AFROPEAN POLYPHONY SUMMER WORKSHOP

ANITA MAHDIA DAULNE (vocal class)

HEARN GADBOIS (rhythm exercises)

Slavonice, August 16 - 22

Anita Mahdia Daulne returns to the Czech Republic after her Voicescape-organized workshop of November 2007 which was a great experience to its participants.

SINGING AFRICAN POLYPHONY

In the Lingala language, "Mayaka" means "pearl necklace". Each participants‛ voice will become a pearl in a necklace contributing its unique significance to a whole in which the voices intertwine and unite. A play of voices, sounds, hisses, whistling and swinging rhythms will create a bridge connecting the African musical feeling based on everyday life in nature and the urban experience of Europeans. The lecturer who has labeled this kind of search "Afropean music" will offer the participants a possibility to discover their own, perhaps surprising, means of vocal expression and to experience joyful, energetic and emotional music in which everybody is both a soloist and a part of a chorus of many voices. The workshop is open to all who wish, need and have the courage to sing regardless of their experience.

Born in Kongo, Anita Mahdia Daulne is a founding member of the world-renowned vocal ensemble Zap Mama. For many years, she has studied African musical traditions, especially Pygmy, Budu, Zulu and other tribes' singing. She strives to bring the African heritage to the Western world.

More information about Anita Mahdia Daulne can be found in the LECTURERS section.

RHYTHM EXERCISES

As a complementary activity, Hearn Gadbois will offer rhythm exercises. These will include body percussion with the breath and movement used as sources of rhythm. An emphasis will be put on "deep listening" to enable the participants to rhythmically interconnect in a natural way. In addition, simple bamboo percussions dao dao and bambu tambu will be used and if there is interest, natural objects such as stones, leaves, pieces of wood, etc. can be played as well. The participants are welcome to bring their own percussion instruments but this is by no means necessary.

Hearn Gadbois is a professional percussionist based in Prague and New York. He is a patient teacher and a great musician. During his over-30-year-long musical career, he has cooperated with many significant artists (Yoko Ono, Patti Smith, Meredith Monk and others). He has studied the traditional techniques of Cuba, Brazil, India, Iran, Central Asia and Africa. He designs and hand makes his own instruments. More information about Hearn Gadbois can be found at http://profile.myspace.com/hearngadbois.

THE WORKSHOP

The participants are expected to arrive at Slavonice on August 16. The workshop starts in the morning of August 17 and totals six teaching days. The classes will take place at the local music school located on the Renaissance town square. Weather permitting and participants willing, it is also possible to have classes outdoors in the beautiful surrounding nature. Every day, the participants will have 5 hours of singing and 2 hours of rhythm exercises, only one afternoon will be reserved for relaxation with the possibility of swimming in the nature. The evenings will be free, occasionally with a supplementary program (a seminar, screenings of related films). The exact schedule is yet to be worked out. The workshop will be consummated by a public performance in one of the picturesque locations of Slavonice on Friday 22nd and concluded by a group breakfast in the morning of Saturday 23rd. The lessons will be given in English and interpreted to Czech.

The price of the workshop is 6850Kč and includes the classes, daily breakfast and accommodation in the pleasant, clean Secesní dům (Art-Nouveau House) pensioner (see photograph) in 2, 3 and 4-bed rooms. The daily breakfast will take the form of a buffet suited as much as possible to the requests of the participants as stated on the registration forms. The price of the accommodation alone is 1400Kč in total or 200Kč per night. Those wishing to stay elsewhere can only pay the teaching fee of 5450Kč. There is a number of other hotels and pensioners in Slavonice. There is also a camping site few miles from the town. More information is available at the town web site www.slavonice-mesto.cz.

Slavonice is an old, small town, one of the few in the Czech Republic to be preserved in its Renaissance appearance.

The registration form for the Slavonice workshop can be downloaded HERE.

Photographs from the November 2007 workshop in Prague

(more photographs can be found in the gallery section )