Category Archives: BKA2015

BKA2015 – Just Listening

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I managed to catch up with a couple of BKA first timers, Cilla and Chris, over some delicious lasagne this lunchtime. I asked them how they were getting on. Chris said the course so far was brilliant.

We talked about that morning’s choir session with Dr. Árpád Tóth. Remembering how nervous I was at my first BKA choir session I asked how they’d got on. Cilla told me it was a privilege just to be in the room. When she started to feel out of her depth she just closed her eyes, listened and enjoyed. By tomorrow’s choir session she will have had a couple of musicianship lessons with Miranda Zwalf under her belt. I suspect by the end of the week all our newbies will be singing with confidence and joy!

More News from the Kodály Summer School

  • BKA2015 – Al Fresco Improvisation - What better way to start the BKA’s Summer School at the leafy University of Leicester than singing al fresco. The session was Choral Improvisation with the amazing Dr. Árpád Tóth. Those of More →
  • BKA2015 – The Simplest Things - Every BKA residential course starts each morning with a vocal warm up and choir session. This year we are split into two groups. SATB choir with Dr. Árpád Tóth and SSA with More →
  • BKA2015 – Just Listening - I managed to catch up with a couple of BKA first timers, Cilla and Chris, over some delicious lasagne this lunchtime. I asked them how they were getting on. Chris More →

BKA2015 – The Simplest Things

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Every BKA residential course starts each morning with a vocal warm up and choir session. This year we are split into two groups. SATB choir with Dr. Árpád Tóth and SSA with David Vinden.

This morning even in the simple warm up I had a wonderful spine tingling moment. We were a few minutes into our warm up and David asked us to sing a simple unison tonic on do. Then while one half of the room held the do the other half harmonised with the dominant on so. Softly we were encouraged to really tune into each other and hear that perfect fifth. Then a third note was added, you guessed it… mi. So far so good. But the tingle came when we switched from solfa to an oo sound. The effect was amazing. Such a simple tonic triad, carefully prepared and accurately executed, sounded so beautiful. From the gasps around the room I realised I was not the only one to feel the magic.

More News from the Kodály Summer School

  • BKA2015 – Al Fresco Improvisation - What better way to start the BKA’s Summer School at the leafy University of Leicester than singing al fresco. The session was Choral Improvisation with the amazing Dr. Árpád Tóth. Those of More →
  • BKA2015 – The Simplest Things - Every BKA residential course starts each morning with a vocal warm up and choir session. This year we are split into two groups. SATB choir with Dr. Árpád Tóth and SSA with More →
  • BKA2015 – Just Listening - I managed to catch up with a couple of BKA first timers, Cilla and Chris, over some delicious lasagne this lunchtime. I asked them how they were getting on. Chris More →

BKA2015 – Al Fresco Improvisation

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Choral ImprovisationWhat better way to start the BKA’s Summer School at the leafy University of Leicester than singing al fresco. The session was Choral Improvisation with the amazing Dr. Árpád Tóth. Those of us lucky enough to attend last year’s summer school knew we were in for a treat, the rest of us were sat with a mixture of excitement and apprehension.

Well the first improvisation was the location! Making the most of the beautiful evening, we moved outside to sing with the accompaniment of the wind swooshing through the leaves of the weeping willow. It was a really magical experience and Árpád’s infectious enthusiasm soon had us making the most beautiful vocal sounds by listening and responding to each other.

More News from the Kodály Summer School

  • BKA2015 – Al Fresco Improvisation - What better way to start the BKA’s Summer School at the leafy University of Leicester than singing al fresco. The session was Choral Improvisation with the amazing Dr. Árpád Tóth. Those of More →
  • BKA2015 – The Simplest Things - Every BKA residential course starts each morning with a vocal warm up and choir session. This year we are split into two groups. SATB choir with Dr. Árpád Tóth and SSA with More →
  • BKA2015 – Just Listening - I managed to catch up with a couple of BKA first timers, Cilla and Chris, over some delicious lasagne this lunchtime. I asked them how they were getting on. Chris More →