#Intensive is an annual weekend of workshops delivered by exceptional practitioners curated by MDBrunch. This immersive weekend is an opportunity to meet colleagues, peers and allies allowing you to network and socialise with other vocal leaders, whilst also learning and developing your own skills in a safe and welcoming environment.

"MDBrunch are on a constant drive to provide useful, lasting tools for Vocal Leaders at every level"
Craig, MD Young Voices

"MDBrunch continues to be the mainstay of my CPD training [...] my choirs have profited hugely from all I have gained"
Laura, Treblemakers

"The communication, dedication, knowledge and welcoming attitude of the team has allowed for nationwide and worldwide musical connections which can only be developed further.

Thank you MDBrunch."
Mary, Singing It Back

MDBrunch deeply values the fact that MDs invest so much in their communities. #Intensive24 promises to be another action packed weekend empowering vocal leaders through collaboration and learning. We look forward to introducing you to the programme of events below and can't wait to welcome you to the wonderful community of MDBrunch.

PROGRAMME

Friday

Naveen Arles

The Daily Energiser

10:30 - 11:00

This engaging 30-minute warm-up session is designed to kickstart the day for choir directors and musicians, helping them connect with one another while equipping them with practical warm-up activities to use with their own groups.

Piers McLeish (choircommunity.net) Daniel Lewis (PRS) & Michael Sweeney (MU)

Copyright: Don't Be Scared

11:00 - 13:00

An expert panel from the organisations that control copyright in the UK will present the conditions on arranging, performing, recording, broadcasting and publishing music. This session will help you find out what the actual rules are, and even safely ask all the burning questions with all avoided.

Neil Ferris

Waving Not Drowning

14:30 - 17:00

In his session, Neil will explore efficient conducting technical skills to help clarity of thought when conducting/leading and rehearsing. He will also talk about how to compartmentalise your processes in rehearsal to help you and your choir shine

Andy Instone

Becoming a Peak Performer

19:00 - 21:00

Walk away with accessible frameworks and micro habits that are easy to remember and use in order to elevate your performers to achieve at a high level consistently. Using science-backed, sustainable systems and techniques, discover what the biggest levers are to pull and how to create engaging and empowering sessions to encourage your performance to be at their peak, both inside and outside of the rehearsal room.

Saturday

Naveen Arles

The Daily Energiser

10:30 - 11:00

Sandra Oberoi

Vocal Cross-Training for Ensembles

11:00 - 13:00

As singers, we are vocal athletes, and, hence the goal of vocal cross-training is to enhance the vocal versatility, build strength and endurance, and advance, the overall performance capabilities of the voice. In this engaging and informative session, we will unpack ideas on developing a well rounded, adaptable, and supple voice that can handle a wide range of musical demands from different genres. Expanding our understanding of physiology, technique, and interpretation, we will tap into our shared experiences singing in different styles, making us more confident and willing to perform new and different repertoire.

Dr Ignacio Monteverdi

Mic Your Choir

14:30 - 17:00

Learn which equipment is best suited to the size of your group, stage and event and gain the knowledge and lingo to confidently manage a sound engineer. After all your hard work, make sure the audience hears exactly what you want them to!

Pete Churchill

How to Make Words Dance

19:00 - 21:00

This session is about moving in a way that informs your music making. Movement and music, the dance and the song, are inseparable and singing together should be about connecting the body and the text.
Making the body our metronome we will explore the rhythm of the words and discover the phonetic power of our own language… get the ‘sound’ right and the meaning will follow.

The workshop will focus on learning by ear and developing the memory. By using all our faculties and exploring all our different kinds of memory we can learn an astonishing amount of material in a very short
time. The aim is to do things in the right order. First connect the rhythm of the body with the rhythm of the lyric. Then once the words are secure (safely in our syllabic memory) we are ready for melody. Harmony must be the icing on the cake – only introduced once glorious rhythmic unison singing has been established. So, come and prove you groove!

Sunday

Naveen Arles

The Daily Energiser

10:30 - 11:00

Kevin Fox & Liz Swain

Next Level Rehearsal Methods

11:00 - 13:30

Looking for ways to boost your ensemble from solid to sensational? This workshop will add creative tools to your arsenal, focusing on these areas:

Warm-ups – connecting skills to repertoire
Aural - connecting to the voice
Rhythm – connecting voice to body
Ensemble – connecting singers to each other

LEADERS

NAVEEN ARLES

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Naveen Arles BCA FRSA, has established himself as an energetic, inspirational vocal leader and animateur. Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA) and founder of MDBrunch, his 38 years in music incorporates 28 years of creating singing groups of all ages and skills.

SANDRA OBEROI

Singer, voice teacher, researcher, and choral director, Sandra Oberoi founded Harmony-The Music School, India and Harmony International, UK. MD of the award-winning, multi-genre youth choir 'The Harmony Chorus', she had led the group nationally and internationally for concerts and competitions.

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ANDY INSTONE

Andy is the Creative Director of the world's largest Music project for young people ‘Young Voices’ and the pioneering Street Dance crew ‘Urban Strides’, and has specialised in creating dynamic, memorable experiences for live performance and film for over two decades.

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NEIL FERRIS

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Neil Ferris is Chorus Director of the BBC Symphony Chorus, Artistic Director and Conductor of the professional chamber choir Sonoro and Festival Conductor of the Leith Hill Festival.

With Sonoro Neil has appeared at the St Magnus International Festival, the Wimbledon International Music Festival and at King’s Place in London. In demand as guest conductor at some of the finest choirs in the UK,

IGNACIO MONTEVERDI

Born in Buenos Aires, Ignacio Lusardi Monteverde is a music producer and audio engineer based in London. The confluence of his skills enabled him to specialise in the live and studio recording of classical, world music groups and soloists dedicating himself to working closely with each artist to find their distinctive sound.

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PETE CHURCHILL

Pete Churchill has been working as a composer, pianist, singer and teacher for almost 30 years. After twenty years teaching at the Guildhall, Pete is now Professor of Jazz Composition at the Royal Academy of Music and Head of Jazz Voice at the Brussels Royal Conservatoire.

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LIZ SWAIN

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Liz Swain is an established and versatile vocalist, choral leader, and soloist, known for her passionate and forward-thinking approach.

KEVIN FOX

Originally from Canada and now based in the UK, Kevin Fox is known internationally as a performer, choral director, workshop leader, and arranger. Kevin toured the globe with the Grammy-winning group The Swingles for 12 years, and was a founding member of the Toronto vocal band Cadence.

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Who are MDBrunch?

MD Brunch is a skills sharing, training, networking and support organisation for people who facilitate singing. Through our events we aim to both create a safe space for vocal leaders, in this often lonely profession, whilst also promoting the vital health and well-being work that they all do for the diverse communities around them and the impact it has. Having grown over the last 6 years, MDBrunch now has a creative steering group of vocal leaders. MDBrunch is led by Co-Directors, Naveen Arles BCA (Founding Director) and Mel Field (Events Director).

Terms and Conditions:

All sessions will be live hybrid.
All paid-for session recordings will be made available via dropbox between 20 and 30 days after the event finishes.
All recordings and images/videos recorded by MDBrunch during the event remain the property of MDBrunch and can and will be used in various formats (digital and print media) to publicise and advertise our work. By purchasing a ticket to this event you are tacitly giving MDBrunch permission to use your likeness in any of our publicity campaigns.
Refunds, if granted, will incur an administration charge (regardless of which type of ticket):
- Within 14 days of purchase, full refund minus £20 charge (if cancelled before 11am on 1st Nov)
- Cancellations within 14 days of the #Intensive24 weekend will be eligible for a 50% refund.
- Cancellations within 3 days of the #Intensive24 weekend will not be eligible for any refund.
- ALL refunds will be dealt with in the week following #Intensive24.
Materials bought during #Intensive24 direct from a workshop leader/organisational partner will not be the responsibility of MDBrunch and any/all queries must be directed to the vendor directly.
The Lab E20 is entirely accessible. If there are any further assistance needs, please DO NOT hesitate to get in touch with us.
There is no free parking at The Lab E20. Car parks nearby: Stratford International Car Park (International Way - £) or Westfield Shopping Mall Car Parks (£££).

Mel Field
Events Director
mdbrunchuk@gmail.com
www.mdbrunch.uk
@MDBrunch