Northern Harmony, the unique world music choir based in Vermont, USA, returns to the Steiner Academy in Frome on Monday 18th March for a concert at 8pm, with a preceding workshop for any inter-ested singers at 6.30pm.
Tickets at the door are: for the workshop £10, £7 for students; for the concert £8/£5; for both £16/£10; family rate £20/£15/£30. For information contact: 01373 832804 (during school hours).
Organisers say, “The 16 brilliant singers of Northern Harmony present a thrilling mix of world harmony traditions including South African songs and dances, traditional polyphony from Georgia, Corsica, and the Balkans, American shape-note singing and quartet gospel, and renaissance motets.
“Through 17 European tours since 1993, Northern Harmony has won a wide reputation for their remarkable command of the differ-ent singing styles and timbres appropriate to these different traditions. Their two and a half month 2017 tour includes the UK, France, Switzerland, Germany and the northeastern USA.
“Northern Harmony, led by Larry Gordon, is the highest level performing group under the umbrella of the world music organization Village Harmony, which sponsors singing camps and workshops in New England and many parts of the world. (see www.villageharmony.org) The singers are primarily seasoned young graduates of Village Harmony singing programmes. Most of them have studied traditional singing styles first hand with native teachers in South Africa, Bulgaria, Corsica and Caucasus Georgia, and some are also accomplished singing leaders in their own right.
“In the workshop, Northern Harmony will teach a selection of South African songs and dances, contem-porary American shape-note songs, and songs from Georgia and the Balkans. In their teaching they pay close attention to the distinctive authentic vocal timbres and body language associated with the various singing traditions. With several Northern Harmony singers helping to lead each vocal part, the teaching is particularly efficient and gratifying.
Northern Harmony also performs a wide variety of village music from the Balkan countries. This mu-sic features the characteristic bright, “hard-voiced” Balkan vocal timbre, with dissonant harmonies frequently based on drones, and irregular dance meters in 7, 9 and 11. Many of these songs are accompanied by fiddle, oboe, tambura and drum. In preparation for this tour, Northern Harmony worked intensively with Bosnian singing leader Samira Merdzanic.
For further details visit: www.villageharmony.org
