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SONG SCAPING RESIDENCY

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SONG SCAPING is a four month residency at the Tranzac Club of workshops and performances by Andrea Kuzmich, intersecting traditional vocal polyphony, improvisation, and song. The Tranzac Club is located at 292 Brunswick Ave (just S of Bloor St).

THU JAN 19 7-9 PM
COLLIDING WITH KOLIADA

Koliada refers to a Slavic winter carolling tradition, thick in pagan references and gratitude, the practice usually starts in December can continue well into February – singing away those dark and cold winter nights!

7:00-8:15 PM Vocal Workshop learning winter carols
8:30-9:00 PM Performance of Koliada inspired repertoire with a small band AND YOU!!

(Here’s a little audio sample of what you may hear and sing along with)

The workshop will teach 2-3 traditional polyphonic Ukrainian winter carols. The performance then demonstrates how these songs and others are “scaped” into pieces arranged for a small band, consisting of: Andrea Kuzmich on voice & guitar; Alina Kuzma voice; Jaash Singh percussion; Jim Bish tenor sax; Michael Herring on bass; special guests from Kosa Koliadanyky AND YOU!!

SAT FEB 25 5-7 PM
UNCONVENTIONAL LOVE

UNCONVENTIONAL LOVE…will feature 2-3 singer/songwriters presenting their original compositions and arrangements that challenge the conventional love ballad, and offer new “scapes” of the love song.

More info to come…

THU MAR 16 7-9 PM
SPRINGING CAROLS

Vesninanky are Ukrainian spring carols. Many of these are ritualistic and, with their use of interesting vocal techniques and powerful dissonance, represent some of the most archaic layer of Ukrainian polyphony.

7:00-8:15 PM Vocal Workshop learning Vesnyanky (spring carols)
8:30-9:00 PM Performance of vesnyanky-inspired repertoire with a small band AND YOU!! …….more details to come…

SAT APRIL 22 5-7 PM
SCAPING THROUGH TRADITIONAL SONGS

On this last date, the workshop will focus on vocal improvisation, covering some sounding and improv techniques, and how they can be used in rearrangements of traditional polyphonic songs. The performance will feature mostly a capella arrangements of Ukrainian and Georgian songs, including the Sound Stepping Suite, commissioned by Urban Vessel for riverMouth on the Echoes app.

5:00-6:15 PM Vocal Workshop
6:30-7:00 PM Performance with participation from YOU!!

more details to come…

ALL WORKSHOPS AND PERFORMANCES ARE PWYC & TAKE PLACE AT:

THE TRANZAC CLUB, 292 BRUNSWICK AVE (just South of Bloor in Toronto).

COVID 19 and MusiCamp

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Protect yourself: wash your spirit with music, often…

It is without doubt that the performing arts are charting untrodden territory in the COVID-era. Compared to many arts organizations and innovative artists, MusiCamp has been a bit slow in response to the epidemic. Clearly, we can no longer offer our adult workshops, summer kids’ camps or facilitate other music events.

It was a sad day for us when the Dundas West Festival was postponed and we wouldn’t be able to present the incredibly diverse musical youth in our community at the MusiCamp Youth Stage. It was particularly sad because I, as an artist in residence at Dewson Public School, had been working with a group of rather talented grade 5 and 6 youth, and was inadvertently mobilizing a body percussion troupe that were creative, energized and excited to be part of the Dundas West Fest. But while we at MusiCamp were slow and careful to react, we soon found ourselves involved in different musical activities and are happy to share some updates with you.

But most importantly we want to reach out and encourage you to process all the changes of the COVID-era in your own time and space, and, if you feel like it, to be creative. Music and the other arts have such powerful healing qualities and are essential to any and all social groupings. But in this time in particular, creative work can help slow down the busy and stressed brain, help refocus on the moment, and empower you in unspeakable ways. So please, stay healthy and safe… and wash your spirit often with music, dance, drawing, film making, painting, body percussion, cooking, baking, writing, or whatever else your heart implores.

   

UPDATES

    

ONLINE SINGING WORKSHOPS?!?
We believe we have made it work. Follow this link to see videos and understand how we teach harmonized singing online.

   

ONLINE BODY PERCUSSION BODY MUSIC WORKSHOPS
A fun, physically active, movement and rhythm workshop, and a great workout for the brain. Beginner/intermediate level. Follow this link to learn more, see videos, and/or register.

   

VIRTUAL SUMMER CAMP FOR KIDS (8-14 yrs)
AUGUST 17-22 9:30 AM – 3:30 PM
Each day offers 3 workshops: BODY PERCUSSION, EXPLORING SONGS, and COMPOSITION & SONGWRITING. Sign your kid up for all 3 or for individual workshops. (Note for some workshops, the class size is limited.) Click here to register or learn more.

PERFORMANCE & MUSICAL EVENTS
While we aren’t streaming our own musical performances – we’re leaving that to the experts to ensure excellent audio, video and connectivity – we have joined Virtual Private Concerts online. So if you have a special event coming up – an anniversary, birthday, or simply a need to connect – you can hire a musician for a private virtual event. Check it out at Virtual Concerts Online.

ORI SHALVA PERFORMS in URGNT’s ONLINE FESTIVAL
Ori Shalva, our family ensemble, will be a part of this incredibly diverse and exciting online festival of musician from across Ontario! With Juno award winning names like the Gryphon Trio, Lila Biali and too many others to name. Visit our post to learn more.

Instructions for Online Workshop

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Thanks for registering for our online workshop! It’s exciting for us to try and offer singing workshops online. That being said, please bear in mind there may be technical challenges in these early days of adapting to online teaching. I have tried as best I can to provide instructions below. Please feel free to reach out (MusiCampTO@gmail.com) in case you have any questions or run into any complications.
The link for the ZOOM meeting is: https://us04web.zoom.us/j/73656989471?pwd=TUIxcldpKzY2aEJUZ1N6YVF6SzkzUT09

THERE ARE 4 THINGS YOU SHOULD REVIEW BEFORE THE SESSION

1) INSTALLING ZOOM (see below)
2) HOW TO ENTER A MEETING WITH ZOOM (see below)
3) SET UP YOUR MICROPHONE (see below)
4) USE A HEADSET – we recommend you use one, even earbuds or earphones will be better than none.

PLEASE NOTE: We are using a free ZOOM account, which limits the time length of the meeting to 40 minutes. This means, we will run 3 meetings, using the same link, to run a 2 hour workshop. run So please be prepared to log in with the meeting again – same link as above.

 
1) WE RECOMMEND YOU INSTALL ZOOM FOR THE MEETINGS.
First go to https://www.zoom.us/download and download ZOOM. Once the download is complete click the file (either an .exe or .dmg) and follow the instructions for installing.

2) ENTERING A MEETING WITH ZOOM:
When you click on the meeting link I have provided below, a new browser window will open.
A pop down box will ask if you want to open ZOOM.US – click OK.
ZOOM will open and ask you to JOIN WITH COMPUTER AUDIO, click OK!
Now you are in the waiting room of the meeting. As long as I recognize your email and/or user name, I will let you in. Once in, you can open your camera by clicking the small camera icon at the bottom left of the screen.

3) SET UP YOUR MIC FOR MUSIC RATHER THAN TALKING.
i) Click on the small upward arrow next to the microphone icon (bottom left of the screen). A menu pops up.
ii) At the bottom of this menu click AUDIO SETTINGS. A window pops up. At the bottom right of this window, click ADVANCED.
iii) Click the “Show in-meeting option to “Enable Original Sound” from microphone; click DISABLE for the first 2 lines in the box (Suppress Persistent Background Noise and Suppress Intermittent Background Noise.

 

Winter Georgian Singing Workshop

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Happy New Year!!

We hope to have the opportunity to cozy up with you in our studio and blend our voices into a warm harmony that will help pass the winter away.

Under the direction of Shalva Makharashvili and Andrea Kuzmich, MusiCamp will be hosting another Georgian singing workshop, starting sometime in mid-February 2020. The date is still to be determined but it will run in the evenings (7-9 PM), once a week, at the MusiCamp studio for 6 weeks. You can learn more of past workshops by visiting www.MusiCampTO.com/georgianworkshop or feel free to contact us. Look to the side if you’re on a PC or scroll down on your phone to view some videos of past workshops.

And remember to check back soon for updates on the dates!

WINTER GEORGIAN SINGING WORKSHOP
Starting Mid February, day still to be determined, 7-9 PM
for 6 weeks at the MusiCamp studio
$250 for new participants; $200 for repeat students
Feel free to reach out to our contact page if you have any questions

Didgori in Toronto

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DIDGORI tickets on sale today, June 7, at the door. CASH ONLY. Students/Seniors must bring ID. Doors Open 7:30 PM

MusiCamp in partnership with Clay & Paper Theatre and Folk Camp Canada presents:

DIDGORI IN TORONTO


Friday June 7 2019 8 PM
THE CONCERT
at Jeanne Lamon Hall, Trinity St Paul’s Centre 427 Bloor St West
$30/$15 student
TICKETS GO ON SALE START OF MAY

Saturday June 8 2019 5-7pm
OPEN WORKSHOP
St Vladimir Institute ( 620 Spadina Ave, just S of Harbord)
$25 at the door (strongly suggested but no one will be turned away)

Sunday June 9 2019 11-4pm
WORKSHOP INTENSIVE
advanced singers, limited to 12 participants at MusiCamp Studio, Toronto $100 contact MusiCamp to register
 

Didgori in Toronto Press Release

For more information about Didgori, for audio/video, or to learn of other performances as part of their Canada tour, visit Didgori in Canada.

 

 

Didgori in Toronto

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MusiCamp in partnership with Clay & Paper Theatre and Folk Camp Canada presents:

DIDGORI IN TORONTO


Friday June 7 2019 8 PM
THE CONCERT
at Jeanne Lamon Hall, Trinity St Paul’s Centre 427 Bloor St West
$30/$15 student
TICKETS GO ON SALE START OF MAY

Saturday June 8 2019 5-7pm
OPEN WORKSHOP
St Vladimir Institute ( 620 Spadina Ave, just S of Harbord)
$25 at the door (strongly suggested but no one will be turned away)

Sunday June 9 2019 11-4pm
WORKSHOP INTENSIVE
advanced singers, limited to 12 participants at MusiCamp Studio, Toronto $100 contact MusiCamp to register
 

Didgori in Toronto Press Release

For more information about Didgori, for audio/video, or to learn of other performances as part of their Canada tour, visit Didgori in Canada.

 

 

Dundas West Festival 2017 in Review

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It’s time to start thinking of summer and I’m remembering the great time we had at the Dundas West Fest last year! The 2017 line up can be viewed here. And mark the date: this year’s festival will be Saturday June 2!

Gabo got the crowd smiling singing “Cheap Thrills”
Songstress Rebekah Wise is joined by friend Ruby to perform original tunes at the MusiCamp stage 2017
We covered everything – here traditional Georgian polyphony!
Songstress and award winning singer Sophia Hong wowed the audience!
Crowds gathered to see and hear the talented youth of our Dundas West community
A real bass or a bucket bass? MusiCamp had diddley bows and buckets basses for kids to try out! Instrument making is part of the programming at our summer camps.
Rockers 321 Sleep at the DuWest Fest MusiCamp Stage

ICE CREAM! an original song by MusiCampers!

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Our Composition and Song week is always so creative!!! And so productive!!!

What you’re hearing right now is an original song written by the MusiCamp campers from the Composition & Song week of 2013. We run a slew of creative song writing exercises throughout the week, some where the campers work independently on theirs songs, others where they work in groups. These exercises challenge the kids to think of how a pop song is made and the different components that make an effective song – the hook, the chorus, the intro, the verses, the ending, etc.The young campers also learn to identify chord structures in a very practical and accessible way. They even make instruments, like the diddley bow or the bucket bass, and are able to play the basic I IV V chord structure on the instrument!

By the way, ICE CREAM! was written as a collaborative exercise where all the campers contributed to the making of this song. And every year, in just one week’s time, these inspired youngsters write wonderful music! It is always such a blessing to work with these young creative minds!

This year Composition & Song week runs from July 15-19, 9am – 4pm. We still have spots! You can register here.

Lecture on Georgian Polyphony

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Andrea Kuzmich, MusiCamp’s director, is guest lecturing at Ryerson University, for the Traditional Musics of the World Course.

Georgia, is located in the mountainous region of the Caucasus, the crossroads of Europe and Asia. Its ancient singing tradition, known for its distinctive and haunting harmonies, was recognized by UNESCO as an intangible masterpiece of humanity in 2001. The 3-part form defies Western conventions and comes in a plethora of musical dialects, reflecting the diverse geographical and cultural makeup of the land.
This hour-long lecture will introduces traditional singing practices of Georgia by exploring the variety of polyphonic singing styles through musical examples (audio and video) as well descriptive analysis. It will also reflect on how the practices figures into the region’s historic, geographic and cultural contexts.

Guest Lecture on Georgian Polyphony by Andrea Kuzmich
For the Traditional Musics of the World Course
POD 368, Ryerson University
Cost: Free.