Tuesday, April 1, 2014

Summer 2016 in Lexington, KY!

The Jane Austen Singing School is seeking members age 13-19 for its second annual session in Lexington, KY! 

If you are interested, please contact Dr. Joanna Manring at joannamsoprano@gmail.com. Our session will run for 4 weeks in June with 2 rehearsals per week on Tuesdays and Thursdays and culminate in a costumed concert.  Join the fun! (Instrumentalists and dancers very welcome!)

Each participant gets:

-at least one solo in the final performance
-individual instruction in solo performance in our Solo Workshop
-a spoken piece (excerpt from letters or novels)
-instruction in public speaking, or "elocution"
-the opportunity to sew her own gown in Sewing Workshop
-instruction in English Country Dancing
-the opportunity to learn in a small, supportive ensemble
-education in culture of the English Regency period
-the chance to make new friendships and have a great time!



Thursday, August 15, 2013

SUMMER SESSION 2013 PERFORMANCE A SUCCESS!

Our Young Ladies acquitted themselves beautifully in our performance of the 10th. Their director is so pleased to have worked with them and to have inaugurated the Jane Austen Singing School in Lexington, KY. 

Here is The Duke of Kent's Waltz, published in 1802. Danced with the assistance of the English Country Dancers of Lexington.
  

Here is Katherine Wright singing "Weep You No More Sad Fountains," by Patrick Doyle from the film adaptation of Sense and Sensibility. 


"Sailor's Adieu" by Charles Dibdin, arranged by Joanna Manring. First verse. (Note: in the Jane Austen manuscript collection, this song is titled "The Soldier's Adieu"- I changed it to "Sailor" for this performance because of a reading on Jane Austen's sailor brothers!)

 


 And here we are dancing Rufty Tufty, an older dance for which the music was published in 1651.

 

Monday, August 5, 2013

PERFORMANCE SATURDAY AT WOODLAND CHRISTIAN CHURCH!

Join us-

Saturday August 10th at 3pm
Woodland Christian Church, 
530 E. High St in Lexington
Admission by donation

-for the Kentucky chapter of the Jane Austen Singing School's inaugural performance!

We will be performing music Jane Austen knew and loved, readings from her novels, "juvenilia," and family letters, and presenting two English Country Dances with assistance from the English Country Dancers of Lexington. 

Beth Ellen Rosenbaum will be accompanying on piano, Nancy McKenny on cello, & Mimi Behar on violin. 

Sewing Workshop

Our sewing workshop has convened three times this session and the Young Ladies learned about laying out, pinning, and cutting patterns, and using the machines. Mrs. June Salyer of Woodland Christian Church instructed. Here, Katherine and Elizabeth are sewing their skirts from the Simplicity pattern 3055.

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Rehearsals have begun in Lexington!

Our rehearsals have gotten off to a lovely start this season with our four talented Young Ladies: Aurora, Eliana, Elizabeth & Katherine! This week we will delve into the choral music, solos, the first set of readings, and "Rufty Tufty," one of the dances we will be performing. A fabric field trip is in the works to procure supplies needed for Sewing Workshop, where several of the girls will be learning to make their own costumes.

Monday, July 1, 2013

NEW SESSION TO START JULY 22nd in LEXINGTON, KY

We have four slots left for those interested in becoming involved in our truly unique historical performance experience! Contact joannamsoprano@gmail.com for an informal interview. Our rehearsals begin July 22nd and our performance will be August 10, 2013. We will be rehearsing 3 afternoons a week, potentially with extra dance rehearsals scheduled. 

Our sewing workshop will take place during Week One outside of regular rehearsals and will include a "field trip" to JoAnn fabrics as well as two workshop days of sewing instruction and work on gowns. 

For photos and videos, please visit www.joannamanring.com and select "The Jane Austen Singing School" on the menu. 

Sunday, May 26, 2013

AUDITIONS

AUDITIONS wil be held at Woodland Church (530 High St, Lexington, KY) on June 16th from 2-4pm. Please contact Dr Manring at joannamsoprano@gmail.com for a time.

Rehearsals will be Mondays and Thursdays 2-5pm in Old Morrison Chapel on the campus of Transylvania University and the performance will be held there August 17th.