Workshop with Meredith Monk in Liverpool

Pinching myself that i spent a day learning from Meredith Monk! I caught the 7.07am train from Euston on Saturday 18th October 2013…. and arrived in time for the beginning at 10am. 35 of us took part in this workshop, in a beautiful old Friary close to Lime Street, Liverpool. The workshop was part of the Liverpool Biennial 2013. This was singularly one of the most life affirming things i have done in the last few years. Meeting such a legend of music and thought in this context was just wonderful. Meredith Monk’s quiet beauty shines though all she does, in a considered and powerfully potent way. We covered a great deal of ground. Lots of warm up exercises for the body, especially the parts of the body involved in vocal work and new interesting vocal routines which i have since noted down all i could remember. The “Rounds” we sang were lovely, the vocal rhythmic exercises very nicely conceived and great to see at last someone attacking rhythm for the voice head on, rhythm is SO important and it is easy to ignore specific work on it. The final joint performance in small groups was a great way to end a day that helps you to see that it is important to be doing something new and expressive in non-verbal ways. I love what i do and this day showed me that i should have faith in it and myself. I think finally the “should i be doing this?” has bitten the dust. The confidence given on Saturday is something i think we all brought into our own expression of life. Amazing people, such delicacy of communication in a room of people who didn’t know each other. So happy. If you don’t have this CD, i highly recommend you get it.