Sundays 10/18 & 10/25, Noon–3 pm

REGISTER

This is a two-session workshop; students attend both Sundays.

Eligibility

Vocalists ages 12 and up.

Vocalists are musicians too. This beginner-friendly two-session workshop is designed to help singers understand and communicate the essential elements of music—including melody, harmony, rhythm, and form—so they can work more confidently with accompanists and other musicians.

Topics include:

• Understanding scales, chords, and rhythm

• Identifying song forms and chord progressions

• Setting up an intro, counting measures, and cueing solos and endings

• Understanding the rhythmic shape of lyrics and developing the ear for melody

• Practicing effectively with backing tracks and apps such as iReal Pro

Each participant will have an opportunity to sing and apply these concepts in real time, so please bring a song to work on.

Whether you are new to music theory or looking to communicate more effectively with instrumentalists, this workshop will give you practical tools for becoming a more informed and confident singer.

About Danny Caron

Guitarist, composer, and educator Danny Caron has built a wide-ranging career in jazz and blues. He performed with Marcia Ball and zydeco legend Clifton Chenier before relocating to the San Francisco Bay Area, where he served as guitarist and musical director for blues pianist and singer Charles Brown from 1987 to 1999.

Caron has recorded and performed with artists including John Lee Hooker, Van Morrison, Bonnie Raitt, Ruth Brown, Etta Jones, Dr. John, and John Clayton. He was the featured guitarist on Hooker’s Don’t Look Back, which received two Grammy Awards.

He has toured internationally, performed at venues and festivals including the Kennedy Center and Monterey Jazz Festival, composed for film, and continues to teach at the Jazzschool in Berkeley. His recent work includes collaborations with Marina Crouse and Tom Rigney, along with his fourth solo album, Make Beauty.