2015 program: song : women's eastern european | songs that feed the soul | harmony | improv choir | georgian polyphony
SONG - GEORGIAN POLYPHONY
Instructed by Andrea Kuzmich
Declared by UNESCO as one of humanity’s “masterpieces of the oral and intangible heritage,” Georgia’s unique and ancient “polyphonic” music is known around the world for its combination of haunting beauty and dazzling harmonies. Its unique tonal system is thought to predate that of ancient Greece by more than 1000 years, and its church music tradition can be traced back to at least the 10th century.
In this workshop, songs from the millennia-old tradition, which vary in complexity and range from drinking and horse riding songs to meditative chants, will be chosen depending on the skills of the workshop participants. Songs will be taught, and we’ll have a chance to explore and develop the specific vocal technique of Georgian songs. As the workshop progresses, we’ll have a change to learn dance, which is incorporated into the songs. All songs will be taught with respect to the context of Georgian regional styles, genres, and historical narratives.