Latin Music Long Weekender
Summer School
At Yorkshire College of Music
St Marks House, 1 St Marks Avenue, Leeds LS2 9BN
DATES: FRIDAY 29 JULY, SATURDAY 30 JULY AND SUNDAY 31 JULY 2011
Cuban Popular Dance Music, Cuban Percussion and Brazilian Rhythms – A Course for Instrumentalists, Vocalists and Percussionists
COURSE TUTORS:
Cuban Music
Dr Sue Miller (B.A., PGCE., PGDM., MA., PhD)
Assisted by Jack McCarthy (Charanga del Norte) and Helen Curtis (Head of Keyboards, Yorkshire College of Music)
Cuban Percussion
Jack McCarthy (Charanga del Norte)
Brazilian Rhythms
Helen Curtis BA (Hons) LCM, (Head of Keyboards, Yorkshire College of Music)
THE COURSE
The Cuban music side of the weekend explores a variety of Cuban popular styles through a mixture of workshops, sectionals and ensemble playing with a focus on clave, groove, timbre, improvisation, and stylistic concerns. The course caters for brass (trumpets, trombones), strings (violin, viola, cello, guitar, tres), woodwind (flute, clarinet, saxes), percussion (timbales, congas, bongos, guiro, maracas), vocals, piano, and bass. Styles covered are likely to include Son, Son Montuno, Danzón, Mambo, Chachachá, Bolero and Guajira. Percussionists will also receive small group tuition from Jack McCarthy, focussing on technique, timbre, stylistic ensemble patterns, clave feel and stylistic improvisation. Jack will also run separate sessions on Cuban percussion (timbales, congas, bongos, güiro and maracas) for main study and beginner percussionists. Helen Curtis will also lead band sessions on Brazilian samba rhythms for all musicians on the course (instrumentalists, vocalists and main study percussionists alike) and this samba ‘batteria‘ part of the course is aimed at both percussionists and instrumentalists who wish to explore the feeling of groove, time keeping, syncopation and ‘locking in’ as an ensemble (especially to bell and clave patterns).
Additional workshop sessions available on:
Transcription
Brazilian choros for flute
Salsa piano
Chart reading for percussionists
Cuban flute improvisation
Fees: £200 for 3 days (11am till 5pm).
Enrolment: Enrolment by cheque payable to Charanga del Norte or by credit card via Yorkshire College of Music Tel: 0113 2431605 or via the eventbrite site
CONTACT & QUERIES :
Sue Miller
Tel 07957 244 167
Email charangasue@ntlworld.com
Website www.charangasue.com
Accommodation for those travelling from afar: nearby B&B’s:
Avalon Guest House tel 0113 2432545
Glengarth Guesthouse tel 0113 2457940
The Moorlea tel 0113 2432653
University of Leeds Clarence Dock rooms – appear to be bookable per week only : tel 0113 343 6107
COURSE ITINERARY:
| 29 – 31 JULY | YORKSHIRE COLLEGE OF MUSIC | LATIN MUSIC COURSE JULY 2011 TIMETABLE | |
| Day | Time | Room/s | Activity |
| Friday 29 July | 10.30am | L | Optional Yoga (breathing and exercises to relax hands, arms, shoulders and neck muscles) |
| 11am | G and L | Short sectional (specialist percussion separate from main group) | |
| 11.30am | G | Cuban Music Main Ensemble (Large Group) | |
| 12.45pm | L | Optional Yoga | |
| 1pm | A (Staff Room) | Lunch | |
| 1.45pm | L | Samba Group (Large Ensemble) | |
| 3pm | G, L and B | Sectionals | |
| 4pm | G | Cuban Music Ensemble (Large Group) | |
| Saturday 30 July | 10.30am | L | Optional Yoga |
| 11am | G and L | Short sectional (specialist percussion separate from main group) | |
| 11.30am | G | Cuban Music Main Ensemble (Large Group) | |
| 12.45pm | L | Optional Yoga | |
| 1pm | A | Lunch | |
| 1.45pm | L | Samba Group (Large Ensemble) | |
| 3pm | G, B, L | Sectionals | |
| 4pm | G | Cuban Music Ensemble (Large Group) | |
| Sunday 31 July | 10.30am | L | Optional Yoga |
| 11am | G and L | Short sectional (specialist percussion separate from main group) | |
| 11.30am | G | Cuban Music Main Ensemble (Large Group) | |
| 12.45pm | L | Optional Yoga | |
| 1pm | A | Lunch | |
| 1.45pm | L | Samba Group (Large Ensemble) | |
| 3pm | GBL | Sectionals | |
| 4pm | G | Cuban Music Ensemble (Large Group) | |
| Course Close | |||
| Notes | There will be tea, coffee and biscuits available in the kitchen next to the staff room throughout the day. You are welcome to eat sandwiches etc in this room and chill out there in the breaks. There are also plenty of cafes that are just 5 minutes walk away opposite Leeds University selling nice fresh baked Panini, salads, cakes etc. |
Biographical Notes:
Dr Sue Miller (B.A., PGCE., PGDM., MA., PhD)
Sue Miller completed the Postgraduate Certificate in Jazz, Contemporary and Popular Music at Leeds College of Music in 1994 and later studied Cuban flute improvisation with the legendary flautist from Orquesta Aragón, Richard Egües, in Havana. An experienced teacher, lecturer and performer (she is bandleader of Charanga del Norte) Sue has also directed Cuban Music Big Bands at Yorkshire College of Music, LCM and the University of Leeds and is also a part-time lecturer in Cuban, Popular and World Music at Leeds University. Sue received a PhD in flute improvisation in Cuban charanga performance at the University of Leeds in February 2011. For more information on her work see https://www.charangasue.com
Helen Curtis (B.A. (Hons) Music LCM)
Helen Curtis graduated with honours from Leeds College of Music in classical piano and percussion. She has since become a versatile musician with her interests ranging from Cuban and Brazilian popular music and folkloric music to Eastern European Georgian singing and Swiss yodelling! She visited Cuba in 2007 to study percussion and piano with teachers Jesus Cos (El Gigante del Timbal) and Eduardo ‘Cana’ Oliva before going on to complete the One Voice Music “Roots of Brazil” course led by Ravin Jayasuriya. In 2009 she was involved with a big samba project led by John Paul Courtney that led to a performance with Rio’s most popular carnival band Mono Bloco at Leeds university and also in Luton Carnival playing tamborim. Helen spent two years playing piano in Sue Miller’s LCM Cuban Music Big Band before going on to direct and arrange for her own project Los Altibajos. She also plays congas regularly with the Manchester-based band Son Tropicana. Helen is currently head of keyboards at Yorkshire College of Music and Drama teaching one to one piano lessons and also runs workshops in both singing and percussion.
Jack McCarthy
Originally a kit player Jack completed the One Voice Music ‘Salsa’ course before going on to study popular styles with Buena Vista Social Club’s timbalero Amadito Valdés, Jesus Cos, ‘El Gigante del Timbal’ (Orquesta Sublime) and rumba with Chaguito in Havana. One of the brightest talents to emerge onto the UK Cuban music and Salsa scene in recent years he has played congas with Charanga del Norte since April 2009 and is featured on their new CD Look Back in Charanga.