VOICE CREATURES: AN EMBODIED EXPLORATION INTO SOUND
A ONE DAY WORKSHOP WITH MASTER WORLD VOCALIST, BISAN TORON
This workshop will explore the depths of our inner dimensions through voice, breath and movement. In lifting and transmuting the burden of our private, hidden voices, we will discover parts of ourselves that have been knocking wildly from the inside, longing to be heard - our “voice creatures.” By allowing these silenced or forgotten parts to be sounded, we uncover greater integration, expansion, artistry and freedom of expression.
Rooted in classical vocal technique and motivated by elements of mysticism, Bisan's embodied approach serves to support the sounding of deeply held impulses in the body. With a focus on arcane sounding rather than traditional singing, this workshop is appropriate for beginners, as well as seasoned vocalists. Group sessions will alternate between personal time for self-reflection and exploration of the vocal exercises, within the tranquil environment of Pure Land Farms.
Topics covered:
Exploring the free voice through the Systems of Breath, Articulation & Resonance
Identifying obstructive vocal habits to release physical tensions and constricting thought patterns
Improving vocal intonation, pitch, vocal energy and projection
Connecting breath, movement and emotion
Opening direct pathways to primal, deeply felt, human sounds
Investigating ‘Voice & Identity’: finding one’s symbolic voice
Expanding the vocal pallet through the discovery of new vocal colors/textures
Developing the sound imagination and range of expression
Open to all $150
Vegetarian lunch is included | Please wear comfortable clothing
Bisan will be available for private voice sessions January 22nd - January 24th at Pure Land Farms in Topanga. Please write to info@yangchenma.org for information or to schedule a session.
SAVE THE DATES FOR THESE OTHER SPECIAL EVENTS:
Thursday January 23rd, 7:30PM
A Restorative Concert by Simone Giuliani with Bisan Toron and Piero Perelli
Sunday January 26th, 5PM
Migrant Songs Concert with Bisan Toron, Simone Giuliani and special guest musicians
Bisan Toron is an experimental world music vocalist, composer and voice teacher. Born in Syria and raised in Paris and New York, Bisan studied classical voice performance at NYU and holds masters in Ethnomusicology from the University of London, School of Oriental and African Studies. She did further studies in voice and improvisation with the Roy Hart-based company, Pantheatre in France.
As an Ethnomusicologist, Bisan has focused on the subject of music and identity, and the “search for home” through music, particularly among refugee populations and displaced people. Her fieldwork projects include researching and documenting the fusion music of ethnic minorities in Port of Spain, Trinidad, and the music of the second and third Franco-Arab generations. Bisan has also co-designed and conducted conflict resolution music & movement Workshops in Haifa, Israel, and Ramallah, Palestine.
Bisan’s compositions and improvisations are informed by a multitude of cultures and vocal traditions, which she threads with vocal articulations that arise from the moment. Bisan was a voice professor at ESADIB, National College of Dramatic Arts in Mallorca, Spain from 2008-2010 and currently performs and teaches voice independently across Europe and the United States. She currently resides in New York.