World building with sound
Ella Paul
Link to booking form: https://forms.gle/UfWEXKTs7GUMsLdT6
Music is a social art. It provides a language for imagining together. How can the principles of sound guide us through co-creation? What can music teach us about living ‘in harmony’ with each other? About building our world together?
This August, join musician and performer Ella Paul for a weekend-long intensive exploration of world building with sound in the Penryn woods. Over the course of two days, we'll chose a story to work with, and through writing techniques, collaboration and experimentation, we'll make it into a sound world. Building on Ella's deep study of folk and songwriting, as well as her long experience of performance and collaboration, this short course will explore techniques for conveying narrative using music, sound, singing and lyricism.
Moving between the woodlands and The Convivial's learning space, Ella will guide participants to free up, focus, experiment and work together through the process of developing a long-form musical story, culminating in an intimate performance (either in the woods or the space, weather dependent).
Suitable for musicians, singers, sound and spoken word artists, poets and lyricists of all levels of experience. Bring your instrument of choice; all musical instruments welcome, acoustic or electric, or alternatively, bring your voice and/or a pen!
Weekend schedule
Saturday
AM: Meet and welcome, choose a story. Guided improvisation session focused on imagining a structure for the piece.
PM: Workshop on writing techniques to generate material, followed by discussion/workshop on finding and working with already-existing song.
Sunday
AM: Writing exercises, followed by guided collaborative writing session in the woods.
PM: Performance preparation and the show!
Facilitator
Ella Paul is a musician and composer with a Masters in Poetics of Imagination from Schumacher College / Dartington School of Arts. She sings, and has written and performed extensively, including as an international session musician. She is currently writing the music for a stage adaptation of The Romance of Tristan and Isolde. She has written for a theatre performance of Gilgamesh that took place through the night at St Hilda's Oxford, as well as for Ruby McGowan's version of The Mabinogion in 2023. She has worked in music venues and record labels. Her work explores the social power of music. Ella has worked extensively in community services, most recently facilitating poetry groups in prisons.
Cost
When booking your place for this weekend-long workshop, please refer to the following:
Low / no spare income: £55
Medium income: £65
High income: £75
Supporter ticket: £85
If you are a volunteer with The Convivial and/or find these costs to be prohibitive for any reason, please get in touch to talk about how we can find a way for you to participate!
You can find out more about our financial modelling here.
What’s included?
Four facilitated sessions led by Ella
Two vegan lunches on Saturday and Sunday
What’s not included?
Accommodation
Travel costs
Breakfasts and dinner
Accessibility
This workshop will include movement between The Convivial’s space and the woodlands in Penryn.
Please fill in the form below or get in touch via hellotheconvivial@gmail.com to talk more about your access needs., including any bodymind complexities (e.g. autism, ADHD, dyspraxia etc.)
Link to booking form: https://forms.gle/UfWEXKTs7GUMsLdT6