I offer Deep Listening Workshops, Rhythm Circles and Instant! Marching Band events for kids and adults. All of my workshops can be formatted to meet your team building, wellness, leadership, communication, and empowerment goals.
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The Language of Empowerment - supporting friends in good times and bad
Sunday, August 1st, 2010
The Language of Empowerment - supporting friends in good times and bad
Location: Shannon’s Studio at Northgate Presbyterian Church, 2504 N. Roxboro St., Durham, NC 27704 - side entrance to Wings Art Center at corner of Roxboro and Ellerbee - pull onto gravel rd and park beside the church. Entrance is on South side of church.
Description: The Language of Empowerment is an essential tool in supporting our friends through good and bad times. Let’s learn to recognize each other’s strengths and validate each other as experts on our own lives. In this session, we explore the idea that we can’t fix each other (what a relief) and learn language to help each other find the answers that are best for our own lives. After all, what works for me might not work for you! Sometimes the solutions we offer to help those we love can actually shut them down, make them feel like they can’t talk about their feelings, and invalidate their own solutions.
I am a peer support specialist and recovery coach at Durham Wellness City, where I use this language to support and empower people with challenges of all types. I recieved 80 hours of training in the Language of Empowerment, and use it on a daily basis in my work and especially my personal life. It is a practice that is changing my life and relationships with those I love.
In the workshop, we’ll explore the basics of the language, make some art to remind ourselves of the essentials, and practice through group role plays.
This is most essential skill I have to offer others - please join us if you can!
Start Time: 7:00pm-10:00pm
Date: 10/4/2010
Cost: $15 per person - checks and cash accepted
Register in advance through email: learnaboutlistening@yahoo.com or call me at 919-680-0129
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Fall Equinox heart beat meditation and sonic massage
Sunday, August 1st, 2010
Fall Equinox heart beat meditation and sonic massage
Location: Shannon’s Studio at Northgate Presbyterian Church, 2504 N. Roxboro St., Durham, NC 27704 - side entrance to Wings Art Center at corner of Roxboro and Ellerbee - pull onto gravel rd and park beside the church. Entrance is on South side of church.
Description: Connect to your heart and inner rhythm and experience the power of sonic vibration as a powerful massage tool. You’ll have an opportunity to give and receive a sonic massage - this is touchless bliss in a drum circle format!
Start Time: 7:00pm-8:30pm
Date: Sept 19, 2010
Cost: 10.00 per person
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Fall Equinox heart beat meditation and sonic massage
Sunday, August 1st, 2010
Title: Fall Equinox heart beat meditation and sonic massage
Location: shannon\’s studio at Northgate Presbyterian Church -2504 North Roxboro Street
Description: Connect to your heart and inner rhythms and experience the power of sonic vibration as a powerful, kinesthetic massage tool. This is a great, no touch massage - you\’ll have an opportunity to receive and give a sonic massage as well!
Start Time: 19:00
Date: 2010-09-20
End Time: 20:30
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Defending The Gulf - a CLEAN WATER benefit on the 5th anniversary of Katrina
Saturday, July 31st, 2010
Defending The Gulf - a CLEAN WATER benefit on the 5th anniversary of Katrina
Location: The Pinhook, 117 Main St., Durham, NC 27701
Link out: Click here
Description: Defending the Gulf 5 year Katrina Anniversary video screening and fundraiser!
“Defend the Gulf” video series - learn more about what\’s happening in the Gulf and what we can do to help. At the conclusion of the film, we’ll have a discussion and there will be opportunities to take action.Hey- let’s have some fun afterwards, and throw some money in the pot for the Gulf Restoration Network. Dont’ miss:
Jay Carwright - solo accordian
The Fictional Detectives/Lemming Malloy renaissance man plays his favorite tunes (everything from Radiohead to Howlin Wolf), MASTERFULLY, on the accordian. And sings them, like an angel.
Shannon Morrow and Jim Kellough\’s Tower of Power Instant! Jam Station. Everyone is invited to stay and play our fabulous collection of homemade/repurposed percussion instruments. A rhythm circle for people who think they don’t like drum circles…bring your own homemade instruments or play ours - we’ve got plenty!
Start Time: 7:00pm
Date: 2010-08-29
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Instant! Jam at Coalition to Unchain Dogs Benefit
Saturday, July 31st, 2010
- Kids and Parents play together!
Instant! Jam at Coalition to Unchain Dogs Benefit
Location:
Durham Central Park, 500 block of Foster St., Durham NC 27701 (at the Farmer\’s Market Pavilion)
Link out: Click here
Description: I’m bringing my Instant! Jam Station (unique, homemade drums and percussion) and leading family rhythm circles for entertainment at the annual Coalition to Unchain Dogs Benefit! For more info on my Instant! Jam station, check out my participate page.
Start Time: 7:00pm
Date: 2010-08-28
End Time: 8:00pm
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Going with the “vibrations of the day” - Marshall Allen and Art Jenkins of Sun Ra Arkestra
Friday, September 25th, 2009
We’ve been really honored here in Durham, NC to be able and host the exhibit “Pathways to Unknown Worlds” at our local art council’s building. The exhibit is memorabilia related to Sun RA’s time in Chicago, Il. With the exhibit, which is sponsored by the Durham Arts Guild in conjunction with Duke University’s John Hope Franklin Center, we’ve been lucky to have a couple of high profile events related to the exhibit - namely a performance by Sun Ra Arkestra (now lead by Marshall Allen) and a discussion panel with M. Allen and Art Jenkins today at the JHFranklin Center.
I’m not going to try and describe the music of Sun Ra (if you aren’t famliar, do yourself a favor and check him out. Sun Ra Arkestra’s releases are too many to mention, but here’s a fun starting CD - Angels and Demons at Play), but there is no doubt that he and his devoted orchestra (-mmm…well, they are still playing together though he died in 1993 - so with Sun Ra that’s probably around 30 years together, 40 years together for some of these folks) are some of the most creative, visionary, and free-thinking musicians in the world.
What I want to focus on in this post is the discussion panel with M. Allen and A. Jenkins today.
They had many great stories about hangin with Sun Ra (hilarious), but what I got the most out of was their consistent attention to the idea of letting spirit create music instead of mind. Both Allen and Jenkins had stories about how Sun Ra could tell when they were playing what they thought they should play instead of what was true to their nature (spirit). Jenkins talked about doing vocals for the Arkestra and his frustration when Sun Ra asked him to create “impossible” vocals. This drove him nuts - nothing was what Ra was asking for, until he found a ram’s horn with 2 holes bored in to it in a duffle bag of Ra’s. With nothing to lose, he held the wide part of the horn to his mouth and cupped his hand over the holes, creating a vibratory effect when he sang and moved his hand on and off the holes. Upon hearing, Sun Ra exclaimed that this vocal effect was perfect - it became a signature sound of Jenkin’s on many Sun Ra recordings (Strange Strings and I think Angels and Demons were both mentioned). Jenkins talked about how holding the horn reminded him of his childhood - amazingly enough, he could not speak when most children start talking. There was a folk remedy that his parents heard about in which a child who can’t talk should drink water from a cow’s horn. Though this didn’t help his problem, it came in to play later in life, as it brought meaning to the ram’s horn for Jenkins.
Jenkins and Allen both reiterated over and over how playing what they knew was not acceptable in Sun Ra’s band. Sun Ra made them reach deep in to their souls to manifest the the spirit that made their music so unusual and beautiful. When someone from the audience asked what strategies they used to keep from repeating themselves when playing their tunes over and over on tour, Allen said “I just go with the vibration of the day”. This was a recurrent theme - we are energetic beings who can tune in with the vibrations of all that is going on within and around us (because we are part of everything). We can turn those vibrations in to audible sound if we are sensitive to them.
When asked how being of African descent affected their music, Jenkins replied again that we are all part of everything - we can learn from the birds, from nature, from everything surrounding us, and in fact he says that he learned to speak from listening to the birds.
The discussion was incredibly meaningful. Allen and Jenkins talked of the idea of “failure” and how they had to seek to be failures so that they could start all over again. In the end, they came to realize that if you are going with the vibration of the day, nothing you create is a failure. It is a perfect manifestation of the moment.
I hope I can carry this through in my own music making. The commodification of music, and the survival needs of those making music for a living are detrimental to the pursuit of authenticity in art and in life. It is always a great temptation to make music that you know everyone will appreciate, but in doing so, we create stagnation and hold back the natural progression of one of humankind’s most sacred art forms.
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MECA Creative Music Ensemble
Tuesday, September 8th, 2009
Title: MECA Creative Music Ensemble
Location: Music Explorium
Link out: Click here
Description: Music Explorium Creative Ensemble = MECA
Join Music Explorium\’s first ever creative music ensemble. Directed by Shannon Morrow, the Ensemble plays creative music through the process of musical improvisation. Participants may come from any musical background. Soundpainting, a musical language used to facilitate instant composition will be an integral part of weaving the voices of the group together. All traditions (and music that comes from no tradition) are welcome. Students of any skill level may participate. The ability to read music is not a prerequisite. All instruments are welcome, including home made instruments.
Poets, actors, and practitioners of other artistic disciplines may participate if they have an interest in performance. The 6-week session will culminate in a public performance (location and date TBA-the weekend after the last session).
Depending on continued interest, the ensemble will reconvene for further sessions throughout the year.
$65 dollars per person
or $100 per couple (register with a friend – 2 for $100)
$150 per family up to 4 members
For adults and older children (10 and up).
If you have a question about whether this is suitable for your child, give us a call!
Tuesdays 7-8:30pm
Oct 13, 20, 27 Nov 3, 10, 17
Start Time: 19:00
Date: 2009-10-13
End Time: 20:30
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Sonic Meditations
Tuesday, September 8th, 2009
Title: Sonic Meditations
Location: Music Explorium
Link out: Click here
Description: Sonic Meditations
Listening Meditation and Sounding Practices to facilitate creativity in art and life.
In this 6 week course, Shannon Morrow will be your guide as you explore listening, sounding(making sounds), and improvisation from a holistic perspective. Each 2 hour gathering is a perfect way to release stress and renew spirit with relaxing and invigorating music based exercises. Participants will engage with each other in listening, sounding, and movement exercises and will learn strategies for group improvisations in a supportive, non-judgmental atmosphere. Many of the improvisational exercises in the course are based on energetic healing practices such as toning (sounding to vibrate the body and atmosphere for health), and drumming or sounding the chakras. We will explore practices developed by composer Pauline Oliveros’s Deep Listening Institute (an organization which fosters a unique listening approach to improvisation and meditation) and Life Force Arts Foundation (a contemporary combination of artistic and spiritual practice in a non-denominational approach to greater wholeness), as well as others.
The intended outcome of this course is to open participants to new ways of thinking about sound, improvisation, health, and communication through music and sound. All levels of experience are welcome. In many sessions we will use our voices and bodies for improvisation. Everyone will be asked to keep a listening journal in any format desired, whether pictorial, written, or recorded, so please bring a journal.
Percussionist Shannon Morrow is an improvisor, Soundpainter, Deep Listening Instructor, and Rhythm Circle facilitator for The Music Explorium of Durham. Shannon believes strongly that the foundation of creative sounding begins with the practice of listening. She is certified to lead workshops in Deep Listening, a creative practice developed by new music icon Pauline Oliveros. Shannon is also a Certified Soundpainter. Soundpainting is the universal live composing sign language developed by composer Walter Thompson for musicians, dancers, poets, actors, and visual artists interested in working with the medium of structured improvisation. In addition, Shannon has studied healing through meditation and the arts with contemporary shaman Joan Forest Mage (Life Force Arts in Chicago), and at Invision Center (Chicago).
The course is 6 weeks long, meets on Thursdays Oct 15, 22, 29 Nov. 5, 12, 19 from 7-9pm, and costs $125.
Start Time: 19:00
Date: 2009-10-15
End Time: 21:00
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Triangle Soundpainting Orchestra
Wednesday, February 11th, 2009
Title: Triangle Soundpainting Orchestra
Location: Nightlight in Chapel Hill, NC
Link out: Click here
Description: Triangle Soundpainting Orchestra presents our newest themed works by 3 soundpainting directors: Shannon Morrow, Stuart Somer, and Juditta Musette. Peruvian mountain ladies meet the monks of Bhuton in the Amazon for a summit on the economic stimulus package. All have cocktails - shaken not stirred.
We will be sharing the bill with 2 DC area dance/sound collaborations: The circuitry dance patrol and Projexorcism.
Start Time: 22:00
Date: 2009-02-21
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Rhthm Jams for kids
Wednesday, February 11th, 2009
Title: Rhthm Jams for kids
Location: Downtown Durham YMCA
Link out: Click here
Description: March 8 - April 12 , Sundays at 2:30pm
We are offering EXPLORE RHYTHM! kids’ rhythm classes ages 3 and up. Call Kathleen Pace at the Y 919-667-9622 for more details. 3 and 4 year olds from 2:30-3pm, 5 and up from 3-3:45pm.
Start Time: 14:30
Date: 2009-03-08
End Time: 15:45
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