Women in Jazz and World Music (WJWM) is a vocal training course led by Professor Dee Spencer from San Francisco State University. WJEM is designed for students ages 15 – 24 years who have an aptitude for singing and who want to develop better techniques and understanding to further their abilities as vocalists. The course is open to those with both professional aspirations and recreational interest.
The next vocal training course will run in April 2024 with nine two-hour class sessions. The new dates are Monday and Wednesday evenings from 5:30pm – 7:30pm followed by a graduating concert on Friday May 3.
The dates are as follows: Wednesday April 3, 10, 17; Tuesday April 23; Wednesday May 1; Monday April 8, 15, 22, 29.
To get more information and to register students for the program send an email to women-in-jazz@sfiaf.org.
The course includes:
- An introduction to the physiological and psychological mechanics of singing.
- Techniques of vocal instruction and comparative methods of developing vocal techniques and repertoire.
- Exercises in musical improvisation.
- Technical problems and performance practice of vocal repertoire.
- Sharing historical context and background on jazz and various world music forms. The course focuses on the contributions of underrepresented women artists who have often been omitted from the historical narrative.
- Explores the unique career trajectories and highlights of historical figures by imparting biographical information and hearing their first and subsequent recordings. Students will learn about the artists’ educational backgrounds and (where relevant) any significant social or political movements they belonged to, and the communities and artists who influenced them.
- Studies of Ma Rainey, Bessie Smith, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Nina Simone and others.
- Great guest lecturers
- Students will also learn about the professional paths of guest artists through small group discussions about careers in music. Goals include imparting the importance of establishing disciplined music practice and rehearsal routines.
Learn more about the workshop at https://www.sfiaf.org/women_in_jazz