Philly Folk Choir: Vocal Polyphony from Around the World
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Led by Brian Dolphin and Elizabeth LaPrelle
with special guest workshops from master singers
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Deadline to Register is August 26th
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Program Description:
In this choir, we will learn and sing a variety of folk songs from all over the world, often featuring material from America and Eastern Europe. You will get to enjoy singing in a vibrant and supportive group, melding your own unique voice with the ensemble in 2, 3, and 4-part harmony. We will work on developing sustainable vocal production, delivering “authentic” performance in timbre and ornament, and having a wonderfully fun time together making beautiful music. The program features special guest teachers deeply steeped in the music of different folk singing traditions, who will visit and offer us master classes. If you have any questions, please email phillyfolkchoir@gmail.com. Registration for Spring season starts in January.
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The mission of Philly Folk Choir is to create a safe, fun, and productive environment for people to learn to sing in a variety of folk music styles from all over the world. We seek to honor and respect the folk music, tradition-bearers, and each other in our singing, learning, and working together. We aim to learn and support local folk musicians in Philadelphia and expose people here to folk music traditions with which they are not yet familiar.
Logistical Information:
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The class runs every Tuesday for 16 weeks, from September 2nd- December 16th. The exact dates are: September 2, 9, 16, 23, 30; October 7, 14, 21, 28; November 4, 11, 18, 25; Dec 2, 9, 16.
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The class takes place in Griffin Hall, in the basement of the First Unitarian Church (2125 Chestnut Street).
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​If you think that you will miss more than three rehearsals, leave the season early, or you cannot arrive consistently on time, we encourage you to sign up when your schedule allows. While it is normal that people get sick and things come up, we want to keep our musical momentum and not have to keep re-teaching parts to songs. Since we have a cap of fifty members, and we have had to turn people away, we would like to reserve spots in the choir for consistent membership.
There will be a culminating final performance on December 19th at 6:30 PM in the Sanctuary of the First Unitarian Church.
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Auditions:
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There is a brief, 5-minute online audition process for new choir members, which basically consists of matching pitch. ​
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Payment:
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The cost for the entire series is $320; singers may pay up front in one installment or in five installments ($64 per month). Payments are non-refundable; there is a 30-day cancellation policy and a $50 cancellation fee. If you choose to pay monthly, your card on file will be auto-charged monthly at the same time of the month as your first purchase; if you first purchase on the 26th (when registration closes), you will be charged ongoingly on the 26th of the month.
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Teaching Artists:
Philly Folk Choir founder and director Brian Dolphin is a Thomas J. Watson Fellow, Fulbright recipient, and doctoral candidate in Ethnomusicology at the CUNY Graduate Center. He has studied and performed folk and original music all over the world, in villages and large venues alike. He leads an active life as a songwriter, performer, producer, and songleader, uniting diverse communities through Ukrainian Village Voices, the "Dolphin & You" Community Sing, and Philly Folk Choir. In addition to recording and performing with freak folk quartet Doran and his wife Elizabeth LaPrelle, every month on the “Dolphin & You” Patreon he releases his own music and that of other singer-songwriters whose songs might otherwise go unrecorded. He also shares traditional and original arrangements of different folk songs and distributes the harmony part-recordings through the site.
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Assistant Director Elizabeth LaPrelle is a scholar and singer of Appalachian Ballads from Rural Retreat, Virginia. She started making folk song recordings with her family as a teen and she received her undergraduate degree from the College of William and Mary with a major in “Southern Appalachian Traditional Performance.” In the experimental folk duo Anna & Elizabeth, she toured internationally and helped re-popularize the “Crankie” performance art form. She has taught American folk songs, banjo, and vocal technique both privately and at music camps and workshops. She loves being back in a choir for the first time since college.​
We thank the following sponsor of our public singing workshops:
