BRATTLEBORO — The Open Music Collective launches its fall semester on Saturday, Sept. 21, with expert instructors ready to show you how to tap the very best in your musical potential.
Thursdays at 5 p.m., a new class, “Vocal Techniques with Ken and Julie Olsson,” covers the breath, brains and brawn you'll bring to bear in giving rise to powerful, confident, and controlled singing.
Ten sessions of two hours each cost $150 for adults, $125 for younger students.
“Jazz Vocal Repertoire” returns on Mondays at 5 p.m. Taught by Jamie MacDonald, artistic director and founder of Open Music Collective, the class features new songs chosen for their distinctiveness and longevity.
This class, which runs for 10 sessions and culminates in a concert, costs $250 for adults, $200 for students. MacDonald promises to add a class Tuesday at 5 p.m. should demand warrant.
Jazz ensembles resume Wednesdays at 5 p.m. and Saturdays at 10:30 a.m., and continue the discounted youth-oriented class. Study jazz by studying specific pieces, sharing historical information, and playing classic arrangements and compositions in an informative, encouraging environment.
The cost is $250 for adults, $200 for students, and $180 for the Saturday class. Each ensemble runs for 10 sessions and culminates in a concert.
Guitar ensemble, another new offering, meets Thursdays at 5 p.m. and invites you to explore Baroque, classical, and modern arrangements for guitar and other instruments. Perfect for guitarists with relatively limited experience reading music in a group. Basic musicianship and a desire to learn are required; guitarists and bassists are encouraged, and C instruments such as flutes are welcome to enroll as well.
The course is $150 for adults and $125 for students. All will get 10 classes and the chance to put it all together in a concert.
Private lessons on mandolin, trombone, and general brass are offered by Riley Goodemote; Larry Brown teaches guitar and finger-picking; Ben Carr teaches drums and ukulele; Ken and Julie Olsson give lessons on vocal technique and classical voice; and Jamie MacDonald is your go-to on bass (upright and electric), harmony, jazz vocals, theory, and improvisation with all instruments.