Choral singing workshop - Priory of Vivoin

From 20 to 25 July 2009, Priory of Vivoin (Sarthe, Pays de la Loire, France)

Staff (Evelyne Béché, Boris Bouchevreau, Annick Augis) and information for the workshop from 26 to 31 July 2010: here.

Annick Augis - certified practitionner of the Feldenkrais method

Insight of the workshop with photos and music on Youtube (10 minutes):

Long version (22 minutes):

French TV reportage: France 3 TV journal (Pays de la Loire) - 26 July 2009

Said in the press:

Article in Ouest-France (23 July 2009) : "Saturday 25 July at 20:30, the "Choral singing" concert of 24 trainees will take place in the Priory, as part as the Summer University. This year, the workshop offers a comprehensive approach of the French opera repertoire, particularly through Francis Poulenc and Gabriel Fauré".
Article in Maine Libre (25 July 2009) : "With beautiful scores like Ave Verum, The Creek (Le Ruisseau in french, translator's note) or Ave Maria, Evelyne Béché will make listeners discover that singing is not only intended to persons having an ear for music".

Works studied in July 2009

Ave Maria, Anton Bruckner (1824-1896)
Messe basse (I. Kyrie, II. Sanctus, III. Benedictus), Gabriel Fauré (1845-1924)
Ave Maria, Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921)
Ave verum corpus, Francis Poulenc (1899-1963)
Tantum Ergo, opus 65, n°2, Gabriel Fauré (1845-1924)
Cantique de Jean Racine, Gabriel Fauré (1845-1924)
The creek (Le Ruisseau in french), opus 22, Gabriel Fauré (1845-1924)
Song of Grand-Father (Chanson de Grand-Père in french), opus 53, n°1 (words by Victor Hugo), Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921)

This workshop was intended for adult amateur singers. This year, a women's choir was established. 6 days of polyphonic work and vocal technique work, with the whole choir or with sections by voice part, around Fauré, Saint-Saëns, Poulenc and their contemporaries. The days were punctuated by relaxation and breathing sessions, and also awareness of the body, adaptated to the voice ; there was also group work or soloist, duet, trio, ... work, all in a beautiful setting, that of Priory of Vivoin, and in a relaxed and warm atmosphere.