Weekend Workshop
with
Woody Mann and Susanne Vogt
19 – 21 August 2011
Kassel, Germany
- open to all levels
- relaxed, inclusive and creative atmosphere
- focus on developing practical technique and originality
- developing stage presence
- student concert
- beautiful setting
- limited enrollment
Woody Mann, known internationaly as one of the foremost teachers of acoustic fingerstyle guitar, will be focusing American roots styles including blues, jazz and ragtime. Performer, recording artist and experienced vocal coach Susanne Vogt will be teaching vocal technique and how to develop your own singing style. 
Although students can choose to study either guitar or voice, the workshop is designed so guitarists have an opportunity to develop their singing talents and vocalists can work out new repertoire and interact with other musicians. The weekend will include classes in rythm, improvisation, stage presence, practical knowledge for live gigs, private instruction, as well as a student concert.
The workshop will take place in a recording/ art studio in Kassel. The setting is the perfect backdrop for a relaxed, non competitive and creative atmosphere. The site includes a beautiful outdoor garden, rooms for classes, jam sessions and individual practicing. Very close to the trainstation “Bahnhof Wilhelmshöhe”, free parking.
Woody Mann, known through his touring, recordings, books, and instructional DVD’s, has been teaching guitar workshops throughout the world for over two decades. Woody’s workshops are hands-on practical approaches to playing the many styles of fingerstyle, blues, ragtime, and jazz. In addition to teaching new repertoire and techniques, the workshop will offer students fresh ideas and new approaches to keep them on track long after the workshop is over. The classes will focus on syncopated fingerstyle picking techniques and practical approaches on how to improvise within a tune. Through the understanding of ‘breaking down’ chord positions and rhythmic picking ideas, Woody will teach ways to develop a swinging picking style, get the texture and groove of the music and ‘demystify’ the process of creating you own variations in a song. These ideas will be illustrated as you learn new repertoire including Reverend Gary Davis, Blind Blake, Big Bill Broonzy, Lonnie Johnson and others. This is a hands on, practical session for people who want to take alternating picking to the next level, learn new tunes, and develop the art of singing with your guitar playing.
Woody Mann had his first musical schooling in the living room of Gary Davis, the now legendary blues, gospel and ragtime guitarist. Considered one of the most original guitarists of his generation, he is widely known through his touring, recordings and many popular books and videos. He has taught countless guitarists at workshops all over the world. In the afternoon Woody will teach workshops on requested blues songs, his own compositions, jazz, jamming and creating variations in your playing. For a complete bio visit www.woodymann.com
Susanne Vogt, an experienced live- and studio singer and songwriter recieved the Culture Award of Kassel for her work. She studied music and art at the University of Kassel. She has been teaching vocal techniques and singing lessons for many years, at the University of Kassel, private students, the vocal class at the Bad Karlshafen Musicschool and the last three years also at the Kassel Actors School. Besides vocal training she focuses on Jazz, Blues and related musical styles. She played and sang in several musicals at german theatres and lately she dealed with traditional african vocal music. In the past years Susanne and Woody gave concerts as a duo and released three albums. www.susannevogt.de
Vocalworkshop themes:
- Vocal techniques: correct breathing and mouth position, warm-ups, how to find and expand your vocal range, head and chest voice, vowel exercises, practice routines…
- Rhythm exercises with voice and body, african polyphone rhythms and songs
- Blues vocals : Blues Scale, Major Pentatonic Scale , Call and Response, Phrasing
- Improvisation: as a group, solo, on Modal Jazz Scales (for example Ionian) and on Blues. We work on Folk- Blues- Jazztunes or on songmaterial that you bring to the workshop (maybe originals) to develop your individuell style and expression.
Tuition: 300 EUR
Tuition includes lunch on saturday and sunday, all class materials and student concert.
Schedule:
Friday: 2-4 pm arrival
8-10 pm group session
Saturday: 10-6, group classes, workshops and private instruction
9 pm Concert
Sunday: 10-6 group classes, workshops and private instruction