Vocal Ensemble Workshop: February-April 2026

In this workshop, I’ll be covering several facets of group and individual singing that are commonly used in my own original music for choir, which have their roots in both contemporary avant-garde music of the 20th century and in earlier traditional musics of both west and east.

The only ‘requirements’ for joining the workshop are these:

You have an interest and enthusiasm for singing with us, with a positive attitude and openness to learning.
You have a decent ear and are able to solidly hold a tune. (If I play you a note you can sing it back to me)
You don’t have any medical conditions which hamper your breath, lungs, or stamina for extended singing.
You aren’t excessively shy about singing in front of a welcoming and warm group of folks :)
You can commit to moderate weekly practice using the lessons I’ll provide between our meetings.

Some music and singing background is helpful, but reading music or knowing theory are not required.

BUT: if you are ‘tone deaf’ or unable to reliably match a note with your voice, this workshop will not be a good fit for you.

Location and Times

The first meeting of the workshop group will be Saturday February 7, 2026 at 3:30-5:00pm.

Meetings are at my home in Mission Hills near Hillcrest. It’s a quiet cul-de-sac on a hill, with ample parking at the bottom of the hill. There are stairs up to my home, so regretfully it is not handicap accessible. Address will be shared in the group email for all who have signed up.

If you have to miss a session once in awhile it’s not problem, but please commit to regular attendance so that our group be consistent.

The workshop is completely free of charge. All are welcome to bring a drink or snack to share during the break and any donations are welcome to cover the costs of hosting and leading the group, but none are required!

The Material

Specifically, we’ll be working on tuning our voices to a fundamental pitch as an ‘anchor’ and then moving around that central pitch both in small distances (microtones, enclosures, leading tones) and larger distances (scales, intervals such as perfect 5th, harmonies and dissonances). If you don’t know or understand all of these music terms, don’t worry it’s not important!

These elements of group singing are found in many types of vocal music, including Indian raga, maqam, medieval western polyphony in church and secular music, byzantine chant, and works of contemporary composers such as La Monte Young, Giacinto Scelsi, Arvo Pärt, Pauline Oliveros, and many others.

Our work will span beyond equal temperament and allow extended techniques, experimenting with tunings, and working on pieces that are non-linear, repetitive, subtly shifting over time, and contain drones.

There are vocal techniques inherent in this music that will we will train and practice during our sessions and as ‘homework’ for each singer to improve:

singing long duration tones using breathwork and voice stabilization
learning vocal anatomy to produce sound from belly, chest, throat, and mask regions
practicing scales and intervals, including microtones, to become comfortable finding pitches away from tonic
listening to sine waves and other voices to locate one’s own voice in relation to other pitches
learning about vocal timbre and how to shift the timbral dynamics of one’s own voice in effective ways
and most importantly, and most fun! making one’s voice part of a greater whole by syncing with the group

Thanks for Reading!

Thank you so much for your interest and I hope to see you in the workshop! There is something really special about group singing that I’ve found deeply touches and inspires all who participate. Without getting too metaphysical, I’ll just say that it seems to be a potent tonic for a lot of the dysfunction happening in the wider world around us.

Group singing has real enduring effects on the nervous system, the circulatory system, the psyche, the emotions, connecting with others, and the spiritual state of all who participate. And of course, it hopefully creates some beauty to share with others. I really encourage you to give it a try and check it out if you can!

If you have any questions or comments to share with me, please get in touch.

The Performance

I’ll be teaching you an original composition that we will format within our group’s range and dynamics for a live local performance in late April. The venue and date are not yet confirmed, so I’ll have to keep everyone posted about it.

Participating in the workshop does not require you to be in the performance; it is completely voluntary and only for those who wish to do so. You can indicate your preference in the survey.

Vocal Ensemble Workshop: February-April 2026

In this workshop, I’ll be covering several facets of group and individual singing that are commonly used in my own original music for choir, which have their roots in both contemporary avant-garde music of the 20th century and in earlier traditional musics of both west and east.

The only ‘requirements’ for joining the workshop are these:

You have an interest and enthusiasm for singing with us, with a positive attitude and openness to learning.

You have a decent ear and are able to solidly hold a tune. (If I play you a note you can sing it back to me)

You don’t have any medical conditions which hamper your breath, lungs, or stamina for extended singing.

You aren’t excessively shy about singing in front of a welcoming and warm group of folks :)

You can commit to moderate weekly practice using the lessons I’ll provide between our meetings.

Some music and singing background is helpful, but reading music or knowing theory are not required.

BUT: if you are ‘tone deaf’ or unable to reliably match a note with your voice, this workshop will not be a good fit for you.

Location and Times

The first meeting of the workshop group will be Saturday February 7, 2026 at 3:30-5:00pm.

Meetings are at my home in Mission Hills near Hillcrest. It’s a quiet cul-de-sac on a hill, with ample parking at the bottom of the hill. There are stairs up to my home, so regretfully it is not handicap accessible. Address will be shared in the group email for all who have signed up.

If you have to miss a session once in awhile it’s not problem, but please commit to regular attendance so that our group be consistent.

The workshop is completely free of charge. All are welcome to bring a drink or snack to share during the break and any donations are welcome to cover the costs of hosting and leading the group, but none are required!

The Material

These elements of group singing are found in many types of vocal music, including Indian raga, maqam, medieval western polyphony in church and secular music, byzantine chant, and works of contemporary composers such as La Monte Young, Giacinto Scelsi, Arvo Pärt, Pauline Oliveros, and many others.

Our work will span beyond equal temperament and allow extended techniques, experimenting with tunings, and working on pieces that are non-linear, repetitive, subtly shifting over time, and contain drones.

There are vocal techniques inherent in this music that will we will train and practice during our sessions and as ‘homework’ for each singer to improve:

singing long duration tones using breathwork and voice stabilization

learning vocal anatomy to produce sound from belly, chest, throat, and mask regions

practicing scales and intervals, including microtones, to become comfortable finding pitches away from tonic

listening to sine waves and other voices to locate one’s own voice in relation to other pitches

learning about vocal timbre and how to shift the timbral dynamics of one’s own voice in effective ways

and most importantly, and most fun! making one’s voice part of a greater whole by syncing with the group

Thanks for Reading!

If you have any questions or comments to share with me, please get in touch.

The Performance

I’ll be teaching you an original composition that we will format within our group’s range and dynamics for a live local performance in late April. The venue and date are not yet confirmed, so I’ll have to keep everyone posted about it.

Participating in the workshop does not require you to be in the performance; it is completely voluntary and only for those who wish to do so. You can indicate your preference in the survey.