Sharing the Music
SONG LEADER TRAINING
✦ for aspiring and practicing choir, singing circle & voice workshop facilitators ✦
"I have been singing since before I could talk and have been leading others in song since the age of 18. My father was one of the pioneers of the Community Choir movement in Britain, getting thousands of people opening up and freeing their voices. In many ways I have been his apprentice my entire life and have spent my whole adult life developing, expanding and building on what I learned from him. I now teach others to bring more of this magic out into the world, and am delighted to know that due to these trainings many hundreds of voices gather, open and connect together in the magic of harmony."​ - Susie Ro
STARTING 9TH NOVEMBER 2024
Online Welcome | 3 Night Residential (Totnes, UK) | Online Follow Ups x 3
Join Susie for this deep dive song leader training, where she will be sharing her extensive knowledge, vital teaching tools and passion for singing, to empower you to inspire the voices of others.
Susie has been living and breathing harmony since she was a small child and has been leading workshops and choirs for the last 16 years, sharing her passion for harmony singing both in the UK and internationally. She has led both intimate groups and hundreds in song at festivals, and regardless of the nature of the event, she has seen the immense power and incredible healing that can be accessed when people come together in song. Susie has been running her Sharing the Music residential trainings for 10 years and is excited to add an online element this year, so she can share in and support your ongoing journey.
Everyone welcome, no experience or music theory needed!
WHO IS THIS TRAINING FOR?
Anyone new to this path who dreams of leading others in song
Those who would like to integrate singing into the activity groups they already facilitate (e.g. dance, craft, sharing circles, yoga, retreats)
Those who already lead song and would like to deepen their knowledge and add to their toolkit
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN
"It's such a joy leading these trainings and watching people blossom and grow in confidence" - Susie Ro
This training will be full of things that Susie has discovered, gathered, unravelled, learned, inherited and developed over her many years of uniting people through singing. She will be weaving many aspects of song leading into the training including:
✦ Why this work is so much more than just about singing
✦ The fundamentals of being a song leader
✦ How to be a good leader in service to the whole: holding space and making space
✦ How to learn, retain and teach harmony parts
✦ Warm-ups: what is actually effective to create the right energy in your space
✦ Rounds and canons
✦ Medicine songs using instruments or accapella
✦ How to teach songs fast and thoroughly, with heart and without losing your groups attention!
✦ How to create a deep, listening, receptive atmosphere in your group
✦ Using your whole body to transmit a song
✦ Pitching a song and using a pitch pipe
✦ Body, breath and voice
✦ Introducing and encouraging improvisation
✦ Vocal techniques
✦ Incorporating singing into other activities and workshops (e.g. yoga classes, dance groups)
✦ Holding space for transformation and healing
✦ Helping people overcome their fears and find their true voice
✦ The medicine of the voice; the gift you are giving people
✦ How to set up your own singing group
✦ How to collect songs and build your repertoire
✦ Introduction to leading songs and voice workshops online
✦ Networking, publicity and singing as a business
The residential will be spent in vibrant participation and Susie will be sharing what she knows in a fun, engaging, deep and embodied way. There will be plenty of time for questions and to put the things being taught into practice, and everyone will have the opportunity to teach a song to the main group and/or within the smaller break out groups. It will be a completely safe and encouraging space, and all that you bring will be very welcome.
As the best way to learn is to practice, following the residential you will be lovingly encouraged to use what you have learnt to bring people together in song. Whether you take big steps or small steps you will be supported by Susie and your fellow participates via the community group and follow up sessions, but with absolutely no pressure to go faster than you feel comfortable with.
WHAT PARTICIPANTS SAY
"The training was so much more than I was expecting. I already loved singing and I've sung with people before but I've been given so many new tools and just little details that I perhaps wouldn't have thought of using before, not to mention a plethora of stunningly beautiful and inspiring songs that bring people together. So whether you're experienced or just starting out, I cannot recommend this training enough and it also gets you in touch with a community of such wonderful practitioners. If you're thinking of joining the training and are still undecided, just do it!" - Thomas
DATES
The combination of in person and online training will run from November 2024 to May 2025:
Saturday 9th November 2024 | 4.00-5.30pm
This online session is an opportunity for the group to meet each other, introduce themselves, share some of their goals for the training and ask any questions. It is also a chance for those who have never worked with Susie to meet her. This session will allow us to dive straight in at the residential.
RESIDENTIAL VENUE
Sharpham House
Ashprington, Devon
The residential part of this training will be held at the beautiful and historic Sharpham House, which is positioned within a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, close to nature and amid breath-taking scenery high above the River Dart.
They offer delicious, home cooked, seasonal vegetarian food, sourced whenever possible from their organic kitchen garden and local food suppliers.
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​Sharpham is close to Totnes, with good road and rail links to the rest of the country.
Accommodation
Accommodation (and food) is included in the training cost and there are three tiers to choose from, with both shared and single occupancy options available in each.
Standard Rooms: £595 shared | £625 single
Premium Rooms: £615 shared | £645 single
Heritage Rooms: £635 shared | £665 single
There is also one fully accessible single room, which is £595.
You can find full details about the venue and accommodation options in the 'Key Information' download.
For those living nearby, there is also a non residential option, which is £525 including lunches & dinners.
WHAT YOU'LL TAKE AWAY
✦ A deeper understanding of the role of a song leader and space holder
✦ Solid techniques to bring the best out of people's voices and to get them singing with joy and freedom
✦ The inspiration and confidence to step forward as a leader
✦ A huge treasure chest of resources and songs
✦ A community of like-minded and inspired song leaders
✦ The ability and confidence to earn money from singing
WHAT'S INCLUDED?
✦ 3 night residential training (inc audio recordings)
✦ 4 x 1.5 hour online sessions (inc. video recordings)
✦ Sharing the Music training notes
✦ Sharing the music start up CD pack
✦ Participant community forum
✦ 20% discount on 'Until the World is Singing' songbook
✦ 20% discount on Nick Prater songbooks and CDs
✦ 50% discount on 'The Living Instrument' eCourse
INVESTMENT
£595
​This includes all in person and online training and residential food and accommodation
(additional room tier and single supplements may apply)
£200 deposit payable on booking to secure your place | Balance payment due by 12th October 2024
BURSARY PLACE: We are offering one full bursary place on this training to support aspiring song leaders who are from minority groups that are under-represented in the singing community and whom, without the bursary, would otherwise miss out on this training. Please apply to Susie at susie@susiero.com if you belong to one or more of the following groups; from an ethnic minority background, living with a disability or chronic illness, from the LGBTQ+ community, a single parent on benefits, a refugee or asylum seeker, homeless or you have been affected by violence. The bursary place will be decided by 1st July 2024.
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The bursary place has now been filled, so applications are closed.
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BURSARY FUND: If you feel that you would like to help support someone on their song leader journey, contributions to the Sharing the Music bursary fund are greatly appreciated. You can contribute here.
"I have been singing since before I could talk and have been leading others in song since the age of 18. My father was one of the pioneers of the Community Choir movement in Britain, getting thousands of people opening up and freeing their voices. In many ways I have been his apprentice my entire life and have spent my whole adult life developing, expanding and building on what I learned from him. I now teach others to bring more of this magic out into the world, and am delighted to know that due to these trainings many hundreds of voices gather, open and connect together in the magic of harmony."​ - Susie Ro
