with Vincent Michaud

This is a workshop for harp players and other instruments, but you will also learn the dance steps in order to know where the stressed times are. The workshop will be probably taught on metal-strung harp, but any other harps or small-compass string instruments can participate, if you can retune them to the scale given below.

Vincent describes the workshop as follows: “This year I propose a trip to Bro Wened, south western part of Lower Brittany, formerly known as rouantelezh Waroc’h, the kingdom of Waroc’h. Focus on two dances: En Dro and Laridenn. We will learn the different variants of these two dances with focus on the Carnac area, then I’ll try to bring documents about the ancient pipes and bagpipe scale there and how we can re-appropriate it on the harp. Focus on technique servicing dance rhythm and stressed times.

Note on tuning the instruments during the Breton workshop:
We are using an ancient Breton scale (all historical details given during the workshop). Basically put your instrument in C major but get F# and G#. The tonic will be B. One sixth will be enough to play the tunes, there will be no real need for more tones. Expect rhythmical drones (as explained during the workshop).
Feel free to download these tunes (1. En dro 2.Laridenn , both are PDF documents) even if you don’t intend to sit the workshop, but bear in mind that classical notation hardly can transmit the entire music and the score itself isn’t enough to fully understand the dances.”