Reaching Out, Reaching In: A Workshop for potential community choral leaders

6 February, 2016, 10 am to 3.30 pm, Eric Ericsonhallen

Workshop content: There is increasing interest by musicians in reaching out into communities to those who are deprived, dispossessed, marginalized, or displaced. The worldwide problem of refugees numbering more than 50 million, compels us to consider how music and other art forms might make a contribution to making marginalized people feel secure, and a genuine part of society. While there have been many efforts among choral musicians to work in community, frequently this has consisted of the teaching of songs and has emphasized conventional choral configurations. This workshop will discuss the problem of community hardship and present the Empowering Song approach as an alternative, consensus-based approach to choral music. There will be numerous song-based activities, but also activities that will connect to other arts and body work. In addition, participants will strategize projects in their own areas of interest.

Workshop leader: Professor Dr André de Quadros is a professor of music at Boston University, where he also holds positions in African studies, Asian studies, Muslim studies, and Prison Education. His artistic, teaching, and research work have taken him to more than forty countries in multiple contexts from professional choirs and orchestras to community building, cross-cultural, and imprisoned situations in Latin America, Europe, Israel and the Arab world, South and Southeast Asia, the United States, and Australia.