taaffe
at Shepherds Dene, Hexham, Northumbria
Join us for a weekend of luscious harmony and community at a peaceful estate in the wilds of Northumbria. Good friends and a great team, Brendan and Ali will share original compositions, traditional American harmony (gospel, bluegrass) and Zimbabwean songs. Ali is a singer's dream: amazing songs, clear teaching, and always a quest for bringing you into the heart of the music. Brendan is warm and charismatic, and a popular singing leader on his annual trip to the UK.
The cost of the weekend is £155, including room and board. Day visitors are welcome for £80: Saturday only for £40. To register, please visit www.aliburns.co.uk or e-mail info@aliburns.co.uk
Spring Singing Weekend in Vermont
March 23—25, 2012
with Luke Hoffman, Eva Salina Primack, and Brendan Taaffe
at Hulbert Outdoor Center, Fairlee, Vermont
Join three dynamic young singing leaders for a weekend that will span traditions from Balkan songs to gospel quartets to Zimbabwean church choruses to original shape note compositions. Luke Hoffman, performing currently with Northern Harmony and the Washed Up Beulah Band, has a rising reputation as a singing teacher who specializes in the Jubilee quartet tradition of the 1930’s and ‘40’s, music known for its rich vocal textures, syncopated rhythms, and train whistle harmonies. Eva Salina Primack, a Santa Cruz, CA native, is one of the preeminent singers and teachers of Balkan vocal music in the United States. As a teacher, Eva is skillful, demanding, playful, and generous. In February and March of 2011, Brendan Taaffe spent a month in Zimbabwe working with local makwayera style choirs to document their repertoire. Makwayera style singing blends traditional African techniques (call and response, thick rhythmic layers, syncopation) with Western four-part harmony, giving us something rich and unique. In addition to these songs, Brendan will also be sharing some of his original compositions, recently recorded by The Bright Wings Chorus.
The Hulbert Outdoor Center, on the shore of Lake Morey in Fairlee, Vermont, is a well-run retreat center in a beautiful spot. Cabins are warm and comfortable, the food healthy and satisfying, and there are nice walks (mud permitting) through the woods. This is a weekend not to be missed.
The price of the weekend is $285: commuters are welcome for $185. Room and board is included in the price: the cost of travel is not. To reserve your space, please send a deposit of $50 to Turtle Dove and fill out a registration form. Limited financial aid is available. We don’t wish for anyone to be turned away because of financial reasons, but are a self-supporting organization.
Summer Singing Week in Languedoc, France
August 11—18, 2012
With John Harrison, Brendan Taaffe, and local singers including Aimé Brees, Regis LeRoy, and Karine Berry.
At La Maison Verte, Roujan, Languedoc.
Spend a week with us at a converted winemaker's chatêau in Roujan, a charming village in the Languedoc. We'll sing in a converted barn, have the option of yoga classes in the morning, savor lazy afternoons after lunch by the saltwater pool and orange trees in the garden, and enjoy the quirky and comfortable rooms of the rambling 19th century mansion. (If you've done Turtle Dove programs in hostels, this will feel very grown-up.) With John and Brendan, we'll dig deep into the riches of American harmony. Expect high-energy gospel, original compositions, bluegrass quartets and more. In addition, we will spend a number of afternoon sessions with local singers. These singers will mostly present traditional songs in Occitan, an old language that was supplanted by court French but which still holds on in Languedoc and Provence. The language sounds similar to Catalan, and the songs have been a way for these people to hold on to their culture. Karine, one of the singers we hope to be working with, is a member of a group called La Mal Coiffée. Search for them on youtube to get an idea of what these songs sound like. In addition to Occitan songs with Aimé and Karine, we'll have an opportunity to work on some vocal jazz—mostly swing and bossa nova—with Regis. And if all those riches weren't enough, Scottie Harrison will offer yoga classes in the morning.
La Maison Verte is a beautiful 19th century wine-maker's mansion in the village of Roujan, not far from Béziers. There are a number of airports nearby (Béziers, Montpellier, Carcassone, Nêmes, and Perpignan). Please contact us with any questions about travel. You can also visit their website at: www.lamaisonverte.co.uk
The cost of the week, including room and board, is €825/ $1100. If you wish to guarantee yourself a single room, you can do so for €950/ $1300.
To reserve your space, please send a deposit of €150 / $150 and fill out a registration form.
One-Day Workshops
Singing Workshop with Brendan Taaffe and Margery McCrum
Sun. May 27 at the Putney Cares Barn
Kimball Hill, Putney, VT
1:00—5:00 p.m. • $30/ $20 low income
e-mail sing@turtledoveharmony.org to register
New Works/ Healthy Voices
Join us for an afternoon of singing newly composed pieces by Brendan Taaffe and working with Margery McCrum on healthy vocal technique to discover new resonance in your singing voice. The workshop is open to singers of all experience levels: pre-registration is necessary.
Rooted in American traditions, Brendan's compositions have been performed by the River Singers, the Onion River Chorus, Northern Harmony, and the Amidon family as well as by choirs throughout the UK and New Zealand. About Wester Caputh, performed recently by the River Singers in Grafton, one person wrote, "I might need to listen to that song daily. There is so much hope and joy and certainty in that tune." You can listen to a sample of it here.
His recent work is exploring new territory, bringing in more modern (and some original) texts and incorporating musical ideas from a recent sojourn in Zimbabwe. This workshop will be a chance to participate in bringing these new songs to life.
Margery McCrum teaches voice at the Brattleboro Music Center and runs a private studio locally. Grounded in the bel canto tradition, Margery combines a thorough technical understanding of vocal production with an interest in discovering the full potential of each voice. She works with a holistic approach to integrate all aspects of health - physical, emotional and spiritual - in freeing one's voice.
To register, you can send your fee (checks to "Turtle Dove") to Turtle Dove at 118 Prospect St. #2, Brattleboro, VT 05301. For more information, please e-mail sing@turtledoveharmony.org or call Brendan at (802) 770-0857.
© Brendan Taaffe, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012.