Fireworks-Steve-Mullensky

Old School 4th of July. Nothing celebrates America like the 4th of July and after a two-year hiatus, the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce is excited to announce the return of fireworks to Fort Worden State Park for the 1st Annual “Old School” 4th of July.

In collaboration with Centrum’s Festival of American Fiddle Tunes and Thunderbull Productions, locals and visitors will enjoy a memorable weekend of excellent music, delicious food and “Old School” traditions. Saturday, July 4^th, carries the weekend’s momentum to a climax with a pie-eating contest, field games, piñatas, free root beer floats, a car show, live music and much, much more, all culminating in an epic display of fireworks. www.jeffcountychamber.org and www.centrum.org.

Pack the car, load up the kids and dog, and come to Port Townsend for summer fun!

Looking for a place to stay during your visit in Port Townsend, Washington’s Victorian Seaport and Arts Community. Enjoy the Blue Gull Inn B&B, www.bluegullinn.com

The Blue Gull Inn B&B is one of the first homes built in Port Townsend, WA. Our home was built by ND Hill in 1868. If you can imagine, our home was built 3 years after the end of the Civil War. ND Hill and his family and had a large home with a large dining room, perfect for a Bed & Breakfast. Join us for a great Breakfast!!! ND Hill was our local pharmacist, back then a pharmacy is a combination today of a pharmacy and hardware store.

If you like history, here is your trivia of the day. The ND Hill House actually was owned by the Hill Family for 90 years, it was finally sold in 1958.This home was built at the beginning of the Victorian era, the style of the home is Gothic Victorian.

The Blue Gull Inn B&B www.bluegullinn.com Stay in one our 6 guest rooms, 2 with whirlpool bath tubs. Have coffee or a glass of wine on our sweeping front porch. Relax in our parlor or dining room, a casual, country Victorian theme. The Blue Gull Inn B&B is located in Uptown, just 5 blocks from downtown Port Townsend, WA.

Looking for more to see and do in Port Townsend, Washington’s Victorian Seaport and Art Community. Lots of great places to shop and dine for a list check out www.enjoypt.com or, www.ptguide.com

If you decide you want to move to Port Townsend. Remax is here to help you you’re your dream home or lot. Contact John Eissinger www.johneissinger.com

Centrum voice-works

Voice Works – A Workshop for Singers

June 23-28, 2015
Fort Worden State Park, Port Townsend, Washington

Voice Works – A Workshop for Singers….. You’ll learn new songs, about your range, and how to find your key.

Voice Works – A Workshop for Singers _ Centrum

Join us for Centrum’s latest gathering of singers! Voice Works is held at Fort Worden State Park, a venue unparalleled in beauty and facility. Expect four days and five nights of intense fun, singing instruction, repertoire building, and merry music making with some top drawer vocalists.

Singing is compelling, a natural human effort to communicate. Singing maintains culture, and it makes you feel good. The combination of world-class artists and passionate singers at Voice Works creates a rare community, safe for participants of all levels to participate.

Day and night you’ll soak up styles, songs and stories in a wide range of vocal traditions. Through close observation and personal experimentation you’ll learn about breathing, phrasing, dynamics, how to make your voice blend, and what makes your voice unique.

Before I came to Voice Works, I loved singing, but I never felt comfortable with what it sounded like, or my ability to blend with other people. But that class with Pharis – the warm-ups, the breathing – and then you’re in to your day, you’re warmed up, you’re opened up in a way that makes it possible for your voice to come out, it’s like you’re prepared for anything ….

Specifically, you’ll learn to sing harmony, vintage country duets, classic jazz, swing, how to find a third part, traditional Mexican music, Appalachian ballads, Irish folk songs, mountain gospel, honky-tonk songs, bluegrass, and much more. You should expect intensive study, community building, singing, public performances, dances, house parties, song swaps, and a participant showcase every day.

When you go round in a circle, and your instructor says “Try this, try that,” it somehow becomes so unthreatening, and it’s really fun. Everyone has such a unique and different voice, you learn SO much from other participants, and you start to understand your sound is okay, it’s all right. It’s your voice.

Besides absorbing a variety of cultural and stylistic music, daily technical sessions will be on the schedule. A vocal warm-up class starts off each morning, and a class teaching you a set of vocal exercises to build your voice to its full potential will be offered twice each day.

The workshop is open to everyone. Differing levels of ability are expected, and the faculty will respond to participant need accordingly. If you’re on the beginning end of the spectrum, you’ll find an ample slate of classes to address your needs; likewise, advanced singers will find plenty to challenge them. If you can’t help singing, or if you’ve always wanted to sing with people but for whatever reason you don’t, you should plan to be at this workshop.

It is truly wonderful to sing with others and what a supportive environment for singers of all levels of experience. Time and time again we were reminded of what a beautiful gift we give by singing.