Traditional Music

Instruments and Singing

Is proposed a chronological-geographical description of traditional music, from the Middle ages to contemporary compositions, through France, Germany and Great Britain, with Italian songs as an important beginning point.

Traditional Singing through Europe

Through France, Germany and Great Britain, starting from Italian songs, a travel among different nations and different souls, but with a common way to express feelings, to tell stories, to live everyday's life.

History of traditional singing and explanation of the main kinds of songs in the area considered.

Guided listening through live music and audio/video supports.

First approach to singing, breathing, phonation, body setting, vocalism.

Simple traditional songs from Italy, pronuciation and translation.

Other songs of the european area and their particular difficulties.

Purpose of the workshop is to show a wide perspective of traditional songs, underlining differences and similiar themes in such different nations.

Download a Video

Voice Setting

Breathing, phonation, body setting, vocalism: the correct way to sing is very important also for traditional music, to avoid common mistakes and to sing without efforts enable us to express our whole potential in the repertory we have chosen.

First approach to singing, breathing, phonation, body setting, vocalism.

Simple traditional songs, correct pronuciation and timing.

Ensemble singing and approach to harmony, singing with different parts and voices

Some Italian and Celtic songs are shown as examples of correct emission of sound and as a basic pattern to other repertories.

Traditional Piedmontese Songs

(North West Italy)

The Piedmont area from whom the teacher comes from is rich of very peculiar songs, some of them very similiar in music and setup to celtic ballads.

History of traditional singing and explanation of the main kinds of songs in the Piedmontese area.

Guided listening through live music and audio/video supports.

First approach to singing, breathing, phonation, body setting, vocalism.

Simple traditional songs from Piedmont, pronuciation and translation.

Other songs of the area and their particular difficulties.

Purpose of the workshop is to underline similiarity and differences both in italian and celtic repertory in order to open a wider view about european songs and their features.

Bagpipes through Europe

Piva - Musette - Gaita - Zampogna

From North Italy, France, Spain, South Italy a travel to discover different sounds and the magical atmosphere that such instruments can create.

History, developement and links among different kind of bagpipes in the Europe of yesterday and in the present day   Guided listening through live music and audio/video supports   First approach to piping according to different styles   Instruments setup and maintenance   Ensemble Music playing some bagpipes studied.

Purpose of the workshop is not only the cultural update, but also discover our own favourite instrument and to start a progressive program of learning through courses, workshops, long distance and online lessons.

Download a video of the hurdy-gurdy

(see also next page)

Ocarina

An italian original instrument known and played worldwide

From Bologna (Italy) the ocarina found soon its fortune in Germany, France and also Japan: an easy to play, portable and fully chromatic instrument, now developed to a superb quality standard both in tuning and purity of sound.

History of the instrument from its ancestors (globular flutes) to modern particular instruments

Guided listening through live music and audio/video supports

First approach to the instrument, breathing, first exercises on the scale.

Simple traditional tunes from Italy

Ensemble music and approach to harmony, playing with different sizes ocarinas, (Terzetto or Quintetto)

Purpose of the workshop is to practice the first easy tunes and to learn different harmonies and accompaniment in order to play in the typical form of the ocarinas ensemble, the trio or the quintet (Terzetto and Quintetto).

Download an audio sample of the ensemble of ocarinas

Diatonic Accordion

(French and Italian Style)

North Italy and France have a peculiar style of playing the diatonic accordion, both in fast and happy dances and in sad ballads or valzer. It is a style rich of embellishments for the right hand and variation for the left (accompaniment), an interesting and complete way to play also Irish and other countries tunes.

History of the instrument from its ancestors (portative organ) to modern chromatic accordion

Guided listening through live music and audio/video supports

First approach to the instrument, body setting, first exercises, scale

Simple traditional tunes from Italy, exercise for syncronism of both hands

First simple embellishments like gracenotes and mordenti

Purpose of the workshop is to start playing with a complete approach to both hands, too much teachers infact dedicate few time to left hand limiting this important hand only to accompaniment.

Download a video of the Diatonic Accordion

Other Workshops

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