COLLA VOCE singing workshop
for singers of all styles and levels
July 2-27, 2010

Set on the beautiful Mediterranean coast, an intensive 3 week workshop PLUS a terrific little tourism package: 2 days in Rome, 2 days in Perugia, and day trips to Florence, Pisa and the Tuscan wine growing region.

Experience life in a small Tuscan coastal town
See some of the most legendary places in Italy
Take part in Italy’s coolest music fest, Umbria Jazz
Study with teachers you will love
Enjoy the rare opportunity to work with live music
Create with dancers and musicians to shape a final show

A BIT ABOUT HOW WE WILL LIVE: This program has been created to give you an opportunity to experience Italian summer life in a small seaside town. After our initial stint in Rome, we will settle into the lovely Tuscan village of Caletta di Castiglioncello.

This year we have two options for lodgings: shared apartments, in which you will cook for yourself and really get to interact with the people around you, and a hotel very near the ocean with a meal plan. In either case, we hope you discover la bella vita -- the beautiful life in which we slow down and take time to enjoy a place, its food, its art... and each other.

A FEW WORDS ON THE TOURISM PORTION: It’s ridiculous to come to Italy and not see Italy, so we’ve built a “best of Italy” tourism package* into the program:

-2 nights in The Eternal City of Rome
-A weekend in Perugia (Umbria Jazz Fest)
-A day trip to to Florence
-An afternoon in Pisa
-A wine tasting in the heart of the Tuscan wine growing region + lunch in Medieval Bolgheri

MORE ON THE WORKSHOP:
THIS COURSE IS DESIGNED FOR singers of all styles wanting to open the doors to their creative, expressive and technical potential. If you are seeking to discover and develop your voice from all perspectives -- physical, emotional and psychological -- this program is for you.

THE DAILY ROUTINE will run from 9am to 3pm plus personal rehearsal time and private lessons until 4.45pm*.

THE WORKSHOP WILL CONCLUDE with a showing created by the instructors and students. Students are encouraged to create, collaborate and contribute.

THE INTENSIVE THREE WEEKS OF WORKSHOP will focus on MUSICAL SKILLS, TECHNIQUE and PERFORMANCE. The fundamental goal is to help students create a personal approach that is healthy, honest, and filled with ease and freedom.

MUSICAL SKILLS: music fundamentals, sight reading, ear training, understanding and writing charts, customizing a song (how to choose the right key and make cuts), working with musicians.

TECHNIQUE will be developed in several areas:

• Physical aspects of vocal production: range, resonance, placement, power, dexterity, precision, use of the breath, etc... The usual things.
• Expressive aspects within your chosen style: diction, phrasing, colour, texture, placement, use of vibrato, etc.; isolating and eliminating limitations. We will work with pieces you bring and also set things on you in order to push your edges.
• Choral skills: harmonizing, listening, blending, diction and vocal production in a group context, choral repertory covering a wide variety of styles
• Improv work: Develop confidence. Uncover new ways of looking at musicality. Find new sources of inspiration. Open the doors to creativity. Enjoy the very cool opportunity to work with other disciplines. Musicians, dancers and singers will come together for improv exercises that are mind-opening, skill-building and a lot of fun -- and an aspect that students love.

PERFORMANCE skills will be honed through one-on-one sessions, in group and master classes, through lectures and in rehearsals for our final showing.

One-on-one sessions: Basically, we will meet you where you’re at. Work in private with an instructor on whatever is important to you.

Group and master classes will focus on such things as:

• Song interpretation - emotionally connecting a song to yourself, stylistically making a song your own, and enlivening delivery of a song using theatrical approaches to text.
• Movement for singers - energizing the body to prepare for the day’s work, bringing awareness to the body to inform the voice, understanding the link between body and mind
• The artist onstage - being powerful but at ease, exciting to watch, and in tune with our creative impulses

Lectures will cover a range of topics from Somatic Psychology to how to put together a cabaret.

Rehearsals during the workshop will deal with the creative process and working with artists from other disciplines. Post-workshop we will have two rehearsal days in which to experience a full-on, real-world preparation for the showing.

FACULTY: As well as having the keen ability to improve you as a singer/performer, you will find our teachers to have generosity of spirit and a fun teaching style. The faculty is led by Richard Link (London), with Sharon Richardson (Canada) and Michelle Contrino (USA) contributing in the areas of movement for singers, song interpretation and choreography. Additional instructors to be added depending on the number of participants.

MINIMUM AGE: 17 (16 year olds accepted on a case by case basis)
EXPERIENCE: Some background beneficial; all styles welcome
DEADLINE: Extended -- a few spaces remain (please inquire, info@labellavitaarts.com)
AUDITIONS: Your audition can be one or two tunes, solo or with other musicians, up to 5 minutes in total length. Jazz vocalists should sing once through the form and add a scatting pass. You may email audio files to admin@labellavitaarts.com. If submitting a CD or DVD we will provide the mailing address after your app is received.

TUITION: $2,890 (US or CAD) Shared apartment lodgings for students over 18 HOTEL/MEAL PLAN: additional 795 euro A cheery, small hotel near the sea and the workshop site. Breakfast and dinner provided. Required for students under 18. See pdf for full details. MEAL PLAN, ROME: additional 60 euro We'll take you to dinner our first two nights and teach you about the food and the Italian dining experience. See pdf for full details. CELL PHONE ON LOAN: additional 50 euro The tuition covers: -Three week workshop featuring live music -Final showing and wrap up dinner party -Accommodations from July 2-27 -2 days in Rome -2 days in Perugia (for Umbria Jazz) -Day trip to Florence -Afternoon in Pisa -Wine tasting and lunch in Bolgheri -Transport for all scheduled events -Full cultural and locale orientations -Guided tours in Rome, Pisa and Florence -Staff available 24/7 The tuition does NOT cover: -Flight or transfers upon arrival or departure** -Gallery/museum entry fees or concert tickets -Meals; Sheets, towels or kitchen linens -Overnight guests*** If you have purchased the Hotel/Meal Plan, meals as specified and sheet/towels (daily maid svc) are provided. *All program events, schedules, faculty and lodgings are subject to change. Faculty substitutions will be of comparable qualifications, skill and reputation. If events must be modified, we will make every effort to substitute an experience of equal type, significance and value. In the event of a train strike or other occurrence that forces us to remain in a excursion city beyond the planned duration, students are responsible for the cost of any extra overnight lodgings. **Our orientation (mandatory) in Rome is at 6pm on July 2. See the GETTING THERE section for details. Departure time is by 12 noon on Tues, July 27. ***All overnight guests (friends/family) in the apartments must be prearranged and there is a cost of 25 euros per night due in cash upon arrival.