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Community Singing Class for LGBTQ People & Allies
Mixed Level Class – Beginners Welcome
Fall 2011
7 pm – 9 pm Tuesdays
August 16th – October 11th, with no class Sept 20th
La Peña Cultural Center
3105 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley
Near Ashby BART
This location is wheelchair accessible.
***Fragrance-?Free Notice*** Please make preparations to ensure this class is safe and accessible for class members with environmental illness. I request that you join me on class days in refraining from wearing scented products, including colognes and perfumes, clothing washed in scented detergents, hair and body products with fragrance.
Cost is $200 for the 8 week session, payable over the course of the class. Some scholarships available.
Registration deadline is Tuesday, August 9th. Contact Eli at SingWithEli@gmail.com for a registration survey.
Course description:
This is a supportive community singing class for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people who want to develop their singing voices in a fun group setting. Beginners to experienced singers welcome!
The class focuses mostly on solo singing and one group song. Students will work on finding and strengthening their natural singing voice by developing breath control, learning how to listen to themselves and other singers, developing vocal range, and working on expressive song performance. The class will culminate in an optional informal recital on the last day. Glitter will also be optional but highly encouraged!
*This space is centered intentionally in LGBTQ communities because LGBTQ folks all too often find spaces focused on singing lacking relevance to our lives, commitment to our safety, and awareness of our needs. If you have any questions about whether the class is right for you, please contact Eli at singwitheli@gmail.com
Teacher Bio:
Eli Conley is a singer/songwriter, music teacher and social justice activist based in Berkeley, California. He is a white gay transgender man who grew up singing in the renowned Greater Richmond Children’s Choir in Virginia. Eli has trained in jazz vocal performance at Berklee College of Music and classical singing at Oberlin Conservatory. He currently sings tenor with the International Orange Chorale, and performs as a solo artist, and with his indie folk trio, Eli Conley Hip for Squares. Eli is a past member of the Grammy award-winning San Francisco Symphony Chorus. He teaches private voice lessons in Berkeley. E-mail SingWithEli@gmail.com to setup a lesson.
Student Testimonials:
“I would recommend this class – no matter what your singing experience, skill level or interest you will have fun, you will feel safe and cared for and you will improve!”
“Great teacher! Everything was clear and interesting – I felt very engaged… He was awesome at making me feel good about where I was at and moving from there.”
“A great thing about this class is the environment of a judgment-free, supportive group. Eli sets the tone, and it is so nice. Highlight of my year.”
“He’s good at knowing exactly what each singer’s strengths and weaknesses are and knowing exactly how to address them. His weakness – there’s only one of him!”