Women in Jazz and World Music is a month-long intensive vocal training course led by Professor Dee Spencer from San Francisco State University and vocalist and band-leader, Michelle Jacques.
The program is designed for students ages 15 – 24 years who have an aptitude for singing and who want to develop better techniques and understanding to further their abilities as vocalists. The course is open to those with both professional aspirations and recreational interest.
The course takes place weekly in the afternoons and early evenings at the Community Music Center at 544 Capp Street, San Francisco, CA 94110.
We are currently in fundraising mode for the next series of Women in Jazz & World Music. In anticipation of our announcing the next series, we encourage members of the public to reach out to us to get more information and to register students by sending an email to [email protected] or calling our office at 415-399-9554.
The course includes:
- An introduction to the physiological and psychological mechanics of singing.
- Techniques of vocal instruction and comparative methods of developing vocal techniques and repertoire.
- Exercises in musical improvisation.
- Technical problems and performance practice of vocal repertoire.
- Sharing historical context and background on jazz and various world music forms. The course focuses on the contributions of underrepresented women artists who have often been omitted from the historical narrative.
- Explores the unique career trajectories and highlights of historical figures by imparting biographical information and hearing their first and subsequent recordings. Students will learn about the artists’ educational backgrounds and (where relevant) any significant social or political movements they belonged to, and the communities and artists who influenced them.
- Great guest lecturers include: Allegra Bandy, Rhonda Sauce, Clairdee and Renee Lubin.
- Students will also learn about the professional paths of guest artists through small group discussions about careers in music. Goals include imparting the importance of establishing disciplined music practice and rehearsal routines.
Certification
Students are required to actively participate in each four-hour class session. Following the culminating performance, they will receive final evaluative comments, a grade from Professor Spencer, and a certificate of completion. Grades are ranked on a scale of 1-5: outstanding; very good; good; fair; poor. Rankings are based on each student’s level of engagement with the material; musicianship (technical progress in solo and ensemble work); and on their own articulation of what they have learned during the course of the intensive. Their “voice” is heard from the beginning to the end of the intensive.
