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Prices

If pre-booked: with early bird discount
£195 Adults (26+)
£125 Young Adults (19 - 25)
£90 Teenagers (15 - 18)
£75 Kids (5 - 14)

If paid on gate:
£225 Adults
£125 Young Adults
£90 Teenagers
£75 Kids

Singing

This is where you come if you want to sing your heart out! All day long from 'Wake up Singing' to a lullaby around your circle fireside you can croon, harmonize, bop, Halleluia, read the dots, make it up on the spot, do it alone, in twos or in a congregation at the local church.

There will be all and any of this: Harmonic Temple ~ barbershop ~ jazz arrangements ~ singing the sacred ~ vocal harmony ~ spiritual texts ~ percussion instruments from guinea conakry ~balafon ~ bolon ~ gongomah ~ simple powerful four part harmony songs ~ energetic African and Gospels ~ sensitive spirituals ~ peace songs ~ close harmony singing ~ pop ~ soul ~ beautiful folk songs ~ celtic fringe ~ wake up singing ~ taize ~ scintillating sounds ~ performance ~ lots more.

Performance

Opportunities to listen, and to perform to each other are an integral part of the camp. As well as exhibiting the choral pieces we have learned together on the Final Night Sharing, there is a Concert in the Village halfway through the camp, a Performance Night where contributions of all kinds are invited from the camping circles, and a couple of evenings of Cabaret in the Café for all manner of items, including a section for the children to exhibit their talents to an appreciative and supportive audience.

Final Night

Having worked diligently on your parts all week, what could be better than an evening celebration of your efforts with the whole camp? Each choir presents their offering to the audience, and we all get to sit in our chairs and drink it all in. Gregorian chanting, Barbershop, women who glow, 40 teenagers note-perfect, old favourites and weird Macedonian folk songs...truly there's nothing like it! It's amazing!

Cabaret

Cafe evenings, enjoying the atmosphere of tea and cake, one is impressed by the sheer diversity of talent of these wonderful people, all comers with their guitars, didges, harps and violins. All are welcome, none are rejected - and the applause is so very warm and encouraging. Do drop in when you fancy a more casual entertainment.

NVPN

Natural Voice Practitioners Network is an organisation for Practitioners who share a common philosophy and approach to voice work. They believe that singing is everyone's birthright and are committed to teaching styles that are accepting and inclusive of all, regardless of musical experience and ability.

Most of the Unicorn Natural-Voice Camp teachers are members who actively support this important network for development and celebration of the natural voice.

WaterAid

WaterAid is an international non-profit organisation dedicated to helping people escape the poverty and disease caused by living without safe water and sanitation. It is based in London and was established by the UK water industry as a charitable trust in 1981, whose income exceeded £26.9 million by 2006.

The charity currently works in partnership with local organisations in 17 countries in Africa and Asia to help poor communities establish sustainable water supplies and latrines, close to home. It also works to influence governments’ water and sanitation policies to serve the interests of vulnerable people and to ensure water and sanitation are prioritised in poverty reduction plans.

As a matter of policy, WaterAid supports public ownership and control of water supplies, but does not take a particular view regarding public, community or private participation in service provision.

It has association with the Glastonbury Festival. In 2006 the festival's founder Michael Eavis and his daughter Emily visited WaterAid's work in Mozambique - and in 2007 130 WaterAid volunteers helped at the festival.

In the last four years Unicorn Camps has raised over £25000 through a wide range of fun-fundraising events throughout the camps.

Community

Community is an essential aspect of the Unicorn Camps experience. Friendships made during one week of camping and cooking together can last a lifetime, and teenagers particularly have noticed that the depth of heart-connection with camp friends just can't be found at school. During the camp lots happens - joys and sorrows are exposed, emotions are disclosed and processed.

This really does require support - and indeed emotional support is forthcoming. Many a good samaritan is revealed.

We also try to relate meaningfully to the community of local villagers, whose forbearance is exemplary and whom we wish not to offend.

We have our camp close to a quiet village in north Dorset, England, situated at the foot of a Neolithic ceremonial burial site and Iron Age hill fort in the Blackmore Vale near the River Stour which passes half a mile west of the village. The village has a population of 1,065 of which 40% are retired.

Local author and dowser Peter Knight believes that the village is at the centre of several ley lines, some of which pass through nearby Hambledon Hill. Old records speak of a megalith that used to lie where the village cross is now, marking an ancient crossroads. In 1561 William Kethe was appointed vicar he remained in the village until his death in 1594. Kethe is best known as the author of the hymn, The Old Hundredth, which went on to become one of the most famous in the English language, better known from its first line "All People That on Earth Do Dwell".

The village was the last home, until his death in 1989, of the puppeteer and children's entertainer Harry Corbett, creator of the TV glove puppet characters Sooty & Sweep. It is also the present home of composer Sir John Tavener.

Each year Unicorn offers a fine concert in the village church, which becomes full to overflowing for the occasion!

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natural voice camp 7 - 15 august '10

Teachers

Nickomo Clarke

Harmonic Temple with Nickomo & Rasullah Clarke is a consistent favourite throughout the first decade of the Unicorn Natural Voice Camp has been the daily morning sessions of Harmonic Temple. This involves singing short 4-part harmony songs and chants based on mantras and sacred phrases from different spiritual traditions. New songs are sung each day and the session is open to all.

Rasullah Clarke

Rasullah has been teaching the dances since 1987 and has created many new dances especially from the Hindu and Celtic spiritual traditions. She follows Druidry, an earth based spirituality centred round celebrating nature and the seasonal festivals, as her spiritual practice. On the camp she will be sharing some of the dances she has created. In the mornings she will lead the Dance of Life ( see Voice Camp for more info) and she will also be helping Nickomo teach his Harmonic Temple chants.

Nick Prater

Nick Prater is one of the country’s most popular voice workshop leaders. He has a warm and patient teaching style that takes you straight to the heart of the song, and lifts you up to that joyful place we all look for in singing together. More
His voice workshops and community choirs are very popular, and have opened the door to singing for hundreds of people who never thought they could do it!

Nick teaches a wide range of Sacred music, Gospels / Spirituals and his own original material.

He has been leading singing workshops for over 20 years in New Zealand and Britain, and has published 2 collections of his songs for community choirs and a teachers resource of a songbook & 3 CDs arising from his years of teaching in Steiner Waldorf schools. He also runs training courses for teachers and composing courses..

Pauline Down

Pauline Down is a voice teacher, singer and songwriter based in North Wales where she leads a thriving community choir. She has 20 years experience of running voice and singing groups both in the UK and abroad.

Her enthusiasm and relaxed manner have a way of instantly putting people at their ease. She regards singing as a powerful tool for healing at both personal and community levels. More
Her workshops at camp this year will focus on enabling you to sing out confidently with ease, strength and joy. Time will be spent developing your breathing and vocal technique and forming a deeper connection with your voice through voice/body awareness.

There will be opportunity to both use your voice more freely through structured improvisation and to practise holding parts/singing songs with positive feedback and support.

Jon Conway

Jon has been singing, directing, coaching and performing in many Barbershop choirs (known as a chorus) and quartets over the last 20 years. He has run workshops in USA, Italy, Spain, Holland, Ireland and all over the UK focusing on close harmony singing, performance and chorus directing. More
Jon will be running a Drop-in devoted to mixed close harmony singing in the barbershop style focusing on some delicious 'Tags' - something that has become extremely popular at voice camp over the last few years. A Tag is the barbershop term to the ending of a song where the arranger often throws in some rather glorious harmonies, swipes and embellishments.
Words can't really do them justice - you need to come along and experience them first-hand where Jon will be teaching them to you in his own enthusiastic and entertaining style.

Jane Flood

In the years since Jane began storytelling she has aquired a word hoard of over 400 traditional tales from around the world. She is well known for her wicked sense of humour and deep sensitivity and her telling has been called "enchanting, compelling and bewitching" - she is well known throughout the UK and abroad. Jane's web site is beautiful and inspiring - give it a peek!

Susie Prater

Susie Prater is a spirited young natural-voice singing workshop leader, bringing voices together in harmony with simple yet powerful songs of freedom, joy and peace, everything from African to Gospel and Spirituals. Susie works to release the voice through her inspiring and relaxed workshops, bringing both 'singers' and 'non-singers' together for the sheer joy of singing in harmony! More
"As the daughter of Nick Prater I am very much influenced and inspired by his work, not just the enthusiastic way in which he teaches but also the material with which he works. I teach a wide variety of simple yet powerful four part harmony songs ranging from uplifting and energetic African and Gospels, to sensitive Spirituals and Peace songs".

Susie has an exquisite voice and also sings in part of a acoustic folk/soul duo: www.myspace.com/susieroandayla

Dave and Lisa

Dave and Lisa have been leading singing workshops together for the past 15 years. They are co-founders and directors of the exuberant and inimitable 'Akabella'. More
Lisa is also a trained music therapist working for Soundwell Music Therapy Trust using improvisation as therapy with adults in the field of mental health.

Dave is MD and administrator for the annual Music Festival for Special Schools in Wiltshire and Swindon. He has published two books for singing groups-'The Sumptuous Songbook 1 and 2', arrangements of jazz songs/soul classics, full of piquant harmony and vibrant rhythms.

Dave also sings with the B Naturals and plays keyboards and arranges for soul-ska supergroup 'Skarper'.

John Bowker

John has been teaching the hand drum in Ireland for over 20 years and brings his deep commitment to honour the spiritual and healing aspects of traditional indigenous music to his work. More
He also brings an anarchic and playful sense of fun into a class situation that helps to quickly nudge any group he works into a creative and fertile space.

John has facilitated over 2,000 musical events and workshops. He continues to teach throughout Ireland and in the U.K.

"Not for nothing has John earned a reputation as Irelands leading drum circle facilitator"
Irish Times.

Ali Orbaum

Ali has been working with choirs and running popular singing workshops at arts centres, festivals and schools around the country for the last 14 years.

Co-director with Dee Jarlett of Bristol's famous Gasworks Choir and the now disbanded vocal group Naked Voices, she currently also co-runs Sing Your Socks Off holidays and events, performs with The Barefooters, and is the director (alongside Chris Samuel) of Sing For Water West.

An accomplished vocal arranger, Ali believes in teaching great songs in a fast and friendly way. This year at Unicorn she will be indulging her lifelong passion for Abba and teaching one of their classic hits at her drop in session.

Tarisha Seligman and Fran Fleming

Body, Sound and Soul

Connecting in a fun and funky way with your expressive side. Freedom to be wild, gentle, large, small, full on and silent. Fran and Tarisha will be combining their skills in movement and voicework, facilitating the creative process together. This ongoing will be an exciting journey to familiar and unfamiliar places in our bodies and in our sound. More
'Song in my body, song in my bones, song sings the story I could never tell, song is my gift and song is my life, singing my soul to freedom, singing my soul back home' from All Your Faces, debut album by Tarisha

Chris Diallo

Chris has been teaching African music & dance together since 2005. Based in Brighton, she works all over the country. Chris performs with Brighton’s Djembe Divas.

She will teach vocal and instrumental arrangements of songs based on the traditional West African style, in a variety of languages. The percussion instruments used will be mainly from Guinea Conakry (focusing on balafon, bolon & gongomah).

Using music as a bridge between cultures, workshops are vibrant, harmonious and an unforgettable combination of the warmth of the African sun with a very English sense of humour!

Charlie Thomson

I like to take people to the meeting point of Harmony and Humour, Chord and Charisma, Tempo and Twang! I arrange songs from various genres but specialise in 60's to 80's pop and folk - as long as it has a big feelgood factor! I have been teaching choirs now for 8 years and at present work with 4 groups in my area - 3 of whom perform regularly.

I believe that we sing better if we are relaxed within ourselves and comfortable in our group and so I do "warm-up" type exercises (of a sort!) throughout the session to keep us all fresh!

For the Unicorn Camp 2009 I plan a sultry soully pop song and something a bit more quirky! My partner Annette and I will teach the different parts together to make things quicker and easier to learn. See you there!

Gilo & Sarah

Sarah Pennington and Gilo have been working together for six years. They lead workshops around Dorset and elsewhere in the UK. With Pete Linnett they also co-lead Big Sing Dorset, a singing project which raises money for WaterAid. They enjoy teaching songs with an atmospheric and often sacred quality, as you will discover at their drop-in workshops at this year's camp. They love working together....and it shows (if you can ignore their dubious colour co-ordination!).

Roz Walker

I've been running choirs and workshops for over 20 years now in Devon, (yikes),and every day keeps my vocals busy be it one of my choirs, visiting a school, performing with my trio, or freezing my fingers and toes in the church choir. More
A few years ago I returned to my roots, rediscovered classical music and joined a local church choir. It's been a good discipline, and support to all the gorgeous folky and mostly 'world' music that I love to teach and sing.

I am looking forward to co- teaching with Dee as we both have a love of churchy ethereal stuff and we will even be offering some of those strange bits of paper called sheet music.

I have also been known to teach Georgian songs at camp and will be offering a big hearty and massively loud one or two at camp this year, in my drop in session. My year 'off' was very nice thanks but just can't wait to raise the roof of a sunny marquee again!
Please visit my web site!

Dee Jarlett and Roz Walker

Dee and Roz both have over 20 years experience running community choirs and are well-known for their expert teaching of world, pop and folk music by ear. This year, at Voice Camp, they would like to share with you another of their passions and invite those of you who enjoy singing from sheet music to come and sight-sing some sacred and secular music. More
Some experience of reading from notation would be desirable, but you don’t have to be an expert! Music will be provided.

Dee Jarlett, (together with Ali Orbaum) has co-directed Bristol’s 160-strong ” Gasworks Choir” and the now disbanded highly esteemed“Naked Voices”, sings with “The Barefooters” and is part of the singing holiday team “Sing Your Socks Off”.

Roz Walker directs world music choirs under the umbrella “Global Harmony”, a smaller women-only choir “Viva” in Totnes and Exeter, gives workshops in schools and runs teacher training days and weekends.

Roz's Site
Sing Your Socks Off
Gasworks Choir

Hannah Tristram

Hannah Rose Tristram began touring with world music choirs Village Harmony and Northern Harmony aged 10, from whom she has collected a great number of juicy songs from the Balkans, Africa, Caucasus Georgia and elsewhere. More
She will be bringing a selection of these gems to life at Unicorn. Hannah has Actor-Musicianship training, and wide experience in theatre.

She has felt and explored the healing nature of voice, and was delighted to discover, train with and apprentice Frankie Armstrong. She currently runs four community choirs in Kingston Upon Thames, and is doing a degree in Dance and Music at Kingston University. She loves to play accordion, flute, ukelele and kora. Hannah has foundation and deepening training in NVC (Compassionate Communication).

She enjoys yoga and present-moment living, and believes that dancing and singing are human rights and joys.

She has felt and explored the healing nature of voice, and was delighted to discover, train with and apprentice Frankie Armstrong.

Helen Yeomans

Helen returns to the Unicorn Natural Voice Camp to teach more of her original compositions for which she has become known. Expect more soulful ballads, funky celebration, rhythm and groove! Helen teaches by ear, pays attention to detail and delights in bringing out the best in her singers.

As director and composer of Glorious Chorus for 6 years, Helen aims to move her singers and audiences through the authentic delivery of stirring and conscious music. Her workshops will be eclectic, plucking the heart strings and moving the feet!

Kate O Connell

Kate O'Connell is based in NE Scotland adjacent to the Findorn Foundation. She runs 3 choirs, a private singing practice and has recently created The School of Acoustic Rock with teenagers. She specialises in finding the core of the voice in the body and vocal improvisation and will again be running a daily Find Your Voice group on camp.

Rowena Whitehead

Songs that Changed the World
(or should have done!)

Rowena is a Cambridge based singer and voice teacher who has been leading singing groups, community choirs and Big Sing Projects in Cambridge and beyond since 1991. At this camp she invites you to join the ‘Change Gang’ and celebrate some of the songs that have inspired movements worldwide working for freedom, justice and positive change. Songs inspiring hope, community and harmony guaranteed to touch the heart and ignite your revolutionary fervour!

Alison Whittall

Alison is an experienced community choir leader, musician and composer with 20 years experience as a professional teacher. She has been leading Ploughcappella, the thriving community world music choir in North Devon for nearly 10 years as well as leading other choirs in the region and a wide variety of singing workshops, Also Co-Founder of Voice of Devon. She has travelled widely around the world – absorbing the global spirit of song. More
Her compositions reflect her passion for the journey of ‘awakening’ in an extremely down to earth way with tremendous warmth and humour! ‘singing actually brings forth a true communion through sound vibration, calling us to the presence that unites us all. I love to put people at ease and to support the process of healing through song. I also encourage improvisation as this lets the spirit of song be heard in a way that is fresh and alive.’

Alison combines syncopation with flowing counter melodies to create a rich blend of sound. At voice camp she is offering original compositions, in a gentle, joyful and passionate style.

Ploughcappella members say this: “a truly inspirational teacher“, "great warmth and talent…an expert ear and a wealth of songs to share … welcomes all singers and melds them together to make a glorious sound”, “her enthusiasm and passion is infectious and uplifting.

Rajeswar and Suekali

Rajeswar is an amazing, skilful and heart-felt teacher of Indian classical raga and songs of Tagore, coming from Kolkata, India. Together with Suekali who has studied with him for over 20 years, he teaches the essence and heart of Raga to westerners. More
This deeply moving, healing and resonant form or singing has much to offer anyone who loves to sing; it teaches us to sing from a place of profound relaxation, ease and flow. It can improve the resonance, range and fluidity of your voice, whatever style of singing you enjoy.

It reaches the ‘voice beneath the voice’ and takes us to a place beyond our personality, beyond time and place. These sessions are open to everyone whether complete beginners or experienced singers. You just sit, relax, listen, open your heart, let go and drop into India!
Website: Singing Heart

Roxane Smith

Roxane has been running harmony workshops for many years. Her workshops are always fun and lively. The songs are sometimes soulful, sometimes political and usually funky. They are always taught by ear, easy to learn and uplifting to sing. Visit Roxane's Website

Maggie O’Connor

As well as running community choirs, Maggie has been working as a musician in healthcare settings for the last ten years: working, singing, and playing with people of differing abilities aged from before birth to over a hundred!

She believes everyone can sing, and has easy fun ways of loosening up rusty vocal chords...and lots of really simple but great songs that can be sung by complete beginners. Her sessions will be lively and practical because singing is a perfectly natural thing to do.

You don’t need singing lessons, just let the sound out! You won’t have to sing alone so come whether you think you can sing or not!

 solution: tmo & homemade        associated sites: nickomo and rasullah / james burgess / 7words / campscene directory for family camping holidays