Classes, Workshops, & Events
Beginner’s Vocal Improvisation
MONDAYS, 6-8 PM
ONLINE, 3 WEEKS
OCTOBER 6, 13, & 20
Everyone is scared to improvise at first, but what if there is a way to start that's fun and accessible?
Join vocalist/saxophonist Liz Johnson for 3 weeks of beginner friendly improv explorations that will leave you with a smile on your face! Learn about the structure of jazz improvisation while playing with fun exercises aimed at making the prospect of improvisation approachable.
We will use 12-bar blues, "rhythm changes", and other song structures to guide the way. Students will receive practice tracks and homework assignments so they can explore on their own between classes.
Sing! Party
Once a month we gather online and sing for each other. Join SING! party as a way to practice performing, share what you are working on, or just enjoy being with a group of supportive humans. Free for subscription members and their guests.
When: Tuesday, October 21st, 7:30pm CT
Where: ONLINE via Zoom
Email to register.
Healing Arts Workshop:
Connecting Through Rhythm and Breath: A Music Workshop for Everyone - With Dave Isaacs and Liz Johnson
When: Saturday, Oct. 25th, 11am - 12:30pm
Where: Monthaven Arts and Cultural Center
1017 Antebellum Circle, Hendersonville, TN 37075
Music is fundamentally human – we move and breathe in time while our hearts beat a pulse. It’s also one of the most powerful ways we connect, bond, and build community with others.
This is a group workshop about how listening, breathing, and making sounds together calms the body, opens your ears and voice, and helps you begin to find your own natural rhythm.
No musical training is required! You can use your voice, play an instrument, hit a drum, or clap your hands. If you do play an acoustic instrument – guitar, bowed strings, winds, brass, or percussion – bring it, but it doesn’t matter if you don’t. There’s a way for everyone to join in and we will end the session with a guided improvised jam.
Complete beginners and experienced musicians alike are welcome!
Open to adults and teens 12 and up.
Cost: $45
Breath and Voice Class
A once a month guided breathwork and vocalization class to support body and voice health. Small class size allows for questions and personal reflection.
October's Topic: Centering ourselves through breath, visualization, and sound. Taking time to center is a gift we give ourselves.
Liz is Oxygen Advantage (OA) certified to coach breathwork, and OA provides free supporting materials with every class. Download the FREE Oxygen Advantage app anytime, no class participating required.
When: Tuesday, October 28th, 7:30pm CT
Where: Online via Zoom
Cost: $25
Liz Johnson, Joe Freel, & Christina Watson: Happy Talk
Join us for a joyful matinee of music with three of Nashville's most beloved jazz vocalists. On November 9th, Liz Johnson, Joe Freel, and Christina Watson present "Happy Talk," a concert full of friendship, improvisation, and human connection. These emeritus instructors of the Workshop will blend their unique styles to present one unforgettable afternoon of song.
Featuring:
Bruce Dudley, piano
Jack Aylor, bass
Larry Aberman, drums
Dan Hitchcock, tenor saxophone
IG: @joefreelmusic
FB: @joefreel
christinawatson.com
NEW Vocal Jazz set ONLINE
When: Saturday, January 31 - Sunday, February 1
Where: Online via Zoom
Registration begins October 3rd, 2025
Cost of 2 day Vocal Jazz Set - $300 for Early Bird Registration.
After January 2nd, 2026 $350.
Only 12 spots available.
What is the Vocal Jazz Set?
The Vocal Jazz Set is an immersive, hands-on vocal jazz experience led by veteran, Nashville-based jazz educators Lori Mechem, Liz Johnson, and Joe Freel.
This two and three day program is for all jazz vocalists, beginners to professionals.
Singers will learn standard Great American Songbook jazz literature, phrasing, improvisation, vocal health techniques, musicianship, performance techniques, listening skills and rhythmic interpretation in a safe and nurturing environment that honors both the technical craft and spiritual essence of this musical art form.
Day 1: 11am CST to 4:30pm CST
11am to 11:45am - Introductions / Playing With Vocal Sounds
11:45am to 12:15 - Vocal Technique
12:15pm to 1pm - Ear Training (Hearing the Changes)
1pm to 1:30 - Lunch
1:30 - 4:30 - Break out sessions
Improvisation
Art of Phrasing
Learning Correct Melodies and Working Thru Songs
Day 2: 11am CST to 4:30pm CST
11am to 11:45am - How to Build Your Repertoire
11:45am to 1:00 - Special Guest Master Class
1pm to 1:30 - Lunch
1:30 - 4:30 - Break out sessions
Improvisation and Transcription
Song Performance Coaching
Stylistic Changes for your Arrangements
What you'll receive with the Vocal Jazz Set:
- Lead sheets and practice tracks for 15 jazz standards in 4 keys each (2 low voice, 2 high voice)
- Handouts and take home exercises for ear training, phrasing, vocal health, and working with at trio
- Improvisation materials including practice tracks, exercises, and curated video sequences
- Video playback of both morning sessions
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