Great end of term session with some of the members and Katrina O’Kane on her loop station! Looking forward to welcoming more women in to the next term, and to working with Adrian Potter from Tribarac Studios as we dedicate time to getting our sound ready for performance next year.
Get in touch to find out more if you think you may like to join us.
Our first term in Skibbereen has been a really great experience; with such an amazing group of women coming together to learn, explore and sing…. and I’m super excited to have been invited to start a second group up from Civic Trust House in Cork! The Creative Voice Project is my newest project, and it feels like something quite original is unfolding here. Whilst creating a beautiful sound and repertoire of songs is a big part of the focus, we are also embracing the diversity of our backgrounds and experiences.
If you are a woman who loves to sing in harmony and are ready to expand and be stretched; beyond the regular community choir, and with a relaxed and creative approach, then this could be for you.
This is going to be a wonderful event…so nice to be joining together with Liz Clark and the Skibbereen Community Choir and Community Band. Another event at Levis Corner Bar, Ballydehob as part of the Feelgood Festival! Come along and join us!
We had a wonderful evening singing and playing as part of the West Cork Feelgood Festival on Wednesday 1st October. We were a combination of Ballydehob Community Band, Acapellabella, and local public….sharing good vibes at Levis Corner Bar in Ballydehob. We learned a few songs – including one of my own written especially for the event, complete with harmonies, and found great pleasure in sharing the evening together. I’d like to approach local festivals and events next year to suggest bringing this format out to other towns and villages around West Cork. The event creates such a wonderful space to meet and enjoy sharing meaningful music together. If you’d like to see this coming into your community please get in touch.
I’m starting up a monthly Songwriting Circle, initially on Sundays from 10.30am to 1.30pm at a studio near Ballydehob. This is a super exciting opportunity to gather with others to explore and try out ideas…regardless of how much experience you’ve had previously, or whether you consider yourself a musician, singer or writer. A space for allowing those creative juices to flow….and have alot of fun with playing with a wide variety of styles and approaches. We will look at different starting places, and also how to move forward through feeling stuck, sometimes working in groups and other times alone. Bring your inspirations, aspirations, instruments and your notebook….and let’s get co-creative! Get in touch if you are interested to hear more about other opportunities for exploring songwriting skills with me.
This term I’ve started to work with two of the younger groups in Scoil Brid Primary school in Ballydehob. We are taking different creative approaches to getting familiar with holding rhythm in time with one another through body percussion as well as the use of the instruments they have there. I look forward to exploring more with them and enjoying seeing their excitement with the different sounds we are making.
Both Acapellabella and Ballydehob Community Band will be joining me once more for the 5th year of my bringing an inclusive singing event into the festival, hosted by the festive environment of Levis Corner Bar, Ballydehob. This has to be one of my favourite events on my calendar! We create such a joyous and full, high energy sound…wit,h everyone in the room enjoying learning a few songs, with harmony parts, and then getting to sing it with loads of voices and a full band sound.
This year I’m getting even more excited as the band has been developing a horn/brass section; the percussion team has evolved bringing more depth to the rhythms; and we have a few new elements and new members in our sound. The pieces I’ve chosen are original songs and are high-energy, with lyrics to bring a message of support and community.
See you there! Everyone very welcome!
Very excited to have the opportunity to work with Katrina…a very creative and talented musician and singer – songwriter based in Glengarriff, and we are both looking forward to creating some music to explore with the group. There are still places left, so if you are a woman who’s ready for a new experience in harmony singing through group coaching, get in touch to see if this might be for you!
You can find out more about the Vocal Performance Project, the coming group setting up for the Autumn term, and Katrina O’Kane here: https://cazjeffreys.com/projects/singing-projects/
Ready for some more singing girls? This term Acapellabella will have the lovely Lisa Canty co-directing alongside me and we have a few great projects coming up which you may enjoy. We meet in Schull, and look forward to welcoming new voices into our Community Choir. Check out Acapellabella West Cork Facebook page for more info.
We are kicking off this term with getting ready to play once again at Levis Bar, Ballydehob on Wednesday 1st October as part of The West Cork Feelgood Festival programme. This will be in the format of a Singing Workshop at which everyone will get the opportunity to learn the songs, complete with harmonies and have a great sing. This will be our 4th year doing this event, and it’s such good fun!
The Community Band starts up again on Monday 8th September and welcomes new members. So if you think you may like to give it a go, get in touch!
Caz Jeffreys 