abcd Convention 2013

This year's abcd Convention was held at Brookes University, Oxford over the weekend of 23rd-25th August. This is an account of my Convention.

Friday 23rd August

Come and Sing with John Rutter

All Saints Parish Church. John Rutter was his usual self in a two hour sing through of several pieces. Not much of it was new to me. His Amazing Grace and The Gift of Music I have workshopped with him before. The Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves and Who is Sylvia (Shearing) I have done myself. Two of the three songs from Friday Afternoons I already knew and Feel the spirit has appeared at Convention before. The only pieces that were new to me were A good night  by Richard Rodney Bennet and Rutter's own arrangement of Skylark. One of the highlights of the evening was the solo singing of Melanie Marshall who sang in Skylark and Feel the spirit. It was a very enjoyable session and got the voice going again after a long lay off and before Germany. 

Saturday, 24th August

Friday Afternoons

This session, led by Dominic Peckham, was designed to encourage delegates to join in Aldeburgh Music's project to get as many young people involved in some sort of performance of Friday Afternoons on 22nd November, Benjamin Britten's birthday.

It surprised me to discover that we were encouraged to be creative with the songs using beatboxing and improvisation. A very practical, informative session and a lot of fun. Dominic referred to the work of Stephen Leek, Australian composer and Bobby McFerrrin. All resources, including free downloads of the sheet music available from Aldeburgh Music

Working with young singers

Ben Parry, Therees Hibbard and Jo McNally. This session was a talking shop as Ben and Therees talked about their work with the National Youth Choir and the Oregon Bach Festival and Jo about her work with very young school children in London. Whilst very informative and interesting I was disappointed that there was very little in the way of practical use that could be taken away and used. The three key statements for me were:

Choral directors have to build their instrument before they play it   

Preparation is everything. 

Body, breath, voice  warm up sequence.

Repertoire session SATB

A lot of music very well led by David Lawrence. There was sufficient music in this one session for it to have been spread across two. Several of the pieces would have been better served by devoting slightly more time to them and one piece was done more harm than good by not having enough time to get some accuracy in the sing through. I did get several good ideas for repertoire form it though.

Intermediate conducting Masterclass

Led by Nicholas Cleobury with the University of Nebraska Chamber Singers. Three female conductors were schooled on the following pieces:

Beati quorum Stanford

The Lamb Tavener

Drop slow tears Walton

Nicholas was quite pernickety with the conductors focussing especially on gesture and fine detail often stopping them after just one or two beats.  Although he was fussy he wasn't critical of the conductor's basic technique or interpretation and made them feel at ease. The choir were very good.

Building choirs, practical marketing

Gillian Dibden, Gretchen Kurhmann, Tim Sharp and Mike Sheppard each gave a brief presentation keeping very well to their appointed time although it was a bit rushed at times.

Mike Sheppard

Building a community:

Use Social Media - it is time consuming and frustrating but used correctly a most useful tool.

Facebook, Twitter and a YouTube channel recommended.

Join all social media up along with a web site to create an on-line community.

Use crowd funding - Indiegogo, Kickstarter recommended sites

He also recommended the following book:

How to create a successful music ensemble - Patrick Gazard

Gillian Dibden

As someone who has started successful groups she gave the following bullet points:

• Be successful by reputation
• Member recommends member
• Regular open rehearsals
• Share concerts with other groups
• Update website frequently 
• Publicise in schools, libraries, local press, music retailers
• Advertise even if there is no point
• Move with the times
• Feel good factor is important

 Gretchen Kurhmann

The first thing they hear is how you look

Tim Sharp

Ruthless about change

• Community
• Contemporary music
• Cost-cutting and fund-raising

Choirs for seniors, complaint choirs, bicycle choir, lawyers chorus, prison choirs, open voices, hospice choirs

Concert at the Sheldonian 

NYCGB Girls' Choir

176 girls aged 10-14. A big sound with clear diction and some very bright vowels. Sang most of the Britten Ceremony of Carols very well and with impressive control from such a big group. A bit of Monteverdi, Pulchra es, also very impressive. Three small pieces of lighter nature very entertaining.

University of Nebraska Chamber Singers

Began by making an entrance with Navajo Prayer then seamlessly went into O quam gloriosum and The spheres from sunrise mass (Gjeilo). Bogoroditse Devo followed and a lively My soul's been anchored in The Lord and a couple of American pieces. Very good choir singing from memory and responding to Therees' expressive conducting. A bit soprano light occasionally and the conducting distracted once or twice.

Commotio

All modern programme, none of which I'd heard before. Not ever so keen on As kingfishers catch fire or I hear the rain but the Bob Chilcott In a golden world, written for Len and Mavis and the Britten movements from Sacred and Profane were very good.

Voces8

Absolutely brilliant. The first time I have heard them live and was bowled over. Very professional, skillful, well presented and entertaining. 

Sunday, 25th August

A.G.M.

It has been a good year financially.
Forum

Martin Ashley is reviewing our training set up with theaim to make abcd the organisation of choice for teacher training. 

There are plans for an Open Forum Day.
The financial situation is such that another member of staff will be sought.

Regional meetings did not happen at this convention -  lets have them back please

There was a discussion about abcd Awards.

Voces8

This group is really good. In this session the Voces8 method of education and outreach was explained. Beginning with a warm up exercise that started with chanting numbers and ending with a four part jazz sequence with body percussion they outlined the methods used in all abilities and ages workshops. The Voces8 brand now has a number of books, a second ensemble (Apollo5) and a London venue. It has a clear philosophy of music for all and as a basis for a complete education. It was described as a pyramid with the workshops at the bottom and ending with the eight professional voices. In the middle was a good exercise for tuning and they ended with a performance of Fever and the world premier of a piece by Michael Sheppard.

Let your body sing

Therees Hibbard led this session with the assistance of the University of Nebraska Chamber Singers. I have experienced Therees' work before and I am a fan of her philosophy and approach while accepting that I am unlikely to use much of it. There were two things about this session that were of note. Firstly the skill and professionalism of Therees' delivery and secondly that the use of technology for accompaniment needs a second person, as a piano does. This physical approach to singing is fantastic for young people, especially if you have extended time with them.   To incorporate into the traditional approach of adult choirs requires a lot of flexibility (in all of its meanings). It was a superb session but I fear that for most of the delegates it was an entertaining side show and not much of it will appear their work.