VOCAL Monthly Meeting

Meetings 2008

June 9, 2008, 7:30 p.m.

Quarterly In-house Open Mic / Elections

In-house open Mic is a favorite format of many VOCAL members that will be revived for 2008. Once per quarter a meeting will be devoted to new music from VOCAL members. Material can be presented on recording or live and you may present the song for feedback or just for a test run.

You do not have to sign up in advance, the registration is ‘first come/first served’, so your opportunity to perform is based on available time and number of people signing up.

VOCAL elections have come around again!

If you would like to serve on the board, please come out to the June meeting and toss your name in the hat. For members who don’t want to run, please come out to vote!

If you’re not a member, you’re still welcome to attend, just sit back and relax until the voting is over.

We are currently filling the President/Vice President position with an Executive Committee made up of volunteers from the membership. But you are welcome to run as president if you would like to serve.

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VOCAL meetings will bring music to your ears and food for your creative soul. Come to the next one. You’ll see (and hear) what we mean.

  • Fellowship and encouragement of other writers
  • The chance to get your own craftsmanship to the “next level”
  • The chance to discover how some of ‘the greats” do it

As a rule, these occur monthly, although the schedule can vary occasionally. The format is fluid, but includes on a regular basis:

  • new song performance and feedback sessions
  • dissections and deconstruction of great songs and songwriter techniques
  • creative block-breaking mental exercises
  • and other songwriting skills such as melody, modulation, harmony, storytelling, rhyming and rhythm.

Occasionally, there will be organizational business to attend to:

  • planning participation in events around the state,
  • special VOCAL banquets or parties, election of officers,
  • and handling of financial chores

Next Meeting

When

June 9, 2008, 7:30 p.m.

Where

The Roundhouse at Byrd Park

Byrd Park Roundhouse

Directions

From the Boulevard (travelling south) Head South on Boulevard. Turn left in front of the Christopher Columbus statue (just beyond tennis courts) and follow that road to the end of the lake. The round house will be on your right (parking available on streets in front of house).

From the east (travelling on Downtown Expressway):
Take the Boulevard exit, and turn left at the first light (Robinson St). Robinson dead-ends in front of the Roundhouse.

From Chippenham (driving north) heading toward Downtown Expressway:
On Chippenham, once you cross the bridge, bear right like you're going to the Downtown Expressway. Take the next exit, Maplewood Avenue (last exit before toll road). After exiting, drive straight until you dead-end at baseball field. Turn right onto Sheppard St., then next left by tennis courts onto Grant St.. Continue straight at Christopher Columbus statue (which will be on your right) into park to end of lake. House is at right.

We might swap stories of our latest gigs, share pictures from performances, or discuss improvements in member communications or the Web site.

Frankly, there’s only one place in the state where you can rely on hanging with the area’s most creative composers and lyricists every time you go: VOCAL meetings. These gatherings of VOCAL members offer a combination of

  • education,
  • discussion,
  • evaluation
  • and fellowship

VOCAL meetings can increase your passion for the work as it deepens your understanding of the craft.

- Russell Lawson