Summer Reflection
What a Year!
Taking some time off of teaching and facilitating this August to be with friends and facility, rest, spend time outdoors and sing has been incredibly rejuvenating.
What a year and half this has been!
Confined to my home, I put my love for teaching singing into creating the online group classes EuSing! and YourVoice (pop/rock/R&B group classes). I also collaborated with my wonderful Music for People colleagues Mary Knysh (USA) and Clíodhna Ní Aodáin (Ireland/Switzerland) to create Fill Your Home With Music, online facilitated improvisation jams that brought musicians from all around the world together to partake in a sound adventure.
I was also a part of the Music for People team adapting The Art of Improvisation, Adventures in Improvisation and the Musicianship Leadership Program to an online format. Our community has grown in ways we never imagined possible.
I spent July as a full-time student taking five graduate level courses online with the University of Shenandoah’s renowned “CCM Vocal Pedagogy Institute” where I learned about Bridging classical and CCM (Commercial Contemporary Music) singing styles, the history and performance practices of Black American Music, recent research on voice care for the Vocal athlete, Training Original Artists, and Teaching Pop/Rock Styles. I have been belting and wailing my little heart out, and listening to tons of new music.
I’m feeling a renewed sense of excitement and can't wait to start teaching and facilitating again!
On a final note - I recently joined a wonderful series of online dance classes! I've been dancings and singing my heart out online with people from all around the world. The topper was last Sunday when I danced in the forest with my local fellow GROOVERS! Check out Diane Dupuis' online and Forest Groove classes!
Stay tuned! More blogs to follow!
Happy Summer!
Irene