Saturday 16th – Sunday 17th November 2024
Join us at the Double Tree (Manchester Airport) for an exciting weekend of education with the fabulous Erin Howden, Master 700 Director and choreographer of the North Metro Chorus, 5-time International Chorus Champions from Toronto, Canada.
We are offering exciting plenary sessions with Erin, supplemented by elective classes with our own regional faculty that will stretch your mind and voice and give you tools for greater emotional depth in your personal performance.
About Erin Howden
Erin Howden is currently the choreographer and Master 700 Director of the North Metro Chorus, 5-time Sweet Adelines International Chorus Champions from Toronto, Canada. She is a repeated Regional Quartet Champion and top ten Quartet Medalist as the baritone of Daybreak.
Erin grew up in a barbershop family and started her long-standing membership in Sweet Adelines, attending North Metro Chorus rehearsals at the age of 12. Now just over 40 years later, she has followed in the footsteps of her mother, June Dale (celebrated Master 700 Director and 45-year Director of North Metro), and her dad, Larry Dale who was a passionate barbershopper, coach and an International Chorus Champion with The Dukes of Harmony (BHS).
Erin is a certified member of the Sweet Adelines International Faculty and a proud member of the Region #16 Faculty. She is grateful and honoured to have received the Coaching Award and the Leadership Award in Region #16, along with the Harmony Award (Sweet Adeline of the Year).
Erin is a highly accomplished choreographer and performance coach in both Sweet Adelines and the Barbershop Harmony Society. She has been blessed to be invited to teach and coach throughout Canada, the United States and abroad and is passionate about helping people step forward and discover their potential to be an authentic life-changing force both on and off stage.
Erin owns her own consulting business, specializing in leadership development, coaching, training, team building and motivational speaking. She has an Honour's Degree in Business Management and specialized education in Human Resources Management, Training, Change Management and Psychology. She was a Corporate Human Resources Manager for many years in the Telecom and Transportation industries.
What is included?
The basic cost £145 includes one night accommodation at the Double Tree hotel in a shared room with lunch (Saturday), breakfast (Sunday) and access to education classes. Additional costs apply for a single room or if you require an additional night’s accommodation. You will need to source your own meal on Saturday evening from options at the hotel, or nearby restaurants.
How much does it cost?
Workshop attendance: including lunch on Saturday - £70
Accommodation: Twin room per night £75 / Single room per night £130
Our program for the weekend is shaping up and aims to include something for everyone. Here is what we have so far:
Saturday 16 November
- 10:30 THE INFLUENTIAL PERFORMER: SHIFTING THE SPOTLIGHT!
What does it take to influence and elevate an audience? What creates a memorable performance? What can get in the way? Utilising collaborative discussion, observation and interactive exercises engaging our body, mind, and voice we will work together to take a deep emotional dive, unleashing performance freedom and shifting the spotlight. We will explore emotional intention, confidence, stability, authenticity, and unstoppable energy with the ultimate goal of inspiring the lives of others with our music. Let’s celebrate our “WHY!” You are a powerful world changer!
- 12:15 Select-a-session
Choose from three classes run by members of the regional faculty, including singing, musicality and music team leadership.
- 13:45 DEVELOPING A CREATIVE PERFORMANCE PLAYBOOK FOR VOCAL SUCCESS
Unity in sound and performance can be positively impacted by unifying our thoughts and strategies and by creatively utilising our imagination. We are all beautifully unique. Developing a shared playbook or “toolbox” can increase the power and unity of our ensemble sound and in turn impact the quality of our communication as artists. During this class we build a macro playbook for vocal success, utilizing right-brain imagery, kinaesthetics and performance strategies.
- 15:00 Select-a-session
Another opportunity to attend a class of your choice, including focused sessions for Directors and Assistant Directors.
- 15:45 AND THE MUSIC SHALL LEAD US!
Impactful purpose-driven musical and visual performance is rooted in the music itself. It is our roadmap and our performance planning guide. In this class we will examine how all musical elements such as lyrics, melody, composition, the arrangement, and embellishments, are all are provided to help us interpret and perform our music Additionally, we will identify examples of musical traps that have the potential of impeding authenticity if left undetected. We will take a deep dive, noticing the purpose and opportunity of every musical element and choice, allowing these offerings to guide us as performers and givers with the ultimate goal of truly BECOMING a song and reaching human hearts.
- 17:00 Let’s sing!
The day won’t be complete without singing. This optional workshop is an opportunity to learn a few tags and maybe to try out a different voice part. There will also be opportunities for quartet coaching with regional faculty.
- 20:00 Afterglow
Party the night away with free format singing and time to socialise.
Sunday 17th November
- 09:30 LET YOUR BODY SING!
In this participative class, we will uncover how our bodies mirror and impact our voices. Sound and physical authenticity can be optimised, through imagination, musical physicality, kinaesthetics, stability, tension reduction, physical freedom, and general principles of musically driven movement. Let’s Get Physical!
- 10:00 LIVE COACHING UNDER GLASS (With Milltown Sound Chorus)
Skill-Building through demonstration and observation is a powerful method to launch us forward. Participants will observe a short coaching session with a small chorus to identify typical performance gaps and to reinforce workable remedies/solutions. Let’s work together to add to your toolbox of strategies to optimize vocal and visual performance.
- 11:00 TO BE OR TO BECOME!
This inspirational class is focused on stepping forward and identifying and inspiring the best version of YOU! Being growth-oriented starts with your mindset. This interactive class will give participants an opportunity to examine what is getting in the way of their potential and the unlimited power of the leader that lies within every one of us.
