The What and Why of Workshops: In the Artists’ Words
In October, four singers and four composer-performers came together in Baltimore in the first of two workshops for our BREATHE project. Seeing photos on social media, some of our followers asked what workshops were, and why we hosted them. What better way to learn about these artistic retreats than by asking the participants themselves about their experiences?
First, some background on the project: as Artistic Director Beth Willer explains in her year-end letter, workshops have become an essential part of Lorelei Ensemble’s creative process. The BREATHE project, a 70-minute program exploring breath in our individual and collective lives, is the latest in a long line of Lorelei commissions. But this work breaks new ground as a fully collaborative program co-written by four creative artists from disparate corners of the contemporary music world, from jazz to hip hop to pop to contemporary classical.
The four composers—Charlotte Greve, Wendel Patrick, Ken Thomson, and Jason Treuting—brought sketches of their ideas to the October workshop. For several days they worked together with singers Kathryn Radakovich, Kayleigh Sprouse, Corrine Byrne, and Emily Marvosh, and left this musical incubator with pearls of musical ideas. They will return to a second workshop, in January in Lee, Massachusetts, with drafts of scores for further exploration with Lorelei singers.
What did the participants have to say about the experience?
“This was a rare and wonderful experience to work with such high-caliber vocalists in a stress-free and experimental setting. Normally, as a composer, by the time I get to work with the ensemble, the piece is nearly done and I can only tweak whatever I’ve completed. But here, we could try out some wild ideas without pressure and know that I still have time to keep, edit, or throw out everything as I choose. Having such curious and supportive colleagues made a huge difference as well, and I can’t wait for our next session together.”
Ken Thomson, clarinets & saxophones, composer
“I am so excited to see the further developments of these works when we get together again in January. It’s fascinating to see inside the compositional process!”
Emily Marvosh, contralto
“Being able to be in a room with this group of extremely professional and accomplished artists is both inspiring and luxurious to me. Luxurious in a way that we can take the time to work with the material creatively and with the input of everyone, which means that the outcome is a more personalized piece where everyone is learning something in the process. We were able to exchange ideas and realize the potential and possibilities within the group. I took away a lot from this first meeting as a composer and artist and can’t wait to share the next version of my composition with everyone at the next workshop in January.”
Charlotte Greve, saxophone, composer
“What I am taking away from the workshop is how interesting it is to put folks in the same room from different disciplines all to learn from each other. It requires openness, inquisitiveness, and boldness—all which I witnessed consistently from my colleagues new and old throughout the workshop. Also, improvisation is unlike any other type of music-making—it requires you to be in the moment and unabashed in a way I only wish I could be 100% of the time. In one word: inspiring! “
Corrine Byrne, soprano
BREATHE will receive dual premieres in Baltimore and Boston in the 2024-25 season. Watch our newsletters, blogs, and social media for updates, including real-time posts and photos during the workshop January 18-20.
Thank you to all who have donated to Lorelei Ensemble in support of our creative programs, including these funders of the BREATHE project: the National Endowment for the Arts; the Dean’s Excellence Accelerator Awards (DXA) of The Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University; The Aaron Copland Fund for Music, Inc.; and The Amphion Foundation, Inc.