About Les Voix du village
Our story
Our story
In 2014 Nicholas Williams began offering harmony singing workshops in his village of Waterville, Quebec. Since then, Les Voix du Village has grown from a small group of friends and acquaintances, to include groups in both Sherbrooke and Waterville with over 200 singers per session! The choir is led primarily in French, with some English interspersed, reflecting the bilingualism of its members and of the local region.
Over time, the choir has become like a second family for many of its members, and the strength of these connections contribute to the warm, joyful atmosphere of Les Voix du Village has become known for.
All levels of singers are welcomed, from the seasoned performing-artist, to those who have rarely sung outside the safety of their own showers. At the same time, our more seasoned singers often love the more relaxed and informal environment, which can be a refreshing change from the pressures of more performance-oriented groups.Confident singers looking for an additional challenge have the option of participating in the petit groupe extra.
At the heart of the Voix du Village are the sessions of weekly singing workshops offered in Waterville and in Sherbrooke, which are usually 10 – 12 weeks long. We also organize singing retreats, and workshops by both local and visiting artists. Visit our calendar for the complete list of Voix du Village events.
Repertoire from around the world
Repertoire from around the world
Most of our songs come from places with rich harmony-singing traditions such as the Republic of Georgia, the Balkans (Bulgaria, Macedonia, Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia, etc..), Corsica, the UK, the Ukraine, South Africa, and the United States (Gospel, Shape Note, and Appalachian traditions). We also explore singing recently composed music and arrangements of traditional songs from Québec.
Part of the vision of Les Voix du Village is to explore the cultural wisdom embedded in different singing traditions, that can teach us so much about how to be together as a collective.
We strive to cultivate an attitude of humility, curiosity, and respect for these cultural origins of the songs that we sing. It is important for us to try and trace songs to their origins and, when possible, to have a direct connection with tradition bearers from these communities. We take to heart the intended use of the songs we teach and do our best to avoid sharing material considered inappropriate for public use by the communities from which the songs originate. Our reflections around this issue continue to evolve!
Learning by ear
Songs are usually taught by ear, without the aid of sheet music. We like this approach for a few reasons:
- It allows for a more direct connection between singers
- It promotes a deeper integration of the music. It’s not uncommon for us to sing a song that we haven’t sung for years and still remember most of the words and harmonies!
- It reflects the way that most of our repertoire has been shared, through oral transmission.
Lyrics to the songs being taught are always written out on large sheets and used as a teaching aid during workshops Sheet music, as well as audio recordings of each voice part, are always made available to practice at home.
Learning by ear
Spirit and song
So many incredible singing styles have evolved as part of spiritual and religious communities. While some of our songs are connected to different faith-based communities, the choir has no specific religious or spiritual affiliation. We feel that music, and especially collective singing, is one of the ultimate interfaith bridge-builders, one that can help us experience the common ground with different faiths and world views.
Le petit groupe extra!
This group is for singers who have a solid foundation in harmony singing and who feel confident in their ability to hold a vocal part on their own if necessary.
We explore songs that require the deep listening made possible by a smaller group setting. Songs are taught more quickly and singers are expected to learn more autonomously than during the regular session.
The small group takes place after regular sessions on both Tuesday and Wednesday evenings and lasts approximately 45 minutes.
No auditions are required to join but we encourage interested singers to discuss with Nicholas whether the group is a good fit for them.
Le petit groupe extra!
- Tuesday and Wednesday
- 45 minutes
- Discuss with Nicholas to join
Children
Children
While the workshops are not oriented specifically towards children, young singers of all ages who love to sing are welcome to attend our workshops. Parents are asked to take responsibility for ensuring that their children are not being overly distracting or disruptive. Children participate on a donation basis.
Financial Accessibility
We are committed to making the choir as accessible as possible. We hope to remove any financial barriers by offering the participants the possibility of paying the full fee or a reduced rate of their choice, with $0 being a valid option!
Attendance
While attendance at every weekly workshop is appreciated, it is not mandatory.
About our founder and director
About our founder and director
Nicholas Williams has been following his passion for exploring musical traditions and ways that music can bring people together for over 25 years. Deeply immersed in the traditional music communities of Québec and New England, Nicholas is a performer, teacher, producer, and recording artist. From small community dances to large festival stages, he has toured extensively across North America and Europe as a member of the groups Genticorum, Traverse, and The Kehler & Williams Duo, and Crowfoot.
Nicholas studied world music, composition, and improvisation at York University in Toronto, and has also studied with music tradition bearers in North India, Sweden, and Ireland.
Since moving to Waterville, Quebec in 2011, Nicholas has directed much of his attention to developing a local singing and music-making community, bringing home ideas and repertoire from his travels abroad.