Wednesday, July 9 – Sunday, July 13

Light on the Hill Retreat Center

Van Etten, New York

Leaders: Carol McAmis and Stephen Paparo

We build upon traditional practices with new information from neuroscience, motor learning theory, and cymatics, as well as other fields, and its application to teaching and learning. The workshop offers a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in a serene and supportive environment while transforming your notion of what it means to sing and how to teach singing. You will explore the essential skills for singing through several full-length Awareness Through Movement® lessons of the Feldenkrais Method® as well as many other shorter explorations that can be easily incorporated into practice sessions, lessons, or choral rehearsals to build technical and artistic skills in an engaging and pleasurable way. Teachers and conductors will have an opportunity to work with individuals or small groups to build confidence using these new techniques. Throughout the workshop, there will be numerous opportunities for group and solo singing. We invite you to bring a solo song to sing – anything from “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” to opera arias and all styles in between is music to our ears. We look forward to sharing this special time with you!

Tuition Cost: $400

Option 1: Housing and Meals: $365 (includes 4 nights lodging and 11 meals)

Option 2: Commuter fee: $225 (includes facility fee and 11 meals)

A $100 deposit may be paid in-advance to reserve your place; the remainder of the balance must be paid in full by the start of the workshop on 7/9.

To register and for more complete information, click here.

Leader Carol McAmis says this about the 2013 workshop: Several participants felt that it was a life-changing experience for them last summer. It’s really what I would call a learning retreat–a time outside of the relentless busyness of life for reconnecting to your self through music, learning, and the body–a “singer spa”, if you will.

 

Leaders

Soprano Carol McAmis has been a member of the Ithaca College voice faculty since 1979.  She holds Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from University of Kansas.  A Guild Certified Practitioner of the Feldenkrais Method® of Somatic Education, Professor McAmis is a pioneer in the field of holistic voice training. She has presented workshops on using the Feldenkrais Method in the voice studio both nationally and internationally. Her special area of interest is the living body as a musical instrument and developing the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual skills for artistic performance. For a full bio, click here.

Stephen A. Paparo in Assistant Professor of Music Education at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where he teaches undergraduate and graduate courses and conducts the University Chorale. Paparo holds degrees from Michigan State University (Ph.D.), Syracuse University (M.M.), and Ithaca College (B.M.), and specializes in choral music education. He is a Guild Certified Practitioner of the Feldenkrais Method® of Somatic Education and incorporates this body awareness technique in choral rehearsals to develop healthy and resonant singing. For a full bio, click here.