August 26-30, 2009
“Celebration of the Song” Festival
Celebration
of the Song is a five-day focus on songwriting and songwriters. The celebration
consists of
performances,
workshops and a
songwriting
competition.
Performance Schedule
August 29 Suzanne Vega
Opening set by Songwriter Competition Winners
Tickets: $48/$40/$30
August 30 Greg Brown
Opening Set by Charlie Parr
Tickets: $38/$30/$20
Click Here to purchase a 5-Day Grounds Pass
for all the performances listed above.
Singer/Songwriter Workshops
Join us for one or several free workshops given by professionals in the field.
Reservations are advisable and can be obtained by calling 715-373-5552 or
888-BIG-TENT, or sending an email to
info@bigtop.org. All workshops will take
place on the Big Top Chautauqua grounds.
Kids' Songwriting Camp "The Creative
Imagination" - Bill and Kate Isles
(suggested age range 8-12, no one turned away)
Thursday, Aug. 27, 2:30 - 4:30
Friday, Aug. 28, 2:30 - 4:30
Saturday, Aug. 29, 2:30-4:30
Saturday, Aug. 29, 4:30 Mini-Performance for family & friends
Bill & Kate will lead the students in exercises which explore the
emotional and intellectual responses to songs. They will show how a song can
become the springboard for other songs which will demonstrate the infinite
characteristic of imagination. Students will have time allotted for writing and,
as time allows, creating and performing songs. Instruments will be available,
including a ¾ size guitar. Attend all of the sessions if you can.
"Creative Flow through Movement - NIA Dance"
- Adrienne Young
Friday, August 28, 10:30 - 11:15AM
"Arising from any stillness—as naturally as air bubbles rise through water—are
the sounds of the earth. To the attuned ear, the sounds of the earth are like
music. This music invites us to dance."
NIA
(Neuromuscular Integrative Action)
is a cardiovascular blend of dance arts, martial arts and the healing arts. It
creatively integrates these movements, concepts, and philosophies by embracing
the gifts of the healing arts; the power and mindfulness of the martial arts and
meditative techniques; the grace and fluidity of the dance techniques; and the
awareness and alignment through integrative body therapies. Movement becomes
self-empowering fostering personal growth and well-being. This class is for
everyone - dancers and non-dancers alike.
"The Spirit of Music" - Adrienne Young
Friday, August 28, 11:45 - 12:30
What do songwriting, organic farming, nature, dance and nutrition all have in
common? They are all conduits for the flow of life energy - and they are all
paramount in the life of a vibrant young songwriter and agriculture enthusiast
Adrienne Young. Young's lyrics are introspective - about peace and love. Talking
to her, she lights up on the topic of sustainable farming. She has an almost
encyclopedic knowledge of organic farms around the country. Young is donating a
portion of every CD she sells to a fund called "Save A Seed." She has
impassioned views on the role that plants and nutrition play in society, and
says that people should want to grow whether it's cultivating the earth or
simply living life. Adrienne will talk to us about that primordial flow and how
it can help us all cultivate our songwriting styles and grow songs that speak to
us.
"Where Songs Come From" - Darrell Scott
Friday, August 28, 1:00 - 2:30
A session of deep creative work, community building, and focus on the creative
process via: songs. By presenting his own songs in class and discussing how they
came about and by students presenting their songs or songs-in-progress in class,
Darrell will help work on the nuts and bolts of your songwriting process as well
as discussing the spiritual concepts that fire the creativity behind the songs.
He will focus on how to dig down deep into our selves and come up with our
universal experiences, then, how to tell these truths in our songs.
"Playing Well with Others" - Karen Savoca and
Pete Heitzman
Friday, August 28, 3:00 - 3:45
A demonstration and discussion of how musicians interact in duos and small
combos. We'll discuss what makes a supportive arrangement, and touch on
dynamics, mic technique, improvisation and guitar tone. We'll talk about what
works and doesn't work, and share some things we wish someone had told us.
"Songwriter Collaborations" - Cheryl Leah and
Ed Willett
Friday, August 28, 4:00 - 5:00
Ed and Cheryl have been collaborating on songs and performances for three
decades both as the vocal/cello duo "Chance" and as part of Lake Superior Big
Top Chautauqua's house band. Helmi Strahl Harrington, Ph.D. writes "As if
of a single mind, they create beautifully intelligent music, devise texts, and
work out styles of performance delivery...Their linear interactions form
enlightened harmonic movements of balanced consonance and dissonance.
Contemporary composers take note! This is music everyone can enjoy- as absolute
music and as entertainment!" Ed and Cheryl will share their songwriting
secrets with you, teach you how to bring other voices into your writing, and
lend a little of their spice to your songwriting skills.
"Songwriting from the Heart" – Johnsmith
Saturday, August 29, 10:30 – Noon
This workshop will explore the technical nuts and bolts of songwriting as well
as break open the emotional heart, encouraging participants to cultivate their
own unique songwriting voices. The craft of songwriting involves many technical
skills—verse, chorus, and bridge writing; melody, rhythm, rhyming—and all will
be covered. Participants will be met where they are in their songwriting
development, enhancing their ability to translate their vision and story into
well-crafted, heartfelt songs.
This workshop is for individuals who have had
some experience in songwriting and are working on refining their musical voice.
It is not required to play a musical instrument. Simple recording devices are
encouraged. Feel free to bring samples of songs and poems that inspire you.
Dress casually—there may be a need to do a little dancing. Bring an open heart
and a curious mind.
"Actualization of Vision" - Suzanne Vega
Sunday, August 30, 10:00 - 11:00AM
A workshop first conceived and conducted for the Warton Business School, Suzanne
will show how to take a vision or a plan from its nascent stages through
development and into final realization. Suzanne explains the technique by which
she creates a song-from an original idea through its completion.
Songwriting Competition
The
call for entries has closed.
Big Top
Chautauqua announces our second annual songwriting competition. Submit two
original songs to BTC by
June
23. Up
to 12 Finalists will be selected to perform in the competition finals on the
Big Top stage August 27. Finalists will be notified by
July 17.
Prizes
include:
-
All BTC Songwriter of the Year Finalists will receive
a 5-day grounds pass to our Celebration of the Song event.
-
All BTC Songwriter of the Year Finalists will be
invited to perform on Aug. 27, and will be recorded for possible use
on our nationally broadcast Tent Show Radio program. Two winners will be
chosen from the finalists.
-
Both BTC Songwriter of the Year Winners will be
invited to perform 2 songs as the opener for Suzanne Vega on Aug. 29. These
performances will be recorded for use on Tent Show Radio.
-
Both BTC Songwriter of the Year Winners will receive a
cash prize of $100.
Criteria
Each song will be rated on a scale of 1-10 in the following categories: Lyrics,
Melody, and Appeal. A perfect score is 30 for each song and 60 total for each
songwriter submitting two songs.
Instrumentals will be judged in two
categories: Melody & Appeal with 15 possible points in each area for a total
potential score of 30 per song and 60 per songwriter.
Submissions of all
musical styles are welcome, although the focus of the event is folk, pop,
bluegrass, country and Americana.
Original Song Competition Finals:
August 27,
7:30-9:30 Hosted by Bill Isles and BCO - Judging Panel to be Announced
Reserved Seats $18/General Admission $15; Students $8/$4
FAQ Frequently Asked Question
Q: Can I submit a song I did not write?
A: No, these must be original songs submitted by the writer.
Q: Can I submit a song I wrote but did not perform
on the recording?
A: Yes, someone else can record the song for submission if you wish,
however, you must sing your own song at the finals if you are chosen as a
finalist.
Q: Will you accept instrumentals or songs without
lyrics?
A: Yes.
Q: Will you accept groups as well as soloists at the
Finals?
A: Sorry, for ease of change over, we need all finalists to perform solo,
unless you cannot accompany yourself, then we will allow an accompanist.
Q: Will all songs be broadcast on Tent Show Radio?
A: No, our Artistic Director chooses material from each night to be put
into an episode of Tent Show Radio. While we may use your song, it is not
guaranteed that your song will be on the radio.
Q: Can I submit more than two songs?
A: No, two is the limit.
Q: Can I submit only one song?
A: You can, but it may leave you at a disadvantage as other songwriters
will each be giving us two samples of their work.
Q: Should I send a separate CD for each song?
A: Both songs can be on one CD.
Q: Do you give us any feedback on our songs?
A: No, judges may comment during the finals, but we will not be
providing formal feedback on your submissions.
Q: If I become a finalist, do I have to perform
during the Celebration?
A: No, if you can't make it to the event, just let us know. You will
retain your title of Big Top Chautauqua 2008 Songwriter of the Year Finalist.
But if you win and tell us you will be here to perform, it would be a great
hardship to have you not show up.
Q: Who are the judges for 2009?
A: The names of our judges will not be released until judging is
completed. Judges will be from the music industry either as performers or music
business professionals. Judges will not be informed of Songwriters' names
before judging their submissions to avoid any chance of bias.
Still have questions? E-mail us at info@bigtop.org or phone
715-373-5552
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