2025 Choral Mini-Workshop

Calling all experienced choral singers! If you love Renaissance and Baroque music, want to sing with period instruments, or need a vocal "tune-up" before the fall semester begins, this is the place for you. Choral conductor, early music specialist, and SFEMS Executive Director Derek Tam will guide you through this mini-workshop.

There are several participation tracks: test the waters or go into a deep dive into historically informed performance!

Various sessions are available from August 19 to August 23 (see below!)

Perform excerpts—the 1st, 2nd, 4th, and 7th cantatas—of Dieterich Buxtehude's Membra Jesu nostri with a chamber Baroque instrumental ensemble. This track is open to all choral singers comfortable singing in parts; singers must be willing to learn the notes in advance.

Rehearsals will focus on interpretation, particularly in developing a "rhetorical" approach appropriate for singing high Baroque choral music. 

Learning tracks will be available by the end of July. You will be responsible for printing or downloading your own music.

If you are a prospective intensive participant, register for the choral track now and workshop administrator Stacey Helley will be in touch with you within 1-2 business days to obtain more information about your vocal range and about recording details.

This intensive will offer a supportive space for you to sing some beautiful late Renaissance music, mostly one-voice-per-part(!).

If that sounds wonderful as is, great! If you're feeling a little apprehensive, fear not—you'll be given materials (4 to 6 minutes of sung music) to prepare in advance. Our time together will include both coached sessions with Derek and self-directed time blocks to deepen your expressive connection to this music.

We especially encourage pre-formed ensembles of four or five singers, including treble and low voices, to apply.

You must submit a brief a cappella recording on or before August 5—fret not, this will be relatively stress free!

Selected singers are expected to come prepared to work immediately on interpretation and small group rehearsal techniques. During our final sharing session, you’ll be strongly encouraged (and equipped) to perform without a conductor.

You will be responsible for printing or downloading your own music.

***Application does not guarantee participation, as we need to find the right combinations of voice types and skill levels. Participation in the choral track is required.***

If you are a prospective intensive participant, register for the choral track now and workshop administrator Stacey Helley will be in touch with you within 1-2 business days to obtain more information about your vocal range and about recording details.

Six soloists (S1, S2, A, T, B1, B2) are invited to sing selected arias and trios from Buxtehude’s Membra Jesu nostri (see choral track).

Each selected soloist will receive a 30-minute individual coaching with Derek on their aria(s), and 30 minutes on their trio selection.

You must submit a brief a cappella recording on or before August 5—fret not, this will be relatively stress free!

Selected soloists are expected to come prepared to work immediately on interpretation and delivery. You will be responsible for printing or downloading your own music.

***Application will not guarantee selection, though all are encouraged to apply. Participation in the choral track is required.***

We’ll be hosting the Choral Mini-Workshop on the grounds of First Church Berkeley UCC (First Congregational), Berkeley, CA at 2345 Channing Way.

CHORAL TRACK
Tuesday, August 19: 7:30pm to 9:30pm
Thursday, August 21: 7:30pm to 9:30pm
Saturday, August 23: 3:30 to 5:30pm (with instrumentalists); 7:30pm public sharing session (i.e. performance)

ONE-ON-A-PART INTENSIVE
Tuesday, August 19: 5:15pm to 7:15pm (if needed, singers excused from warmup of subsequent choral track session for quick dinner break)
Thursday, August 21: 5:15pm to 7:15pm (if needed, singers excused from warmup of subsequent choral track session for quick dinner break)
Saturday, August 23: 5:45pm to 6:30pm; 7:30pm public sharing session (i.e. performance)

SOLO ARIA INTENSIVE
Wednesday, August 20: within 5:15pm to 7:15pm (S1, S2, B“1”)
Friday, August 22: within 5:15pm to 7:15pm (A, T, B“2”)
Saturday, August 23: within 3:30 to 5:30pm choral rehearsal (with instrumentalists); 7:30pm public sharing session (i.e. performance)

TUITION:
Base workshop tuition (choral track) is $125.
Added tuition for the one-on-a-part intensive is $150.
Added tuition for the solo aria intensive is $100.

Participation is the choral track is mandatory for the one-on-a-part and solo-aria intensives.

Choral track singers must apply by August 16.

One-on-a-part intensive and solo aria intensive singers must apply by August 5. Assignments for the intensives will be made no later than August 7.

If you have questions, please contact SFEMS administrator Stacey Helley at workshops@sfems.org.