Classes and workshops in June and July 2020!
Summer Greetings. I hope that this newsletter finds you healthy and safe. If you are on the front lines, whether on a check-out stand or an ER room or anywhere in between, my heartfelt thanks. If you or your loved ones or friends have been stricken by or lost to this pandemic, my heart goes out to you. If you are standing up for Black Lives Matter, hats off. If you are working to expand safe and inclusive voting and/or just and compassionate government, big shout out to you.
Like many of us, I continue to what I can to build resiliency and a better future on as many fronts as possible, as we journey through the unknown together. On the music front, here’s what’s coming up: a trio of review/jam Bridge the Gap classes focusing on tunes from my recently completed 2020 Spring Quebec Session Class, and (starting July 26), a 2020 Summer Quebec Session class. I invite you to join me in making the rafters (safely) ring across the nation and around the world, pandemic be damned!
July 13-15 Bridge the Gap: Quebec Spring Session Review and Jam. From mid-March through mid-June, I led a series of six two-hour Zoom workshops focusing on style in Québécois fiddle music. The idea was to look deeply into tunes from different regions, celebrating the beautiful details of bowing and ornamentation which give them lift and a distinctive sound. Over 80 participants from three continents took this bilingual workshop (French and English) and, by popular demand, I’ll be doing another series starting July 26 (see below for details). MEANWHILE!
I’m offering a series of three one-hour review/jam sessions from 5-6pm PST (8-9pm EST/20h à 21h, l’heure de l’Est) on July 13, 14, and 15 to review the twelve tunes which were explored during my 2020 Quebec Spring Session Zoom Class. Each one-hour session will focus on four tunes (see individual class dates for the specific tunes). These classes will be conducted in English, with French-language translations if our group includes francophones.
Please note: If you did NOT take the 2020 Quebec Spring Session Class, you are still welcome to register for any of these sessions, but be aware that I will NOT be teaching these tunes, but rather reviewing them. You will receive dance-speed recordings and sheet music for the tunes which will be reviewed in the session(s) you register a few days before the actual session. These tunes vary in complexity; you definitely want to be an advanced or intermediate/advanced player in order to be able to jump in and play along.
We’ll spend about 15 minutes per tune, starting with a 3-4 play-throughs at warm-up speed, followed by a Q&A check-in, in case you have questions about specifics, and then another 8 or so play-throughs, building tempo as we go. If there’s extra time at the end of the session, we’ll do some jam session favorites!
TUITION OPTIONS. Each workshop is $15.76. You can sign up for one, two or all three–whatever works for you. At this price, you can take all three workshops for less than $48. I’m also including two other options so that our community can support each other through this pandemic, and so you can do what works best for your schedule, musical interests, and budget. Pre-registration is required, so sign up today!
July 26- Oct. 4: 2020 Summer Quebec Session Class., Aug. 9, Aug. 23, Sept. 6, Sept. 20, Oct. 4.
The Summer 2020 Québec-Acadie Session Class is a six-session group Zoom class for intermediate/advanced players who love (!) playing Québécois and Acadian dance music and want more pizazz, detail, and stylistic authenticity in their music. Each class will explore two tunes from Québec or Acadie, delving deeply into the details of ornamentation, bowing, swing, variations, etc., to add sparkle and joie de vivre to your playing! 12 tunes in all! All melody instruments welcome!
Each of the six Zoom classes will be recorded and made available to class members who can’t make the scheduled meeting times. In addition, each class is supplemented by a Google folder with materials about the two tunes explored in that class, including source recordings, learning recordings, sheet music, biographical backgrounds of the folks whose versions we are learning; tune histories, photos, additional related video and links when available–yowza!
These classes will be conducted primarily in English, with supplementary French-language explanations along the way if francophone participants sign up!
SCHEDULE: The six group class sessions meet via ZOOM every other Sunday from 10am-12pm Pacific Standard Time (= 1-3pm Eastern Standard Time). Here are the class dates: July 26, August 9 and 23, September 6 and 20, and October 4.
TUITION OPTIONS. I’m offering a bunch of options so that our community can support each other through this pandemic, and so you can do what works best for your schedule, musical interests, and budget:
- If money is really tight, no worries! There’s a $0-to-whatever sliding scale Pay What You Can option–use it!
- If you have enough money to pay your registration AND help pay it forward for someone who can’t, buy your subscription with the Regular Tuition button and then add a donation with the Pay it Forward donation button.
- Otherwise, just use the Regular Tuition Options button to sign up.
- AND! I’m offering a special discount class/private lesson combo: Attend the class-and-folder option for only $100 when you also sign up for four consecutive 30-minute weekly Skype, Zoom, or Facetime private lessons, with a hefty discount: $40 per 30-min. lesson: total = $260 (30-min. lessons are normally $50).
October 2014: Quebec Concerts,
Class Description: Have you been learning your instrument for a while, sweating over those same tunes over and over in your room alone, and wishing for a way to get out and play with others? Have you ever heard a fiddler and a banjo player together with such drive, groove, and joy that you couldn’t keep from smiling and tapping your toe? Have you wished you could find a fiddler or banjo player to play with? Here’s your chance! Come experience the pleasure of creating conversation between fiddle and banjo. Learn from two master players who are also supportive, enthusiastic teachers. Leela Grace and Lisa Ornstein find great joy in sharing the mysteries and magic of old time music with anyone who wants to play! Meet other musicians who are interested in making music together! Participants will have access to mp3s of the tunes before the first weekend. The two-weekend workshop will focus on the basics of duet playing, on demonstration of techniques and tunes, separate fiddle and banjo instruction, and chances to play in smaller fiddle/banjo ensembles and try out the new music, with Leela and Lisa dropping in to visit and help as needed. Do not miss this rare opportunity!