Singing and Songwriting workshops

Sing like nobody's listening
Sarah Lambert
Sunday 2.45pm Yuin
Open to all men and women. Come and learn some songs in part-harmony, and get some vocal techniques and tips along the way. No experience necessary, just a willingness to sing and a sense of humour. If you can breathe and talk, you can sing. You'll be amazed at the sound you can produce, when you sing the Berkeley Songbirds way – for the joy of it, like nobody's listening.

Mal Webb’s lip-to-lung global vocal adventure
Mal Webb
Sunday 12.30pm Magpie
Around the world and into your gob, vocal explorer and songwriter Mal Webb takes you on a lip-to-lung global glottal gallivant through the physics, physiology and phrivolity of all the sounds a face can make. Sideways yodelling, vocal percussion, harmonics/throat singing, uvular fluttering and vocal distortion (without hurting) are all explored on the way to being a band with your voice and the lead singer to boot

Songwriting: It’s All About What You DON’T Say
Kate Rowe
Saturday 9.30am Yuin
Clever use of detail can make a good song great. Awaken your listener's curiosity, find your best ideas and melodies and bust through writer's block in this fun practical workshop. Presenter Kate Rowe’s award-winning songs include odes to coffee, a blind date that never actually happened, and space rabbits.

Festival Choir
Directed by Christina Mimmocchi
Reheasal 1: 5.00pm Saturday Yuin Rehearsal 2: 11.15am Sunday Yuin
Performance: Sunday 2.15pm Gulaga
After an absence of several years from the festival program and as a result of several requests from those who missed it, we again offer this opportunity for anyone to come and join the choir. Christina Mimmocchi is an experienced choir leader and singer in a number of choirs. She will have you singing in great harmony in no time. Two rehearsals will culminate in the performance on the main stage in the Gulaga on Sunday afternoon.

Instrumental tuition workshops

Latin American Guitar
Dave Crowden
Saturday 9.30am Narira
Dave is leader of the guitar ensemble Guitarama and teaches guitar at the Magpie School of Music. In this workshop he will teach the rhythmic, melodic and harmonic nature of samba, choros, milonga, salsa and cha-cha. Learn specific melodies and chord progressions

Backing Irish Music, DADGAD guitar
Ben Stephenson
Saturday 10.30am Narira
Learn to back traditional Irish music on DADGAD guitar, by one of this country’s finest traditional Irish musicians, Ben Stephenson from Cornerbrook. Ben has also toured as a backer with Paddy Keenan.

Autoharp
Denis McKay
Saturday 11.30am Narira
Denis is performing with the group No Such Thing at this festival and is an autoharp enthusiast. Denis is here to pass on some of that enthusiasm, as well as techniques. If you have an autoharp, please bring it. Otherwise, come and learn why you should obtain one!

Scandinavian Fiddle
Lachlan Green
Saturday 12.30pm Narira
Lachlan is performing at this festival in Cresswell Green but plays in a number of ensembles including the Canberra Scottish Fiddlers. He is an accomplished fiddle player, particularly in the Scottish and Scandinavian traditions. He recently performed solos on his Hardanger fiddle with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra in their production of Peer Gynt. In this workshop, Lachlan will be teach some Scandinavian tunes and demonstrate Hardanger fiddle playing (but you do NOT need a Hardanger fiddle to attend!)

Blues-harp Basics
Dorothy-Jane Gosper
Saturday 1.45pm Narira
Dorothy-Jane 'DJ' Gosper first picked up a blues-harp 20 years ago. She fell instantly, helplessly and hopelessly in love. The love affair continues to this day. She is highly regarded by her peers as a very tasty blues-harp player. She invites you to participate in a one-hour workshop: Get a grip on the pesky little instrument; What’s this cross-harp business all about?; Suck/blow versus inhale/exhale; Get your rhythm on; Get 'sweet as' single notes; Basic Blues riffs; Introduction to bends; Don’t be a Gus – Etiquette for harp players; Question time. Bring a 10-hole diatonic harmonica in the key of C.

Whistle
John Spillane
Saturday 2.45pm Narira
John is performing at this festival in the trio As-I-Am and is a veteran of many well-known Illawarra-based bands such as Riogh and Settlers Match. John is one of the finest whistle players around and has taught many people to play whistle through his popular workshops at festivals around Australia.

Unravelling finger-picking Blues guitar
Fiona Boyes
Saturday 3.45pm Narira
Fiona Boyes, solo acoustic winner of the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, is also a four-time Blues Music Awards (USA) nominee for her electric and acoustic guitar performance. In this workshop, Fiona will explore her approach to playing finger-style blues, using both original songs and those of classic Blues players from Tommy Johnson to Howlin’ Wolf. Accessible and empowering for the less experienced, as well as for seasoned players, the workshop format allows “questions and answers” on phrases, licks and shapes which you can easily apply to your existing repertoire.

Wrestling with an encyclopaedia - some hints on playing the Anglo concertina and button accordion
Alistair Brown
Saturday 4.45pm Narira
Alistair, one of our international guests this year, is an accomplished player of both Anglo concertina and diatonic button accordion, and an experienced teacher. In this workshop, Alistair will concentrate on song accompaniment with the Anglo concertina and for the button accordion there will be a greater emphasis on playing tunes. Players of either instrument should not miss this opportunity to learn some tips from a master player whilst he is visiting Australia.

Percussive guitar techniques
Daniel Champagne
Saturday 5.45pm Narira
Daniel is a young guitarist, familiar to regular attendees of the Cobargo Folk Festival, who has taken the world by storm with his masterful and spectacular guitar playing. He has developed techniques of 2-hand tapping, percussion on the body of the guitar and fiery runs in a swag of different tunings to the point that they are his signature techniques. In this workshop, Daniel will give tips to aspiring guitarists on this style of contemporary guitar playing.

Accompanying Irish music with bodhran
Ben McAtamney
Sunday 9.00am Narira
Ben, from Cornerbrook, is one of Australia’s premier bodhran players. He will be teaching techniques and rhythms for accompanying traditional Irish music for players of all levels

How to play the spoons
Chris Aronsten
Sunday 10.00am Narira
Chris is a multi-instrumentalist and singer. He has successfully run workshops on spoon playing at other festivals here and in the UK and it's always been lots of fun. He says that it is more about the music than just the spoons. Anyone with a sense of rhythm can learn to play the spoons quite quickly given some tips, so grab a couple of spoons and come along.

Last Chance Orchestra
Mr Cuttlefish
Sunday 11.00am Narira
Bring your ukes or other instruments and join Mr Cuttlefish as they create some whacky tunes and 80s style dance music! Extra percussion instruments available. You do not have to be accomplished players to join in. Everone welcome.

The Trouble With Treble – How to avoid playing the tune on fiddle
Chris Stone
Sunday 12 noon Narira
Join Chris Stone from The String Contingent for a demonstration, workshop and discussion on percussive accompaniment on the fiddle. Sick of playing the tune or jamming along while the rest of the band has fun? Ever felt like there must be more to playing fiddle than pretty melodies and happy fiddle tunes? Learn how to play bowed rhythmic accompaniment (“chopping”) on the fiddle: grunge, funk and groove your way into the heart of the band, leaving melody waaay behind. Non-fiddlers and observers welcome.

Dobro guitar
Pete Fidler
Sunday 1.00pm Narira
Pete, who is performing at this festival with Nick Charles, Jimmy The Fish and Tom Bolton, is one of Australia’s finest dobro players. Also called lap-style steel guitar, resophonic guitar, square-necked guitar, resonator guitar, the dobro gives a distinctive sound to many bluegrass and roots groups. Pete will be demonstrating dobro playing and passing on tips to other players. If you have a dobro bring it along but anyone interested in this instrument is welcome.

Newfoundland tunes
Cory Clark
Sunday 2.00pm Narira
Learn traditional tunes from Newfoundland with accordion player Cory Clark from Cornerbrook. Cory was formally a member of Newfoundland's A Crowd of Bold Sharemen with whom he toured internationally. Players of all instruments are welcome.