Author: Jessa

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Jessa’s Singing Larks – singing into 2021

2021 promises to be full of song – but initially, 100% online.

(Apart from my weekly #fieldsing of course!)

So much is happening over the next few weeks…..I need to take a few deep breaths before diving headfirst into this songfest…..but I can’t wait to sing with everyone again! (via my screen of course)

Singing For All with Jessa CIC

I am determined to keep Singing for all going, however I can, through these lockdowns and restrictions, and I am so grateful to those individuals and organisations who have contributed to our “Advent Singalong” campaign during December to help with this.

The York SFA folks celebrating their 1st birthday in January 2020!

Now, in these online times, distance is no object, and anyone from Easingwold or York, Birmingham or Brisbane (or anywhere else!) is welcome to join in with our lively Singing For All online sessions. There is no need for any amazing musical skills -if you enjoy singing and want to connect with others, you are welcome! We sing a huge range of songs, from folk to pop, show songs to rounds and mash-ups, and we don’t rehearse songs or learn complicated parts – we just sing songs for the fun of it. A singalong – in one session we might get though anything from 15-20 different songs!

Monday sessions take place on You Tube Live, at 11am. Just tune in to my channel at 11 and I will appear! Here is the very first session – my first ever live session online, back in March 2020. A scary moment, and I have grown so much in my confidence and skill level since then – but still a fun singalong for anyone who wants it. All the sessions are left on afterwards for people to sing along to any time.

The Tuesday Singing For All sessions are held on zoom, again at 11am. Anyone who signs up is sent a secure link which they just have to click on to take part, and all you need is a computer, tablet or phone, and an internet connection.

Do help by spreading the Singing For All word – many of my singers, whether they are living with dementia, caring for a loved one, feeling isolated or down, have found the sessions a lifeline during 2020. Sharing songs with others, connecting – even if it is via a screen or chat box – is SO valuable at this time. DO get in touch via the contact page if you want to give it a try or know someone who might.

I have just set up Singing For All’s own social media pages today – here are the links to the SFA Instagram and Facebook pages – please like and share!

Singing For All With Jessa CIC – Instagram

Singing For All With Jessa CIC – Facebook

Community Singers Online

I am really looking forward to seeing my Wednesday crew again, after a few weeks off for Christmas and New Year. This group is a lovely mixture of people from my “real life” choirs in Easingwold and Helmsley, and others from far and wide who have joined the online group. The group is around 20 so far, and there are places for more to join – do get in touch if you fancy giving it a try!

I am very excited about starting some of the new songs I have prepared for the group – a wide range, from emotional pieces about the joy of singing, to wild pop mash ups and silly rounds. My multi part tracks are ready and my loop pedal is polished, ready to create that “choir” feel for everyone singing on their own from home!

CSO sessions are on Wednesdays at 7, running for just over an hour, with a virtual tea break in the middle – if you are camera shy, this is optional! So you can choose to stay and chat or go and get an actual cup of real tea. (or glass of wine!) Here’s a little taster of one of the songs we are starting this week…

As well as these two groups, there are lots more singing-related activities continuing or starting in the next week – people often ask how I manage to do so many different things! The answer is often, “only just”, and with a very carefully managed diary…

So many different work streams, with different preparation, different types of groups and activities. But I love them all and wouldn’t actually want to give any of them up. Another point to consider is that music is how I earn a living – through teaching singing and music, performing, and leading choirs and groups. Any one of those currently would not pay the bills on its own! So many community musicians like myself have a similar “portfolio” of work – and of course, I never have a chance to get bored!

So my aim for the next 5 weeks is to get all the musical plates spinning, and to pace myself, try to get outside and walk whenever I can, try to pay some attention to my poor husband and teenage children who do get neglected in these busy periods…….and hope I make it to half term with no smashed plates!

Here’s a picture of my week ahead…see you at the other side!

Jessa’s week….

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Singing Larks – a different kind of busy this year

Those who know me, know that December is usually ridiculously busy – dashing from one place to another, many many festive performances and singing leading events, from school productions and massed choir events to performing all over the place and leading the Easingwold Lions Carols in the Marketplace….all of which I love doing.

This year had to be different.

But I’m afraid, not much quieter!

Singing For All Advent Singalong

As part of a quest to raise awareness in (and some funds for) my beloved Singing For All, I decided to perform a song every day in December as a “Singing For All Advent Singalong” challenge! I haven’t missed a day so far, and plan to continue until the 24th ; songs so far have ranged from the Mince Pie Calypso to Mary Did You Know, via Deck the halls, festive mash-ups, and many more….and more to come! They are all available to watch any time on You Tube or Facebook, and most days I also include a little taster of the Singing For All experience from the comments book. The virtual busking hat is here.. Here’s my favourite so far, a looped up arrangement of “God rest ye merry gentlemen” from December 8th.

Community Christmas-ONLINE

One of the highlights of my year is usually my concert at Easingwold Galtres Centre, with performances from myself and Malcolm, my singing students, and Easingwold Community Singers and Singing For All. This year, I did my best to create an online version of the event! Singing and piano students prepared video performances, SFA and CSO singers stepped out of their comfort zones to send me video and audio recordings, a singer’s kind parent(who happened to be a tech expert!) stepped forward to host the event and take over the technical side, and we had a concert!

There were laughs, a few tears, festive songs a-plenty and many many lovely comments from participants and attendees. I felt quite overcome at several points in the event, thinking of the journey we have all been on this year and the loyalty shown by my students and singers that has helped me carry on, even when I have struggled.

Behind the scenes at a Singing For All zoom session!
White Christmas -starring members of CSO and SFA, and a special guest!

Filming for virtual events

I have been lucky enough to be involved in a couple of really special virtual events this Christmas.

When I got a call from Big Ian a couple of weeks ago, I was thrilled to hear about his latest idea and bit his hand off when he asked if I would like to be a part of his “St Leonard’s Hospice – I led the York Civic Youth Choir at the York event, conducted my Community Singers at the drizzly Easingwold service, and performed 2 songs myself at the Selby Abbey one. So when Sue got in touch and asked me to be a part of this year’s virtual service, of course I accepted. After months of singing at my screen, you can imagine how I felt to sing in the beautiful setting and acoustics of Selby Abbey, accompanied by Malcolm on the grand piano…very special.

The service is now available to watch at any time – I would recommend watching the whole service, it is really very moving and beautifully put together. If you want to find my songs quickly, they are around 7 mins and 22mins in.

https://youtu.be/xkWheW34x

B8

An actual Songbirds performance – to real people!

I still can’t quite believe that on Sunday 20th December, Malcolm and I will be performing “Songbirds” to a live audience at The Joseph Rowntree Theatre. This show was first performed a year ago, then we only got one more performance in (at Helmsley Arts Centre) before “all this” happened. We were booked in to perform at the JRT in April – but that was not to be. I did a solo online stream on You Tube in April, then Malcolm and I did a highlights of Songbirds live Facebook stream in July….but there is nothing like performing live in a theatre and we can’t wait! Performing a show on 20th December which is not Christmassy at all will be quite strange but refreshing in a way….and we do have an extra song planned which will be a nod to the time of year without departing from the show’s theme.

Half the (very limited) tickets are sold, and all the safety procedures are in place…. here’s the link if you would like to snap up any of the remaining seats!

https://www.josephrowntreetheatre.co.uk/whats-on/all-shows/songbirds/1373/#details

…and I’ll finish with this video of myself and Malcolm and one of our favourite songs to perform at this time of year – “I will watch you grow” from Rock Nativity.

More Singing Larks will appear in 2021! A Merry and safe Christmas to all .

Jessa xx

Malcolm and I, together but apart, with “I will watch you grow”

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Never stop learning!

Although I have been really busy throughout this year, despite all the lockdowns and restrictions, trying to keep all my groups going, teaching my students online, and doing my best to find performing opportunities (even if that is confined mainly to fields!), I am so pleased that I have made time for some quality lockdown learning.

To be honest, in the first few weeks of “all this”, I learned more than I have for years! In the space of a few weeks, I learned how to live stream, run choirs and lessons on zoom and You Tube…..soon after, I was able to do (very basic!) video and audio editing, broadcast live on Facebook and You Tube at the same time, and even use live looping!

But, in addition, I have made time for some mind-blowing training with these inspiring folks….

The Vocal Process tribe

I would not be exaggerating here to say that Vocal Process has changed my life!

In the past few years, my skills, knowledge and confidence in myself as a singer, singing leader and performer have been transformed through taking part in their intensive courses – they call them “retreats”, and for good reason. My everyday life is packed with many different and varied roles, and, much as I enjoy every one of those, it is hectic! “Inside the singing voice”, “The performers’ retreat” and “The musical directors’ retreat” gave me time and space to slow down and focus on one thing only, while learning SO much about voices. (including my own!)

Like many of us, Gillyanne and Jeremy from Vocal Process have had to adapt and change how they do things this year, and have taken all their training online, which has been a huge success. The thought of taking part in their Online Singing Teacher Training in the Summer was a little scary to begin with – I am easily intimidated by people with impressive lists of qualifications and experiences! But as soon as the course got underway, I realised I was in a safe space to learn, experiment, and grow as a singing teacher, alongside a wide range of teachers from different styles, backgrounds, and continents. What an amazing opportunity, which would not have happened in the same way in “normal” times. The VP courses are such a positive learning experience, that they always make me hungry for more – so when the opportunity came to continue to do Week 3 of their online singing teacher training in September, as well as several “pop-up’ courses on different aspects of singing, I jumped at the chance. I will always be grateful to #teamVP for the inspiration, encouragement, and the gang of like-minded friends I have made through their sessions, including Vocal Intuition and Singing it Back. (#choirleaderinakayak, mermaid friend of #fieldsinger !)

Embodima

It was through a Vocal Process “Let’s Talk” event in London just over a year ago that I first met Nicola Harrison, where she gave a fascinating intro to her Embodima research. The last 3 Sunday mornings I have spent in Oxford (virtually of course!) with Nicola and 5 other singing teachers, learning about Embodima and learning to use this carefully researched concept in my singing and teaching. I really believe this is a liberating pathway that I know will help set singers free from some of the confusion and over-thinking that sometimes bogs us down. Let singers sing!

I love a notebook!

Vocal Health First Aider success!

I have long been an admirer of Jenevora Williams, having used her book as the go-to since I started teaching singing one to one. (Anyone teaching young people to sing really needs to digest this – “Teaching singing to children and young people” – available on JW’s website.) Early in the first lockdown I took an online seminar with Jenevora on vocal rehabilitation, which I found fascinating, so when, along with Stephen King, she set up Vocal Health Education and offered the vocal health first aider course, I was keen to be a part of this.

For the next few weeks, I spent much of my spare time at my laptop, watching the lectures, taking notes, and revelling in the wide-ranging learning, from medical learning about the systems of the body and possible voice problems, to the mind-body connections, mindfulness, and mythbusting.

An entirely holistic view of the voice that felt so right to me. So interesting and all so relevant to all of my work with people’s voices, and my own!

The end of course assessment was online, and I was delighted with my result in that….even though part of me (the perfectionist part!) wanted to resit the test to try and get 100% . The final part of the assessment was a short interview over a video call – I was a little nervous beforehand but the interviewer put me at ease straight away and, after our brief chat with some interesting but not too scary questions, he pronounced that I had passed and duly sent my certificate and badge to be worn with pride!

Me with my Vocal Health First Aider certificate!

Why?

Why do I do all this? Some of my close friends despair when I tell them about my next course, knowing how busy I am and how wobbly I get sometimes. I have been working with voices for 25 years…..working on my own voice, teaching young people in schools, choirs, one to one lessons, working with adults in community choirs and musical theatre…..I have learned from so many inspiring teachers and singers over the years…and there is so much to learn. The more training I do, whether it is in person, live online, recorded webinars, even just networking and sharing experience in online groups such as the Vocal Process one or choir leader crews like The Creative Choir Leader, MD Brunch and Choirs Online, the more confidence and knowledge I gain.

I gain confidence in what I DO know and what my strengths and skills are, and understand better the areas I need to learn more in.

Nobody ever knows it all, and the professionals I admire the most are those who learn from others, including their students.

Every week I learn from the people I sing with! If you would like to join in with my sessions over the next few weeks, when we will be learning some gorgeous festive songs in preparation for my ONLINE COMMUNITY CHRISTMAS event on December 12th (more about that next time…), do get in touch via the contact page.

Singing really is a tonic for the body, mind, and soul, and I am so lucky to spend most of my week enjoying that tonic with so many lovely people.

I will leave you with this week’s #fieldsing ….

Thanks for reading!

Jessa x

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Singing larks 2 – “Firsts” 28th October 2020

Jessa leading her Singing For All group from the piano.

The past seven months have been full of “firsts” for me. Before this March, I was not at all keen on video calls. I had never broadcast a live stream. There were a handful of videos on my You Tube channel and I was running seven choirs a week on top of teaching, performing solo concerts and the odd workshop.

Jessa leading her Singing For All group from the piano.
Leading from the piano at Singing For All – photo by Rebecca Rowan Photography.

But as soon as “all this” started, all I could do was work out how I could keep singing and keep my groups going, and this involved an unprecedented learning curve as I got to grips with zoom choirs, You Tube live streams, and finding as many new ways of singing as possible. In the past 7 months, I have added 100 videos to my You Tube channel, including 31 fieldsings and 29 live Singing For All sessions. In July I celebrated my 100th online group singing session and have since added around 30 more to the total. I have networked with other singers and choir leaders from all over the world and have even started writing songs for my groups (and others) to sing.

Even though “firsts” are a regular thing for me at the moment, I was particularly excited(and nervous!) about this week’s…

My first ever hybrid rehearsal – roomers and zoomers!

Since March, I have been running my Community Singers sessions online on zoom, and despite the obvious restrictions of these sessions, I have actually grown to love these uplifting Wednesday nights, and there are many positives to be found. Most of all, the singers are safe in their own homes, are able to catch up in the virtual tea-break, and can easily learn each other’s names from the zoom screens! My skills have developed so much over this time, and I still can’t quite believe I am confidently layering harmonies with a loop pedal several times a week!

However….some of my singers were really keen to get together in real life and, as I like to try and keep everyone happy, I decided to do something about it. Easingwold Priory agreed to hire me their hall (after approving my risk assessment which incorporated their thorough venue procedures as well as my choir-specific “rules”.)…. and I decided to go ahead with a trial “Roomers and Zoomers” session last Wednesday, 21st October. I admit that prior to the session, I was in a bit of a tizz. I had to totally dismantle my home audio set up : keyboard, stands, mic, mixer, laptop, etc etc…and set it all up again in the church hall! Not to mention the measuring, setting out and cleaning chairs, getting resources and songs ready, making sure the room was ready and that everyone had booked their place and signed up to all the rules – including maintaining a 2m distance at all times and keeping masked throughout.

Despite all this, I couldn’t wait to hear my community singers again!

This short highlights clip gives an idea of the atmosphere of the rooomers and zoomers session…..it was so lovely to hear all the voices again, and even those on zoom found it emotional to hear.

The feedback I have had has been really positive and encouraging – a few people were not too keen on singing in masks, and of course it doesn’t feel as friendly as our usual positions crammed into the town band room – BUT most people accepted those new conditions as the price to pay for the joy of singing together in a room as safely as possible.

Another first – Mick and I perform at The Joseph Rowntree Theatre! “Fields and Lanes” live on stage…

As I mentioned in my previous post, Mick and I have really enjoyed working together on our “Fields and lanes” show, and our performance at Easingwold Community Library in September was a very special moment for us. So, when Graham from The Joseph Rowntree Theatre got in touch, saying they were looking for a show to test out the theatre’s Covid-secure procedures, we were very keen to help out. We have performed in this gorgeous community run theatre together many times with York Musical Theatre Company and I have loved performing my one woman shows ” ‘Til the boys come home” and “Some enchanted Sondheim” there. (The excerpt below is a rehearsal recording of myself and Malcolm Maddock, preparing for our tribute to wartime women.)

On Saturday 24th October, we arrived at the theatre, both a little shaky, having not stepped foot in a theatre since March. Aided by fantastic lighting and sound technicians Mike and Ollie, we were soon underway with a quick, socially distanced “tech”, and in no time the “audience” (in fact theatre volunteers who had booked their spaces online to test out the covid-safe system) started arriving to be temperature checked and escorted to their socially distanced seats.

The view from the sound desk – photo by Ollie Nash

The blackness of the auditorium was a massive contrast to the blue skies(or grey clouds) of the outdoor performance spaces we were so used to. The audience, despite their spaced out arrangement and masked faces, responded so well and my Twitter feed was full of positive comments afterwards….we were so pleased to be able to perform our show in this very special theatre and hopefully it will pave the way for shows to be booked in with actual paying audiences….in fact, there is a provisional date for “Songbirds” for myself and Malcolm for Friday 20th November! York folks, check your diaries and watch this space!

That’s quite enough for now. I am having a slightly less scheduled week, aiming to fit in some family time, some rest time, some online training, and some time to plan my next 6 weeks of Singing Larks….hopefully to include more hybrid sessions, more zoom and You Tube sessions, and, fingers crossed, a live performance!

I will finish with a little taster of a new seasonal song I have been working on…some kind of recording should appear before too long..

Chill in the air, now that Winter is coming,

Soon the snowflakes will fall, fall to the ground.

Dark is the night, now that Winter is coming,

Dark skies are littered with stars, stars gently glow.