Advanced Vocal Flow

**An advanced workshop, geared toward past participants in Gaia’s two part “Vocal Flow Sequence” workshops, and any musician excited for a more musically technical/complex exploration of connection through collaborative vocal improvisation. In this interactive playground, we get to stretch our musical ears through improvisation, allowing ever more self-expressive sounds to sing through us - all in the name of cultivating ever-deepening attunement to the emergent collective compositional vision.

[January 10, 7-9:30pm]

In Vocal Flow, we take a deeper dive into the waters of collaborative vocal improvisation and circlesinging in an intimate, small circle setting. This session is limited to 20 experienced musicians ~ vocalizers with solid musical skills who are seeking to deepen their relationship to improvisational flow, connect with new friends through musical play, and co-create vocal magic out of thin air. We will begin by crafting a space of trust and safety, of playfulness and discovery, of curiosity and vulnerability. Then, with our new friends by our side, we take the leap and jump into singing games that explore:

chords and feelings

• blend/ ensemble listening
• implying/inviting new harmony
• voicings/inversions
• motivic development/ song form
• message/intent
• small ensemble composition

These music games, inspired by Rhiannon’s Vocal River curriculum, the Musica do Circulo practice, Bobby McFerrin’s Circle Song School, and our own improvisational ideations, give us the tools to craft spontaneous compositions that center deep listening, trust, flow, and self-surprise.

Together, we ask ourselves, “How can I listen more deeply to my inner creativity, to my singing partners, and to the music itself? What does the music want in this moment, and how might I serve the music?”

What a joy, to dip our toes into the flow of collaborative vocal improvisation!

Limited to 20 people.

What does “advanced” mean?

This session is for singers that are confident in holding their own part in dense rhythmic and harmonic textures, and who are excited to connect with others around and through letting themselves be held and met in improvisational musical exploration. If you’re willing to be brave and want to grow, then this circle is for you! And, as always, this session is a judgment-free zone where mistakes are welcomed and encouraged. No need for perfection here. Just a space to play.

WHO IS LEADING THIS CIRCLESINGING SESSION?

This session will be facilitated by the wonderful Tracy Robertson.

Vocalist, educator, and vocal percussionist Tracy LJ Robertson enjoys working in a variety of musical settings. While studying at Berklee College of Music he performed in ensembles of global influence, from Balkan to contemporary Indian, to Latin, to western classical and jazz. He's since performed and recorded with a range of artists including Bobby McFerrin, Valerie Simpson, Justin Timberlake, Sabrina Carpenter, Andy Grammer, Michael Bublé and Billie Eilish. Meanwhile the acappella community has offered opportunity to tour and educate with groups like Pitch Slapped, Overboard, Vocalosity, m-pact, The Magnets, and The House Jacks. He is also supremely grateful to work and facilitate for organizations like the Urban Voices Project, his newest project - Vocal Bloom, and in more and more spaces where music and improvisation is explicitly supporting/instigating healing and empowerment. Tracy enjoys spreading his passion for life through music and ever deepening appreciation of mother nature.

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LOW-PRESSURE PARTICIPATION

Gaia Music Collective events are participatory, but low-pressure. You'll be invited to sing along and make music with us, but we encourage you to draw your own boundaries and engage at your own pace - we pride ourselves in creating a judgment-free community where you can express yourself however feels right!

LATE ARRIVALS

We ask that you arrive no later than 30 minutes after start time, after which we close the doors (lovingly) in order to preserve the intimacy and trust of the musical container we’re building. Thank you for understanding!

CANCELLATION POLICY

Tickets are refundable up to 24 hours before the event, after which we are no longer able to offer refunds. This policy helps us keep these events financially sustainable for both our community and our team. If you RSVP but are no longer able to come, please let us know so that we may offer your spot to someone else! We want as many people to be able to experience these gatherings as possible, and since capacity is limited, each spot is precious.

For more info, contact us at [email protected].

MEDIA CONSENT

Because we want to share what we’re up to with people who can’t join us in person, there may be photographers and videographers present — by attending, you consent to being a part of that media, some of which may be posted online! If you have any questions or concerns, please email us at [email protected].

NO ONE TURNED AWAY FOR LACK OF FUNDS

Gaia is funded by sliding scale ticket donations, with a “no one turned away for lack of funds” policy. It is of the utmost importance to us that these events remain affordable and accessible - we never want money to be a barrier to making music together. If a ticket scale is financially prohibitive to you, feel free to donate outside of the scale at whatever amount is sustainable for you, or to email us at [email protected] for volunteer opportunities or assistance!

OUR MISSION

Gaia Music Collective is an NYC-based creative community seeking to foster a more connected world through collective music-making. Founded in June of 2021 in a living room in Brooklyn, this project was born out of a desire to create accessible, inclusive, playful spaces for people to explore connection, expression, healing, and release through collaborative song - spaces where folks feel empowered to make music free of judgment or expectation, and to make new friends as our full, beautiful, authentic selves.

We believe that communal music-making is a fundamental human practice, and this project seeks to build spaces for folks to nurture their relationship to music, whether they're shower singers, professional musicians, or anything in between.

All are welcome in this community. Gaia seeks to foster spaces of belonging for humans of all ages, races, genders, sexual orientations, classes, religions, abilities, national origins, languages, and musical experiences. All we ask is that you bring an open mind, a desire to connect, and a willingness to leave judgment of self and others at the door.

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Host or Publisher Gaia Music Collective