Emma Nilsdotter

All Ears is a workshop developed by Anders Edenroth and Katarina Henryson that focuses on the ability to listen. It addresses the individual singers responsibility in a group at the same time as it proves the power of the collective movement. The idea is to provide a tool for ensembles to develop trust and initiative by heightening the level of the way you listen. We will do exercises that raise the sensitivity of how we can hear each other in the room and talk about the individual and collective aspects of this. We will be singing a simple song (no preparation needed) for nearly the whole session and work in two groups to exemplify how the group can challenge and expand the listening ability. This workshop can be done with all levels of singers and needs no preparation other than it demands a lot of focus.

For about 35 years The Real Group has been exploring ensemble singing and vocal music, releasing CDs and touring worldwide. In this session, we will share some thoughts on our artistic work as well as our methodology that has evolved over the years. To deal with the challenges of working without a conductor, in styles that sometimes requires a different approach than the regular choir/ensemble methodology, the singers in the group have constantly tried to find new ways of developing communication, collective listening to find a more singer-centred methodology. This is an ongoing process that we would like to discuss with you. Working closely together as singers, colleagues and friends is often rewarding and challenging at the same time, and even though we are not always living up to our own ideals, we would love to share some thoughts on group dynamics, solidarity and positive reinforcement.