Six voices, two drums, 12 hands and a tambourine are the only tools for this collective from San Salvador in south-west France. Rooted in the region’s deep troubadour traditions yet circulating between cultures and musical genres, their compositions use the Occitan language as a rhythmic instrument, combining poetry with hypnotic vocal harmonies cascading over shifting patterns of percussion. Responding to or confronting each other, San Salvador alternates whispers and dramatic rises. Drunken rhythms follow slow songs, on various themes: spring, religion or war. There is never any monotony in these interpretations, but rather a real staging of each piece in what they describe as radical singing.
Workshop:
This workshop will present traditional Occitan songs from their home, West of the Massif Central highlands in France. The audience will learn the different voice parts of one or two songs and each member of San Salvador will sing with them. Participants will learn and practice all the different voice parts, before choosing the one that they are most comfortable with, before the audience and the group sings the songs in polyphony harmony and feels the energy and joy of singing together.
Sun
5:30pm
Foundation Stage