Monday Night Series with Elise Witt
@ Candler Park Yoga Studio
Workshop Notes and Materials
Circle Song
From the work of Bobby McFerrin and his vocal orchestra – Voicestra http://www.bobbymcferrin.com
and Rhiannon http://www.RhiannonMusic.com
Circle Song
One person gives out repeating parts to the groups.
Find parts by first singing what’s inside, then refining to find a motor part. Harmony is good. Look for spaces in the motor part to interlock new parts.
Find parts by first solo-ing over what is already created.
Play with rhythm – try putting 3 over 4 or try something in an odd rhythm like 5/4, 7/8, 9/8
Play with tonality – use some unusual harmonies, try notes that may not be the “first choices”
Play with language – try using some sounds you don’t always use; experiment with different consonants; imagine you’re speaking a language you don’t know but have a sound in your ear eg. french, russian, italian, etc.
The person giving out the parts can then solo over the foundation they have created.
Solo-ist can then step out and let another person solo and/or create new parts…
Promises To Keep
Njenge Bhadi Libhadula
Xhosa Folk Song from South Africa
Learned from Suzannah Park, arranged by Bongani Magatyana
NJENGE BHADI LIBHADULA
Njen-ge bha-di li-bha-du-la
U-ku-fun um-thom-bo
I-ya fu-na nja-lo
In-tli-zi-yo ya-mi
English Translation from Psalm 93:
As the antelope wanders, searching for the spring
My heart also longs and searches for the spring
On the Move
by Joanne Hammil
JHO Music
ON THE MOVE
Like the singers before me and the singers to come, I’m on the move (2x)
I know where I come from
Know where I’m bound
I’m not afraid to break new ground
‘Cause like the singers before me and the singers to come, I’m on the move
[gview file=”https://elisewitt.com/web/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/On-the-Move.pdf”]
Ties That Bind
by Joan Boyd
TIES THAT BIND
Oh there’s nothing like the eyes of an old friend
You haven’t seen since you can’t remember when
All those years of joy and pain
We can live them all again
Just take one look into the eyes of an old friend
Oh there’s nothing like the touch of an old friend
You haven’t seen in you can’t remember when
The touch that says, “I know you well,
We’ve been through love, we’ve been through hell”
Oh there’s nothing like the touch of an old friend
CHORUS
Ties that bind, ties that bind
Friends who are the lasting kind
The road you travel may wander and wind
You’re not alone when you’ve got
The ties that bind
Oh there’s nothing like the voice of an old friend
You haven’t heard since you can’t remember when
Words unspoken, yet so clear
Only you alone can hear them
When they’re spoken by the voice of an old friend
And there’s nothing like the sound of an old song
You haven’t heard in you can’t remember when
Songs of struggles lost and won
Just the ones we sang for fun
Oh there’s nothing like the sound of an old song