|
|
|
|
| |
Workshops |
|
In addition to playing dance music, I love singing with a group and building harmonies. I am fortunate to do this with “I really enjoyed the workshop and was close to crying sometimes, I was so happy to be singing again. You have the gift of creating a beautiful atmosphere and bringing out everyone's talents. Long may you run.” - Andrew Basquille Turtle Dove Harmony WeekJuly 7 – 14, 2007 Turtle Dove Harmony Week is for people who love to sing, and is open to everyone. We will learn music from different world traditions—Shape Note, Appalachian, African, East European and Contemporary Acapella—leading up to a performance on Friday night at a local church. The music will be taught by ear with vocal techniques appropriate to the respective cultures. We'll also work with Phil Callery of the Voice Squad, one of Ireland's leading singers, to gain some insight into the ballad tradition. When we're not singing, we'll spend some time dancing American contras and Irish sets. ResidenciesIn a school, my primary mission is to inspire children and show them that music and dance is cool and fun. I draw from the traditional songs of many areas, play-party games, and the circle and contra dances of New England. The games and dances stress cooperation and working together as a group. There are important lessons implicit in traditional material—working as a group to make a successful dance, the necessary politeness of holding hands and being a good partner, sharing the spotlight in traditional songs and play-party games, and more—as well as the inherent importance of preserving our heritage that we might know where we’ve come from.
A residency can involve work with individual classrooms, a general assembly performance, and an all-school concert or contra dance. Past Appearances and WorkshopsVillage Harmony Testimonials“In my 25 years of working in schools, I’d never seen a music teacher with such an impact on kids of all ages. You could see in their eyes the ecstasy of a new discovery Brendan was bringing to them. His gift is a rare treasure, indeed.” - Jon Gailmor “Brendan Taaffe is an excellent singer, fiddler and guitarist who is deeply grounded in New England dance traditions. I played for a community dance Brendan called for the Wells, Vermont elementary school students, parents and teachers in May, 2002. Brendan led a wonderful evening of dance including some original contra dances that had been created by the 3rd, 4th and 5th graders. Brendan has achieved what I consider to be the highest goal of any dance teacher; that is imparting the love of dance to his students.” - Peter Amidon “In over twenty years of teaching and administrative experience I can recall few who were able to create such a rash of enthusiasm over music class in a kindergarten through grade six elementary school. As a person who has a deep appreciation for music and who values the arts, I was thrilled to see Brendan instilling a love of music in my students that I hope will last a lifetime.” - Linda O’Leary, Principal “Brendan is both low-key and unflappable. He has a disarmingly easy way of getting a gym-full of two hundred highly sociable small-town kids and their equally chatty parents to have even more fun - by dancing!” - Pete Sutherland “My son has never liked music. He’s always complained about class being boring; but since Brendan arrived at our school, Scotty actually looks forward to music class and sings Brendan’s songs at home.” - Rita Hansen “I love music so much. I can’t wait to see you again.” - Claire Schmelzenbach, grade K |
|
||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
© Brendan Taaffe, 2005. All Rights Reserved. |
|||||
