Love to Sing? Join a Mayfest Show as a Singer
Image by Paul Blakemore
Mayfest are looking for people who love to sing to be Secret Singers in a show in this year’s festival.
We are looking for people who would like the opportunity to learn and perform rich, multi-part harmonies. You do not need to have professional singing experience, and there is no language spoken.
At several moments during the performance, you will sing with a chorus of Secret Singers like you, and a core team of 3-4 company performers. You will learn the piece and technique in a one-off, free, and stimulating singing workshop led by musical director and composer Verity Standen. Verity is an award-winning artist whose work celebrates the human voice in concerts, theatre, film, installation, and community events. Her work has enchanted audiences and critics across the UK and around the world.
We are looking for people to commit to a 3-hour workshop on Thursday 23rd May in central Bristol (venue TBC), and evening performances on Friday 24th, Saturday 25th, Sunday 26th May. Performance times are to be confirmed.
Commitment & Offer
This is a voluntary, unpaid opportunity.
You will work with acclaimed UK musical director Verity Standen in a safe, comfortable, and stimulating environment.
All voices and ages 18+ are welcome!
You don’t need any specific experience, although if you’re an experienced singer your skills are very welcome and there may be elements of improvisation to explore.
You will work with composer Verity Standen to learn music from the show, and then perform alongside the touring performers. Performances are about 2 hours in length.
In the 3 hours workshop:
Verity will teach everything ‘by ear’ (no musical score).
You will be singing in rich, multi-part harmony.
There will be space to sit and/or stand.
About Mayfest
17 - 26 May 2024
Across Bristol
Mayfest, Bristol’s international festival of contemporary theatre and live performance, curated and produced by MAYK, is back with a programme spanning nine days, dozens of performances, events, and parties in some of Bristol’s best-loved venues as well as unexpected sites and locations throughout the city.
Presenting a vibrant programme of unusual, playful and ambitious live performances from artists from all over the world, Mayfest has consolidated its reputation as one of the UK’s most vibrant and boundary-pushing festivals.
Mayfest is a cross-city celebration that promotes the creative vitality of Bristol and explores the city as a creative playground. Cultivating connections between artists, audiences, participants and venues, Mayfest champions the voices and experiences of a diverse international community of artists who ask brave questions about how we live in a modern world.
This year’s festival is for everyone: every individual show will be priced on a Pay-What-You-Can basis, inviting everyone to make a decision on how much to pay based on what they can afford and their own financial circumstances.
About Verity Standen
Verity likes to play with vocal music in ways that ask us to listen differently. Her
projects take a range of forms – concerts, theatre pieces, films, installations, community events – but they always start with the voice.
A lot of Verity’s work explores the relationship between music and intimacy. She has woven singers around and amongst audiences (Undersong), embraced audience members (HUG), created concerts for one person at a time (Symphony), and built installations that celebrate the up-close details of different people’s voices (polyphony).
Verity has created bespoke performances for castles and cafes, hospital wards and the streets. Alongside these shows she has always run community choirs, and loves gathering people together to sing.
To find out more or register interest, contact katie@kaleider.com.