Beginning Vocal Harmony Workshop

This is a beginner-level workshop led by Joanna Katzen, designed especially for people who like to sing harmonies but have found it challenging to create or sing them, or to hold to their harmonies when singing with others. Anyone who can repeat a tune can participate, and you do not need to know how to play an instrument.   Skills taught include:

  • A bit of non-frightening vocal-harmony theory. This is an easy to absorb and follow explanation of what makes harmony and how to find it.
  • Techniques for learning and holding your harmony lines when singing with others.
  • The role of sustained and dissonant notes.

The skills you’ll learn in this workshop will enable you to sing basic harmonies with songs of any genre. But because they provide an easy-to-hear and reproduce foundation for singing harmonies, we will use the classic harmonies of folk songs to explore and work on these concepts. By the end of the workshop, you will feel more comfortable singing harmonies with others, and be prepared to move on to the next level of challenges found in the Intermediate Vocal Harmony Workshop.

Workshop is at the City Music Leominster Music Studios

4 weekly sessions, starting May 11th: Thursdays, 7 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Workshop Tuition: $80 + a current registration 

Advanced Registration Required:  CALL NOW to sign up!  978-534-8989

Registration fee: $10 (No reg. fee for current City Music students) Newly registered students will receive a free manuscript book for lesson notes.

About the instructor, Joanna Katzen: Hailing from Southern California, Joanna grew up in an environment that exposed her to folk-music gatherings from an early age. She began singing and creating vocal harmonies with her father while still playing with dolls, and the music of Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger and Joan Baez was as common to her as milk and cookies are to other children.

Joanna holds a bachelor’s degree from the Berklee College of Music where she studied performance and songwriting. She brings with her well over a decade of performance experience both in the US and abroad. She has performed in various sized ensembles and choirs, and as a solo and duo performing-songwriter act. She is the recipient of the 2013 Walter W. Harp Liberal Arts, Music & Society Award for Outstanding Achievement in Research, Civic Engagement & Performance Relating to Music and Society.