|
UPCOMING ISHTAR CLASSES/WORKSHOPS:
Melissa's workshops at Pennsic 2009!
Saturday August 1st 1-3PM – New Hafla Songs for Middle Eastern Ensemble! All instrumentalists (non-period included) and all percussionists welcome! The new songs will be Chaje Shukarije, Muhabbet, Ushti Babo, Mavi Mavi, Shish Kebab, and Konyali. I will teach the vocals to Ushti Babo and Chaje Shukarije if there are interested singers. Free lyric sheets are rippable from www.BellydanceSheetmusic.com. Sheet music is purchasable in advance at www.Bellydancesheetmusic.com or will be purchasable at Pennsic.
Sunday August 2nd 1-3PM – Art of Taksim with Basic Makam Theory. All instrumentalists are welcome (non-period included). Many of us have no experience with improvisation! Let’s get some! Remember that I was a band dork for years and years and was not allowed in Jazz Band because I played clarinet. If I can taksim, SO CAN YOU! Taksim isn’t the mystery that it appears to be. There are some easy to follow thought processes that will help musicians become better improvisationalists. I will cover the important notes in a makam, the difference between a taksim in a fast tempo song, a slow tempo song and a taksim that is a solo introduction to a song. I will also give tips for being a band leader in the amateur Middle Eastern music scene versus how the “real guys” do it. If there is time we can cover modulation within a taksim (changing the key). Stylistic feedback will be given. Patient drummers are needed to accompany this class. ***This class is a musician pre-requisite for Art of Taksim for Middle Eastern Dancers and Musicians on Sunday August 2nd at Middle Eastern Tent that I am co-teaching with Zarifa of Watan.****
Monday August 3rd 1-3PM – Aziza and Tough tunes for Middle Eastern Ensemble. All instrumentalists and percussionists welcome. We will cover Aziza, Hicaz Oyun Havasi, Nihavent Saz Semai Variation, and Shehnaz Longa (available for purchase at www.BellydanceSheetmusic.com) Most of these are difficult songs for melody musicians, so sight reading sheet music will be a definite advantage. Get your sheet music in advance online. Percussionists are encouraged to learn along with us! Nihavent Saz Semai Variation is a song that uses the Semai rhythm and changes to a Laz 7/8. Aziza is rhythmically complicated for percussion, but many drummers are already familiar with the piece. Hicaz Oyun Havasi and Shehnaz Longa are classic fun fast Turkish folk songs that use maqsum, malfuf and baladi rhythms. Not necessarily in that order. :-)
Wednesday August 5th 1-3 PM - Galloping Is For Horses, Get the Zill Skillz to be a Musician. Yes there is more to zilling than LRLRLRLRLR. Allow me to give you some helpful hints on what to play on your zills with the song, so it doesn’t sound like a fire alarm going off! I will not teach any dance moves, only zill patterns that work with songs. I will cover Fire Dance, Hadouni, Garoon and Uskudara. However, the skillz you get in this class can be applied to any song you dance to! Melody musicians and percussionists – please help me out by playing music in the class, thanks! I don’t want to use a CD player….
Sunday August 2nd 3-5PM at the Middle Eastern Dance Tent, I am co teaching with Zarifa of Watan The Art of Taksim for Middle Eastern Dancers and Musicians. This is everyone’s chance to work together. What happens when two people are improvising at the SAME TIME? Zarifa and I will discuss what we think about, listen for and watch for when putting a Live Dancer together with a Live Musician! I know few Pennsic participants have an opportunity to put their dance skills together with live music and for live musicians to work with improvising dancers. This is our chance to work together. Stylistic feedback will be offered.
Contact Melissa for information about scheduling an Ishtar workshop, class or private lesson! REFERENCE MATERIALS (Links, handouts, etc.): Sheet music and practice sound files available at www.BellydanceSheetmusic.com) ...More coming soon!!! |
