Workshop

I have offered this workshop to music students, teachers and professionals with such surprising results that I had to write a book on it, and now I feel it is essential to make it available in person again. Please begin by reading the testimonials from these important professionals.

On THE WORKSHOP

I have been a musician for 45 years playing bass and everything from symphony orchestras to jazz, rock, folk, country, and zydeco band, to renaissance groups. This has been the most powerful musicianship tool I've ever found. —Mark Gray, Performer, MusicEducator, Roaring Fork High School and Carbondale Middle School, Carbondale, Colorado

Corky Siegel’s methods for finding dynamic expression inside yourself will forever change the way your band, chorus, or orchestra approaches music. It is that profound a tool …   —David Roche, Ph. D. Arts Education – Chicago Public Schools 

Now … I get outstanding audience response in every song / solo and that’s the best turn-on there is! —Gary Gand – True Blood – Gand Music and Sound  

I am walking around rather amazed today. I spent some time practicing this morning,  playing Bach and exploring your ideas and suggestions. What has occurred defies description. I know you’ve seen the impact this has on people—you can add me to the list. The way I play seems to have fundamentally changed and improved overnight. I can't actually believe it, but I think it is true. —Michael Miles, (past) Music Education Director, Old Town School of Folk Music   

Follow up years later: ”I'm on a plane to Seattle and just finished re-reading  your book, maybe for the 3rd or 4th time. And it rings and grows deeper - making me really want to do the one minute exercises right now, RIGHT NOW! — Michael Miles

… my playing has completely turned around … [my] confidence and [my] abilities explode.   —Rick Trankle – Musician and Music Educator  

On LET YOUR MUSIC SOAR (The Book)

What a fantastic work! It should be required reading for any musician, whether you are an amateur or a seasoned pro.  —Ellis Kell, Blues Guitarist and Singer, Music Columnist, The Rock Island Argus, The Dispatch and The Leader

Let Your Music Soar is a revelation  — Rick Kogan – Author & Music Journalist, Chicago Tribune & WGN-Radio

The book reflects his artistry and originality as an outstanding soloist, composer and improviser, and reading this book is as much fun as playing music with him. Highly recommended for all ages!  —David Amram – Former Composer-in-Residence, New York Philharmonic under Leonard Bernstein  

Hallelujah! I have just read, learned, been inspired, cracked-up, and soared through my first of many readings of this book. Holly's illustrations are super-cool! After years of writing and coaching vocal improv, I’m reinvigorated. I can express things better with my students and in workshops and am more “Sue,” with no apologies, in my own performances.  —Sue Demel,  Educator and Singer,  Sons of the Never Wrong.

Follow up from FaceBook post 2-15-25: I love this class and the book that he wrote. it is a life changer! ... Corky, I teach dynamic to my singer songwriters because of you, you are the life changer. Love the book so much. — Sue Demel

Let Your Music Soar returns music to those who love and make it. Corky Siegel's book so beautifully accompanied by Holly's pointed and amusing artwork offers immensely practical insights into how to draw out the music that is within us and share it with others. Thirty years of trial, error, and joy have been distilled into a bracing and entertaining brew. — Scott Simon Peabody - Award Winner, Host of NPR's Week-end Edition

AMAZING STORIES (A few examples)

Heavy Rock band. A couple weeks after the workshop, where they also learned to play at an ear-friendly level, the leader of the group called me. He was very excited. He said they were now getting outstanding audience reactions and the club owner immediately hired them to play twice a week instead of just once a month.

20 Flute students at a renowned classical music foundation followed my instructions and performed brilliantly.  But the professor seemed displeased and seemed resistant.  A few months later, to my surprise, the professor called me and said; "You should see what you did to my students." and invited me back for more workshops.

Saxophone. Within the first three minutes of a 90 minute workshop the observers spontaneously yelled; "goosebumps." The young saxophone player started out sounding like the student you would have expected. He followed my instruction and after 3 minutes sounded like a recording artist.

Singer-Song writer. I was at the first performance following the workshop. I sat next to his wife. She said; "Wow! What did you do to my husband?" He was like a different performer, story-teller, folk star, the audience was memorized.

Competitions. I tell the people that are in competitions, if they apply these techniques they are likely to win. Of course I have no way of knowing what happens, but wins are indeed reported back to me. One high-school music teacher said the judges explained that the band was so much more expressive from anything they've ever heard that it was an easy choice.

Member of my quartet. The player tried to launch their string quartet into a touring ensemble by entering an important international contest as a first step.  They rehearsed a Chamber Blues piece for string quartet that was filled with outrageous dynamics. They used my techniques in rehearsal (which they knew very well having been involved in many workshops with me). But they also applied their own rigorous version of the technique. They won this major contest and are still a touring entity.

Big Band Jazz: After guiding the students through the techniques I asked them to play their piece again but without listening to each other. I told them to just focus on their own intensity variation. The music director said; "Are you out of your mind? I've been trying to get students to listen to each other my whole career." I responded; "Yes, I'm out of my mind, but watch this!" After the students finished playing and the observers cheered and gave them a standing ovation the music director said; "I've never heard students respond to each other so intimately. But you told them not to listen to each other." I explained; "When you 'listen' you tend to take your attention and energy away from what 'you' are doing (where it really needs to be) and place it somewhere else. But when you are focused deeply on what you are doing, and you are in a world of expression, you can't help but respond to the musicality going on around you.”

50 YEAR HISTORY OF THIS WORKSHOP

In 1973 William Russo, trombonist and arranger for Stan Kenton, who composed three major works for me, the Titan Symphony for Leonard Bernstein and founded the music department at Columbia College, chose me to take over his class for two weeks. I asked him; "What do you want me to do?" he said "Do whatever you want."

I only had an inkling of an idea, and it was to explore dynamics in music performance. I practiced, explored, and experimented extensively along with all the students, and I began to see that the focus on dynamics was transformative.

WHAT IS THE WORKSHOP ABOUT

But over time, with much further explorations, the revelations began to appear. Touch pressure and motion proved to be the controlling factors in music performance. And participant's  spontaneous and constant varying of intensity between the ranges of extremely delicate to forceful resulted in a much deeper expression for everyone than the minimal variation we usually see.  I also discovered that this approach immediately enhances musicality and allows the player to reach many musical goals on the spot. And it was also surprising to see the incredible psychological advantages when the participants understood this and gave it attention. Intensity variation also leads directly to dynamic variation and a more dimensional and poetic experience for the listener.

As I discovered these revelations, I continued to dig deeper and deeper for over 50 years.  I now understand the spiritual aspects and the heart. But I don't need to share those esoteric ideas, This technique opens the door to the heart for the participants and there are other subconscious assets. They get to experience a new power in their music in their own way with enhanced tone, technique, musicality, a freshness and a confidence, a sense of fulfillment, and more.

WORKSHOP PRICE: The workshop and price will be customized based on $200 per participant (to accommodate any individuals and small groups) and $1,000 cap for any size group, ensemble or class or day of classes for University or High School or foundations. If a rehearsal hall is necessary rent is usually no more than $100. The class will run for 3 hours or a mutually determined time.

REQUIREMENTS

Participants: Professional or intermediate, singers, players and teachers. Beginners are accepted but must be able to play at least three or four little tunes effortlessly.

Observers: Free of charge. Having observers, people who care about you and your music and can witness from a more objective viewpoint and offer support can be very helpful.  I.e. spouses, friends, teachers, managers, agents, producers, family, etc. 

Contact me here and we can customize and personalize your workshop.

Cousin Corky

The book is $25 + $5 shipping.

P.S. I have an on-line music workshop for all, through the reeds of the harmonica. Harmonica players, harmonica teachers, absolute beginners, can take my ultra simple on-line music course about expression. Learn more.