Performance skills for musicians

Performance skills for musicians: an intensive course that combines music and theatre improvisation skills to help you get the most out of your performances. If you suffer from stage fright, are nervous about speaking on stage, worry you lose the audience when you're focussing on your music, or just want to be more engaging and charismatic on stage and off, this course is for you. Over two days we will create a positive and warm environment to practise speaking and playing to an audience in a way that feels safe and easy. We will build a skill set of acting and musical techniques and exercises for you to take home and incorporate into your own practice so you can continue to gain confidence on stage. We will also have lots of fun, and make some very good friends!

This class is suitable for those with no previous acting or theatre experience, but does assume a good level of musical ability. If you've been playing or singing for 5+ years, whether professionally or as a serious amateur/student, this is the perfect place for you. If you are less experienced but keen and feel you would benefit, please email [email protected] to discuss whether this is the right course for you. Young musicians are welcome, but those under 16 will also need to email to discuss their participation and have parental consent. The venue is unfortunately not wheelchair accessible, as there are a handful of steps, but most levels of physical fitness and ability can easily be accommodated. You'll also need good basic English skills, but please don't be worried if it's your second language.

October 1-2, from 10am-5pm each day. Please let us know if you need any equipment (Keyboard, amps etc) and we will do our best to accommodate everybody.

About your teacher:
As an actor Stephen is Artistic director of Improvable and has been improvising for 6 years. He currently also plays with The Verbs, house team of the Nursery theatre, and in twoprovs The Eh Team with Kit Harmon and The Happiest People in the World with Erick Castellan. Stephen teaches improv through Improvable and The Nursery and loves to share the joy of it. He has studied improv through i/o Chicago, The Nursery, The Free Association, Upright Citizen's Brigade, Hoopla, The Maydays, Music Box, Showstoppers, Imprology, and with many visiting artists including Dave Razowsky, Bill Arnett, Tim Sozko, Heather Anne Campbell, Deanna Fleysher, and Lydia Hensler.

As a musician Stephen has been an active clarinettist for over a decade. He holds a BMus (Performance) from the University of British Columbia and an Mmus (Solo Performance) from McGill University. Stephen has performed with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Vancouver Miniaturist Ensemble, Designs in Harmony Orchestra, Letter Four Quartet and behind open doors arts collective. He was a featured performer at Bohlen-Pierce Symposium, Boston, Listening Bodies Symposium, Montreal, Mercredimusics series, Montreal and Sonic Boom, Vancouver. Stephen is in the UK as the result of a generous grant from the Canada Council for the Arts.

Stephen loves to perform and is one of the world's most cheerful people when playing or teaching. His day job as a clarinettist, conductor, and music teacher, and his evenings as an improviser mean he feels wonderfully at home on stage. When coaching both music and improv he prides himself of creating a positive environment so that players can perform at their best.