The Regular jazz vocal course that has been running for the last few years with Paola Vera and Pete Churchill. There are no individual lessons because of lack of time but every singer does get individual attention and coaching on their solo and lead performances from tutors. We aim for a maximum of sixteen vocal students. This programme runs alongside the "Intensive" jazz instrumental course which consists of five workshop bands.
The Classes will explore a wide variety of repertoire and
improvisation approaches whilst also dealing with physical
vocal technique and song interpretation. Full details below.
The Repertoire will cover a wide range of styles from jazz standards, blues, and latin with an emphasis on improvisation and the jazz idiom from the "Great American Song Book".
Lessons will include
- How to find your ideal key - How to transpose - How to rehearse songs - How to start improvisating from a jazz perspective- How to communicate lyrics - Song interpretation - How to communicate groove - Microphone technique - Choral work
Tutor Paola Vera Languages English (primary), French, Spanish Support staff - professional bass player, drummer and sound engineer Resources - Fully Equipped Recording Studio, available for hire out of teaching hours | performance stage with PA, Lighting etc.
TUTORS
PAOLA VERA Mmus ARAM (Associate of the Royal Academy of Music)
Professor of Jazz Voice at Bordeaux Conservatoire, Visiting Professor at Brussels Conservatoire and Trinity Laban Conservatoire London, Estil trained
“…sings with dark and subtle tones” Jazzwise Magazine
A classically
trained professional pianist, composer, arranger as well as
an accomplised singer; Paola Vera is now Professor de Chant Jazz et Musique Actuelle at Bordeaux Conservatoire.
Paola's teaching experience includes work from school level,
through adult education workshops and a stint as tutor on
the Trinity Conservatoire jazz summer school alongside respected
vocal jazz educators Pete Churchill and Iain Mackenzie. Paola
is musical director of Wye Community Groove Choir and is a
member of the The British
Voice Association. As a fluent Spanish and strong French speaker Paola welcomes
applicants from Spain, Latin America and French speaking nations.
“A rare talent with an individual style and sound… she has an astonishing level of sophistication for someone so young.” – Norma Winstone
PETE CHURCHILL (NB Week One only)
Professor of Jazz Composition Royal Academy of Music , Visiting Professor Brussels Conservatoire, Bordeaux Conservatoire
Originally trained in Canada, Pete has been based in England since 1985. Having completed almost twenty years teaching at the Guildhall School of Music, he is now Professor of Jazz Composition at the Royal Academy of Music in London whilst running the jazz choir at Trinity College of Music.
His busy freelance career has included work as diverse as a year in the West End as a Musical Director of Five Guys named Moe, almost a decade and a half as the British accompanist for the legendary jazz-singer Mark Murphy and the conductor of the Kenny Wheeler Big Band.
As a performer Pete has been featured at many festivals internationally working as a singer, pianist and conductor. He has been a member of both Kenny Wheeler’s and Abdullah Ibrahim’s vocal projects, travelled extensively as Mark Murphy’s accompanist and has collaborated with, amongst others, Norma Winstone, Stan Sulzmann, John Taylor, Cleveland Watkiss, Julian Arguelles, Bobby Wellins and Tina May. He has also released several critically acclaimed jazz albums under his own name and conducted the 80th birthday tour of the Kenny Wheeler Big Band - culminating in a critically acclaimed new album, The Long Waiting.
The Classes will explore a wide variety of repertoire and
improvisation approaches whilst also dealing with physical
vocal technique and song interpretation.
The Repertoire will
cover a wide range of styles from jazz standards, blues, latin, the "Great American Song Book".
Lessons will include
- How to find your ideal key
- How to transpose
- How to rehearse songs
- How to start improvisating
- How to communicate lyrics
- Song interpretation
- How to communicate groove
- Microphone technique
Vocal techniques
- Introduction to physical warm-ups
- Basic voice production techniques
- Applying voice production technique to performance
- Development of a personal vocal style through technique
Vocal health
- Protecting your voice
- Building stamina
- Rest and re-couperation
VOCAL JAZZ TIMETABLE
VOCAL TIMETABLE Paola and Pete don’t religiously stick to the following structure and we try and get students to sing something on stage at least every other night - depending on experience and confidence. There are no individual lessons because of lack of time but every singer does get individual attention and coaching on their solo and lead performances from both Paola Vera and Pete Churchill. We aim for a maximum of sixteen vocal students. There is no time on the week for individual vocal lessons although each student does get individual attention during the day. The day starts at 10am and goes on to 4pm with formal lessons in vocal technique, harmony, song-craft and practising and rehearsing performances for the evening’s jam session which begins at 6pm-8.30pm and then after dinner from 9.30pm until late. Both vocal coaches are professional level pianists who can help you develop the appropriate skills in accompaniment and self-accompaniment. You will get the chance to rehearse and lead a full band for a public performance. We also offer an added extra of recording sessions in the fully equipped modern recording studio on site.
DAY 1 (Sunday) Introduction to the course - basic nomenclature of Chords and scales etc. you’ll be using - Get you all singing in a small choir - last year’s result here.....
DAY 2 (Monday) First look at improvising using the Blues structure - individual and duo performances that evening. Movie example (although they couldn’t help but all join in on this one) :
DAY 3 (Tuesday) Learning more complicated songs from the standard repertoire to be performed that night with the bands on the instrumental course. Choosing the right key for your voice. Transposing the charts for the band. Developing a basic arrangement. Performing it. (Vocalists have to share as we only have five bands) :
DAY 4 (Wednesday) Develop individual projects for solo performance. Doesn’t have to be pure jazz. Accompaniment by tutors ie: Professionals. Other singers can act as backing vocalists. Group activites are included like the Jazz/Gospel Choir. Some of the instrumentalists join in to give us a complete range of voices bass - treble (soprano). Choir rehearsals involving all students but with vocalists naturally tacking the lead. Here’s Pete Churchill with the choir :
DAY 5 (Thursday) Because the last day is dedicated to rehearsing for the big concert this day tends to recap the weeks learning - theory - harmony - transposing - band leading - microphone and studio technique - developing individual songs for that night’s performance - which are all covered.
DAY 6 (Friday) Rehearsal for Final Night Grand Concert - will include full choir + performing with an instrumental group from earlier in the week + individual songs. Concert from 8pm - 1amIn addition there are Masterclasses and classes on vocal technique and vocal health throughout the week.
With our nightly jam, you will have the opportunity to showcase your material to a sympathetic audience, gaining valuable experience playing with other musicians as well as performing each night. The jams can continue all-night after dinner in the cave, with additional free concerts by the tutors and other music industry professionals.
We will also teach some more ‘crossover’ songs such as those sung by Stevie Wonder and Aretha Franklin. Other areas covered will include the American song book as sung by Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra and fusion styles eg. Bebel Gilberto (Bossanova) and Amy Winehouse (Pop/Jazz).
Support staff - professional bass players and drummers (plus work with the instrumental tutors during the band collaboration classes.)
In common with all our courses at Monteton; amps, PA's, Keyboards (and access to a rhythm section) are provided. However if you have your own special Microphone please feel free to bring it.
Week Two is shared with the DJSS Intensive course and some events such as masterclasses and jam sessions will be held in common. At the end of the week the students perform to a live audience at the showcase event.
