Camps and workshops
Camps in New England/Ontario for Teens
New England Teen Traveling Camp I
Ontario/Quebec/Vermont
June 24-July 15, 2010 (21 days)
Led by Will Thomas Rowan, Dessislava Stefanova
Robert Bouthillier
THIS CAMP IS FULL.
Our third summer in Canada this year will definitely be as wonderful as always. Bulgarian singer Dessi Stefanova--currently living in London, but formerly of the Philip Koutev Ensemble in Sofia--is a brilliant teacher, and she will lead a set of village songs and choral arrangements from Bulgaria and Macedonia. Village Harmony/ Northern Harmony alumnus & singer-composer Will Thomas Rowan will bring with him a wealth of American and Corsican repertoire to pad out the camp concert program. And Robert Bouthillier, one of the foremost collectors and teachers of Quebecois song, will return for his second summer teaching at Village Harmony, bringing a marvelous sense of humour as well as a stunning set of Quebecois and Breton songs and dances.
The group will be in residence in a private lakeside retreat center north of Toronto, Ontario, Canada with an ensuing concert tour in Ontario, Quebec and northern Vermont. New England participants can catch a ride to camp from Montpelier, VT in one of the VH vans.
$1,225
Leaders
WILL THOMAS ROWAN is a long-time Village Harmony & Northern Harmony singer and an award-winning composer. He is an alumnus of Marlboro College where he studied Music Composition and Ethnomusicology. His choral compositions draw on world music influences as well as shape-note and medieval styles. For four years, Will co-taught a world music chorus at Marlboro College. One of the most exciting young teacher-singers on the staff of Village Harmony, Will has studied singing in Bulgaria, and has made three music study-trips with our groups to Corsica. This will be Will’s second summer teaching at camp.
DESSISLAVA STEFANOVA moved to England in 2000 straight from the world-famous Philip Koutev National Folk Music and Dance Ensemble in Sofia, Bulgaria. She was immediately in demand to teach the unique Bulgarian singing style so decided to stay and set up singing workshops, and ended up establishing the London Bulgarian Choir. Dessi was born in Stara Zagora and started her (western) classical musical training at the age of five. While at Sofia University, Dessi successfully auditioned for the Philip Koutev Ensemble and continued her career as a professional singer. Since her arrival in London, Dessi has recorded a CD, "Wild Wind A Course in Authentic Bulgarian Singing". She currently sings with story-telling company "A Spell In Time", spearheading vocal trio The Dessibelles and bringing together renowned Balkan musicians in the Orpheus project. This is Dessi's fourth summer teaching with Village Harmony.
ROBERT BOUTHILLIER is a leading collector, teacher and performer of Quebecois traditional song. since the 1970s he has done extensive fieldwork recording songs of older traditional singers in Quebec and the Acadian regions of New Brunswick. Robert performs with the mostly-acappella trio Serre L'Ecoute, harmonizing versions of traditional songs, with whom he has recorded three CDs. He has also worked in Brittany, France as director of Dastum, a cultural association for the preservation and dissemination of Breton traditional song and dance. He is presently director of Conseil Quebecois du Patrimoine Vivant in Quebec. This will be Robert's second summer teaching at VH camp/
RETREAT WEEK in PRIVATE residence
Near Toronto , Ontario, Canada
A private rustic, rambling island cottage one hour north of Toronto. Its spectacular panoramic lake view offers beautiful sunsets, swimming and lots of outdoor activities on the winding path around the island. There is also a lot of areas for dancing, singing and performing. The complex has fifteen bedrooms, a wrap-around porch and several rehearsal spaces.