Sense of Sound and the Black-E present

VOICES: A cappella festival

Sense of Sound is delighted to announce VOICES:  a three day celebration of a cappella singing, set to take place at Liverpool’s Bluecoat and Black-E arts centres from Friday 16 – Sunday 18 March.

From hip hop to barbershop and contemporary jazz to choral, Voices a cappella festival will showcase the full range of a cappella singing styles, giving plenty of opportunity for everyone to interact, get involved and get singing!

On Friday 16 March, Sense of Sound will open the festival with a national conference for Singing and Health.

Through a number of presentations from top vocal experts, the one day event will provide an opportunity to share best practice and discover the latest breakthroughs.  Perfect for health educators and researchers, speech therapists, vocal coaches, singers and anyone with an interest in singing or health, the conference will feature presentations from Nordoff Robbins Speech Therapist, Phoene Cave, Victoria Hume - Arts Manager at Royal Brompton & Harefield NHS  Foundation Trust, Dane Chalfin - A Director of the British Voice Association and one of the UK’s leading professional vocal coaches and voice rehabilitation experts and Trish Vella – Burrows, Assistant Director  of the Sidney De Haan Research Centre for Music, Arts & Health.

Saphena Aziz, Director at Sense of Sound said: ‘’I’m delighted to present this ground breaking conference as part of Liverpool’s decade of health and wellbeing.  A great number of discoveries have occurred in the past few years, showing that singing has a fantastic, positive effect on health. This conference will allow practitioners to come together to share ideas, allowing us all to learn and keep this exciting field of health and wellbeing moving forward. ’ 

The renowned Sense of Sound Singers and special guest star Connie Lush will pay homage to Joni Mitchell with an a cappella concert at the Black-E on the evening of Friday 16 March, with support from acclaimed group Barbieshop.  Described as one of the most influential recording artists of the 20th Century, Joni Mitchell’s music has touched millions of people the world over. This poignant concert performance will offer an opportunity to see why, as Mitchell’s unforgettable songs including ‘Big Yellow Taxi,’ ‘Both Sides Now’ and ‘A Case of You’ are performed in  unique a cappella arrangements.

On Saturday 17 March, Choirs from around the region will have the chance to perform in the Bluecoat Hub. This free day of music offers an opportunity to enjoy the musical diversity of a cappella singing.  Members of the public are able to come along, enjoy the music and take part. More details on how choirs can get involved in this will be announced shortly.

Shlomo, the most heard beatboxer in history and Southbank Centre Artist in Residence, is set to play The Black-E on the evening of the 17 March.  Shlomo pushes the boundaries of beatboxing as an art form, using his incredible vocal skills to make music with people from all kinds of musical backgrounds, including Björk, Martha Wainwright, Damon Albarn and Jarvis Cocker. He comes to Liverpool to show off his huge range of original songs and well loved classics.

A FREE day of family fun will take place at the Bluecoat on Sunday 18 March. With interactive activities for all ages taking place throughout the day, this is any budding singer’s opportunity to take part in workshops covering many musical genres, with an a cappella twist.

The festival will end with a massive ‘Big Sing’, which will take place in the Bluecoat Hub on the afternoon of Sunday 18th. Everyone is invited to come along and join in the fun!

The Voices Festival is produced by Sense of Sound and the Black-E, more information can be found at www.senseofsound.net.

FESTIVAL INFORMATION

Voices Festival

Friday 16 – Sunday 18 March

The Bluecoat & The Black-E

www.senseofsound.net

Singing and Health – A National Conference

The Bluecoat

Friday 16 March

10am – 5pm

Tickets:  Individuals: £40 Organisations: £55

EARLY BIRD OFFER Book before 20TH February to receive a discount on delegate price

 Individuals: £30 Organisations: £45

How to Book: You can book in person at the Bluecoat Tickets and Information, School Lane, Liverpool. Alternatively, book by calling 0151 702 5324 or click www.senseofsound.net

The Sense of Sound Singers & Connie Lush perform a collection of songs by Joni Mitchell

The Black-E

Friday 16 March, 8pm

Tickets: £12.50/ £10.00 concessions

How to Book: You can book in person at the Bluecoat Tickets and Information, School Lane, Liverpool. Alternatively, book by calling 0151 702 5324 or click www.senseofsound.net

Choirs at the Bluecoat

The Bluecoat

Saturday 17 March

10am-4pm

FREE

For more information click www.senseofsound.net

Shlomo in Concert

The Black-E

Saturday 17 March, 8pm

Tickets: TBC

How to Book: You can book in person at the Bluecoat Tickets and Information, School Lane, Liverpool. Alternatively, book by calling 0151 702 5324 or click www.senseofsound.net

Family Fun Day with the Sense of Sound Singers

FREE

The Bluecoat

Sunday 18 March

For more information or to book a place click www.senseofsound.net.

Voices Festival Big Sing

The Bluecoat

Sunday 18 March

4-5pm

FREE

As 2011 comes to a close, Sense of Sound Singers is delighted to be performing once more at Liverpool’s stunning neo-gothic Anglican Cathedral for their final concert of the year. The concert, in aid of Radio City’s Cash for Kids supporting the James Bulger Memorial Trust to set up a respite/holiday home for local deserving children will feature other local choirs, Jennifer Ellison Fame Academy and  special guest, Chelcee Grimes. The performance will take place on Sunday 18th December at 7pm. Tickets are £10 and £5 and can be purchased by contacting www.radiocity.co.uk/carolconcert or by phoning 0151 472 6965. Happy Christmas!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/thevoiceuk/

December 4th will see Sense of Sound Singers perform as part of Matt Baker’s monthly showcase event which highlights the best choirs, singers and comedians from the the North West.

As featured guests, Sense of Sound Singers will perform a full set  from their distinctive repertoire in addition to songs specially arranged for the festive season.

Compère Baker, who is also artistic director of Chester’s Theatre in the Quarter, said: “The city is still without a theatre, but there is an abundance of professional and community shows which are either touring or performing locally and we are delighted to have Sense of Sound on board to help us celebrate the Christmas season in style.”

The concert will also feature Chester’s own favourite choir,  A Handbag of Harmonies.

Stars on Sunday on December 4 will feature Liverpool choir Sense of Sound and Chester choir A Handbag of Harmonies.

The Laugh Inn is situated opposite Chester railway station. Doors open at 7pm and the show starts at 8pm.

Tickets are £10

The Laugh Inn,
Homer House,
Station Road,
Chester
CH1 3DR

0800 612 9714

We are thrilled to part of the vocal coaching team for the  new television singing competition, The Voice scheduled to be broadcast on BBC 1  in March 2012. Artistic Director,  Juliet Russell will be part of the team of top vocal coaches in the national audition tour throughout November. The vocal coaching team will be selecting the best singers to go through to the live televised heats for next year’s television shows. One of the judges already confirmed for the live shows is singer/songwriter Jessie J so it is all very exciting!

If this sounds like something you would like to get involved in, and you are aged 16 and over it is not too late. The auditions are being held nationally and if you wish to apply you can do so here.  As a company that is passionate about singing we would actively encourage all those who wish to do so to take part.  If you need any help or advice please give us a call in the office on 0151 702 7799 or email info@senseofsound.net

With the atmosphere and attitude of a session, but in a concert hall, The Irish Sea Sessions return to build on the success of last year’s event – one reviewer gave it 15 out of 10!

Part super-group, part colossal session and part festival, all in a single gig, the Irish Sea Sessions was voted Best Folk/Roots Event of the Year by Liverpool Daily Post readers in 2010.

This year’s line up includes top contemporary music stars and some of the finest traditional musicians from three cities, Liverpool, Belfast and Derry/Londonderry.

Artists already confirmed include; Under the musical direction of Bernard O’Neil (Syriana, Quicksilver, Sinead O’Connor, June Tabor) the line up includes singers Damien Dempsey, Alan Burke, Niamh Parsons,  Jennifer John and Ian Prowse alongside Gino Lupari on bodhran Terry Clarke Coyne on flutes and whistles, button accordionist, Dave Munnelly,  piper John McSherry, fiddler Meabh O’Hare guitarist Graham Dunne, banjo-player Stevie Dunne and sean-nós dancer Mary McGuiggan.

Join musicians from traditional and contemporary backgrounds and from both sides of the Irish Sea as they explore the shared music and special bond between Liverpool and Ireland.

‘For a first show of this kind it was a triumph and hopefully will be repeated in years to come’. Click Liverpool

‘A night of riotous reels and Celtic soul. The format worked like a dream…[Damien Dempsey’s] deep and soulful voice reverberated around the hush of the grand old hall and brought people closer together. It was that kind of night’. Seven Streets

‘A spectacular gathering of singers, storytellers and musicians. Those who packed Liverpool Philharmonic for this truly trail-blazing gig will preen for years to come that they were at the first of the “Sessions”, which will surely become a regular feature. 15 out of 10 (honest)’. Liverpool Confidential

• 21 October Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, part of Liverpool Irish Festival
• 22 October Belfast Ulster Hall, part of Ulster Bank Belfast Festival at Queen’s
• 23 October Derry/Londonderry Millennium Forum

To book for the Liverpool concert and for details about the other performances see contact Liverpool Philharmonic Hall

Sense of Sound singer, Jetta will be making her London debut performance on Tuesday 11th October at Notting Hill Arts club. After playing a packed out gig at the legendary Liverpool Parr Street studios (Studio 2) a few weeks ago this gig promises to be a very special event. Jetta, who has is currently one of Paloma Faith’s backing singers and has sung with Cee Lo Green at Wembley is set to carve out her own career as a singer and songwriter. Her style is edgy, soulful, prolific and intelligent.

The Notting Hill Arts club performance will be a rare acoustic treat and will also feature the incredible Alex Vargas, A Band of Buriers, Beatie Wolfe,  Bears Banquest and The Waylayers.

Show starts at 7.45pm and Jetta is on first so please get there early. The cost is £8 0r £6 with a flyer which you can print out from here and take with you to the venue.

The address: 21, Notting Hill Gate

On Thursday, 6th October there be a spectacular event in Williamson Square in Liverpool city centre.
The mainstage attractions will demonstrate the power of art and culture in overcoming distress and achieving happiness including. The FREE event will feature an open Sense of Sound singing workshop which will take place between 2.15pm  and 2.50pm. All participants will learn a song together which will then be broadcast live on BBC Radio Merseyside.

The day will also feature Zumba dancing, poetry and creative dance and various musical performances.

There will information available on how to improve your feelgood factor
through the Five Ways To Well Being. In addition, there will be a world map displayed in Williamson Square so that visitors can connect Liverpool’s Well-Being to other parts of the globe.
Advice will also be available on to access support when you need to, and
how getting involved with the arts can help  overcome feelings of
distress.

This event is in support The Decade of Health and Wellbeing and is sponsored by Liverpool Primary Care Trust, Liverpool City Council and Liverpool Mental Health consortium.