Colloquium or Chant Intensive
  • Daniel Bennett PageDaniel Bennett Page
    Posts: 833
    I'm trying to decide if I should attend the Chant Intensive or the Colloquium this summer and would appreciate some thoughtful advice. I'm a fairly advanced chanter (founded two scholas, etc.) have been to the three previous colloquia. My goal is to really deepen my understanding and improve my skills rather than just to have fun--which both weeks certainly would be! If either of these events were the only one available this summer I would go to it gladly and without a second thought.
  • Kathy
    Posts: 5,499
    I thought that some of the benefits of the Winter Chant Intensive were the attention to drilling of solfege and the immersion into the Solesmes rhythmic system. If you're interested in Solesmes rhythm and don't have it down solid, you could probably be solid by the end of the week.

    Two summers of Scott Turkington's Colloquium chironomy class might do the same, but without the intense, immersion-type experience.

    So maybe it comes down to improving sight reading with solfege, which I'm guessing you're pretty good at. Also, whether you would benefit from the polyphony section.
  • Jeffrey TuckerJeffrey Tucker
    Posts: 3,624
    Well, it's a bit more comprehensive than that. It covers style, text, chrionomy, psalm toning, and every detail toward mastery that you can think of. I can't imagine that anyone wouldn't learn from it. On the other hand, it is an "intensive" and not the explosive public experience that the Colloquium is.
  • mjballoumjballou
    Posts: 993
    I loved the Intensive - so much so that I did it twice. While it's great fun to sing mixed-voice polyphony, down here with the Gators and gators, it has limited applicability for someone who directs a women's schola. Thus, I opted for the Intensive over the Colloquium.

    I also found the Intensive a great opportunity to learn how to teach and to learn from others' successes and failures in private conversations over meals. So if you're really, really into chant, probably the Intensive. And there was something so charmingly "intime" about the experience.
  • Kathy
    Posts: 5,499
    I don't at all mean to suggest that the Intensive was minimal! It was incredible, and I would say completely re-orienting, musically. But probably the biggest takeaway for an advanced chanter like Daniel would be rhythm and reading. Also the modes.

    I would totally go to the summer Chant Intensive if I could do both the Intensive and the Colloquium. Alas, life's limitations.
  • miacoyne
    Posts: 1,805
    Maybe we can have two groups, advanced and beginning./intermediet in Chant Intensive, at least in the morning classes? (maybe it's too late for this summer though.)
  • janetgorbitzjanetgorbitz
    Posts: 964
    The Colloquium is wonderful... so much bigger of an event... but if you haven't yet gone to the Chant Intensive, even if you're a pretty experienced chanter, that would be my choice. That solid week of focusing completely on chant, singing, theory, chironomy, just can't be duplicated at the Colloquium... But, if you could do two things in a year, but just not back to back, maybe you should think about planning to come to the Winter Chant Intensive... but you definitely should not miss Chant Intensive if possible.
  • Jeffrey TuckerJeffrey Tucker
    Posts: 3,624
    I've wondered what I would do if I could only do one. I think it would depend on whether I wanted to give in to my usual restless temperament and longing for big wonderful things or buckle down and do what I should do to fill in the gaps in my knowledge. It's really not a fair choice.
  • Michael O'Connor
    Posts: 1,637
    Ginger or Mary Ann? Colloquium or Intensive? Life presents us with no-win choices all the time...
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,157
    Ginger vs. Mary Ann is not really a dilemma: it's a personality test.
  • Michael O'Connor
    Posts: 1,637
    Well if one is predisposed one way or the other, sure, but if one really likes variety, a dilemma it is!
  • Daniel Bennett PageDaniel Bennett Page
    Posts: 833
    Further thoughts?
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