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!

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.

 

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.

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.

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. 

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.

Summer Session in Lexington, Kentucky!

Although there will not be a session in Skaneateles THIS summer, JASS WILL be running a session in Lexington, Kentucky. If you or someone you know is interested & available from late-July to mid- August, please be in touch at joannamsoprano@gmail.com. 

Here is a video from our July 22nd, 2012 performance of the dance "Jack's Maggot." You will hear Lisa Brown describing the term 'maggot' as meaning "a fanciful or funny" thought, or in this case, dance. 

Here is a video of the first song on the program from Sunday July 22nd, 2012. Donna Della was written by James Hook and arranged by Joyce Donley.

PERFORMANCE TOMORROW!

Sunday July 22nd at 3 o'clock

First Presbyterian Church Fellowship Hall in Skaneateles, NY

Readings, Music, English Country Dance

Donations accepted at the door 

Refreshments following

Sewing Workshop

Susanne Marshall and her daughter Christina generously offered to coordinate for the first time a Sewing Workshop where our members could experience making their own dresses. Christina was a long-time member of JASS beginning in 2009. This year she and her mother began to mentor through sewing classes, baking refreshments, and demonstrating Regency hair-styling. We are so grateful to them. Here are some photos from Sewing Workshop:

Dance rehearsal!

Here are our Summer 2012 girls rehearsing for our SUNDAY JULY 22nd CONCERT (3PM at the Presbyterian Church Fellowship Hall in Skaneateles. Donations at the door.)


We are rehearsing "Take a Dance" and "Jack's Maggot" under the direction of Lisa Brown, our Dance Mistress and the co-coordinator of the Syracuse region Jane Austen Society of North America.

Summer Session 2012!

Get ready, Central NY! The Jane Austen Singing School begins its summer session at the end of June. We will be presenting a concert during the third weekend in July. We have 3 more spots for Young Ladies available. Please contact Joanna at joannamsoprano@gmail.com if you are interested in auditioning. We are also looking for:

• gentlemen aged 13+ to partner the ladies for English Country Dancing
• intermediate- advanced violinists, cellists, harpists, and flute players
• volunteers for concert production
• anyone interested in our new Sewing Workshop!

Summer Entertainment a great success!

Dobson Hall at the First Presbyterian Church

Our performance of August 7th was very well-received especially considering the temperature of 82 degrees in the hall, which was filled to capacity!! Among the feedback received about our August 7th performance, some moving comments came to my attention:


"I was in a trance the whole time. This was so special to me."

"They look like they're having so much FUN!"

"When I left I felt more peaceful than I have in a very long time."


So, congratulations to all our Young Ladies & Gentlemen, and again, thanks to SKARTS, JASNA, and the First Presbyterian Church! Here are some of the "first round" of photos (credit to Peggy Manring)

Maria McLean and Abbie McMahon

Julia Hearn & Christina Marshall

Maddie VanRiper

Emily Short and Imogen Olson

Kate Klein and Caroline Manring

Kyle Cherchio and Emily Short, (or is it Wickham and Lizzie?)

Draper's Gardens Waltz

Shawn Cherchio? or Mr. Darcy?

Christina Marshall, Jon Marshall, Kyle & Shawn Cherchio

Julia Hearn, Christina Marshall, Joanna Manring, Imogen Olson, Emily Short

PERFORMANCE TOMORROW

The Jane Austen Singing School will be presenting a performance of music, readings & dance at the First Presbyterian Church Dobson Fellowship Hall in Skaneateles at 5:30pm. Reception to follow. Free will donations go to the continued work of the Singing School and help us cover costs related to concert production. We are grateful to SKARTS and the Jane Austen Society of North America for their funding and support of the girls and their beautiful work! Don't miss this fantastic program!

Dance rehearsal on the lake

CONCERT LOCATION

We will be performing at the First Presbyterian Church Fellowship Hall in Skaneateles (the orange brick church opposite the lake) on Sunday August 7th at 5:30pm! Bring your friends!

NEW SEASON, SUMMER 2011

Our Summer Programme of music, dance, and readings will take place SUNDAY AUGUST 7th at 5:30pm, hopefully outdoors! (stay tuned) Donations accepted at the door/ "pay what you can."

Members this season are Julia Hearn, Phoebe Glowacki, Abbie McMahon, Maddie VanRiper, Ellie Meyer, Imogen Olson, Christina Marshall, Emily Short & Maria McLean. 

Many thanks to our Dancemistress & Costume Advisor, Lisa Brown, of the Syracuse chapter of the Jane Austen Society of North America. We present programs in concert with JASNA and Marie Sprayberry serves as its Regional Coordinator. 

We are joined by Tom Grande, Shawn Cherchio, Kyle Cherchio & Jon Marshall for our dances and are still looking for several more gentlemen. Please be in touch if you are interested in our rehearsal schedule.

new audition date!

I will be hearing auditions for the Jane Austen Singing School Summer Session on Wednesday evening June 1st from 7pm-9pm. Please contact me if you would like an audition slot!