Live Performance, Stage Presence and Preparing Your Songs
Make the most out of your live performance! We’ll discuss how to prepare your songs and how to prepare yourself for a live performance. We’ll look at technical things like gear and stage set up, engaging your audience, creating a strong set list, tuning (and talking at the same time!), communicating with your band members, how to ask for what you need from the stage and sound crew, learning how to use a microphone, how to use monitors, and so much more! And we'll go a bit deep with non-technical things like asking yourself why you’ve chosen the songs you have and “serving the song.” Students are encouraged to come prepared to share a song with the class, with questions they may have around arrangement and performance.
Get a $7.50 discount on Cara’s Friday night concert ticket when you register for this workshop.
About Cara
Juno award winning singer-songwriter-musician Cara Luft is that rare artist steeped in folk and traditional roots music almost from birth, yet willing to alter the fabric, stretch the boundaries and fearlessly bend genres and styles. A founding member of Canadian folk super-group The Wailin' Jennys and the brainchild behind Winnipeg's acclaimed powerhouse duo The Small Glories, Luft deserves her solid reputation as one of Canada’s finest live performers, armed with amazing tenacity, vision, energy and a contagious hilarity. To quote the roots magazine No Depression, “Luft has a rich tradition in folk music – it’s safe to assume that she knows her stuff – and upon listening it becomes quite clear that she is indeed a formidable songwriter and performer... [The] lovely Ms. Luft sets the bar for the talented few who’ll follow in her footsteps.”
Cara has a spirit that drives her to connect with people, and for this she is loved everywhere she goes. Reviewers of her live shows talk about her compelling vocals, superb musicianship, humorous anecdotes, accomplished songwriting, ability to switch between styles and the charm of her stage presence. Cara’s the real deal, there’s nothing pretentious about her. And that sense of honesty, integrity, personality and spontaneity permeates both her music and her live shows. “Long may she reign!” (Lonesome Highway)