‘Performer’s Workshop’ presented by James Keelaghan

“The Art of Performance”

Spend three hours reviewing each and every element needed to sculpt a marvelous performance from one of the finest performers in the acoustic music community. James Keelaghan has given this workshop at countless venues and festivals, including the annual Folk Alliance International conference in Kansas City.

On Wednesday, April 5, 2023, you have a unique opportunity to spend 3 hours learning from one of the finest folk musicians in North America about effective strategies for presenting music to an audience. The next night, if you like, you can hear and watch him put those strategies into practice in concert.

Award-winning Canadian singer and songwriter James Keelaghan will give a Ten Pound Fiddle concert at The Robin Theatre on Thursday, April 6, 2023. (Limited seating; tickets available online.) AND the night before the concert, also in The Robin Theatre, James will give a workshop on ways to become the best presenter you can be.

In addition to his distinguished musical career, James serves as the Music Director for Ontario’s Owen Sound Music Festival, choosing acts for his annual summer line-up. As both performer and a producer, he has terrific ideas about what works on stage, and better yet – why.

“About eight years ago, James Keelaghan gave the best workshop I have ever attended,” stated Sally Potter, Booking Manager for the Ten Pound Fiddle. “As part of the International Folk Alliance Conference in KC, I watched him explain his strategies as a performer. Simultaneously, he entered the room and got ready for and performed a mini concert. (It reminded me of how skillfully Pete Seeger could line out a song, lead the song, and sing the song, all in real time.)

“James talks about the micro and the macro. We watched him enter the workshop space, set up what he needed, coordinate with the sound personnel, arrange his performance space, check the lighting, set up his merchandise area, and more. While in motion, he explained to us the reasons for everything he does, including where he positions his guitar, chair, and body, what he says between songs, his length of sets, what type of tuner he uses, etc.

“Throughout, he explained the secrets of a working, traveling musician. He also talked about what creates the magic: the necessity of making the material accessible to the audience; the need to make the message relevant in today’s world; the need to authentically connect.

“These strategies are similar to those used by successful directors, managers, teachers, administrators, public servants, politicians, entrepreneurs and parents,” added Sally. “As a high school teacher, I took several ideas and immediately implemented them in my classroom. As a performing musician and song leader, I use many of his suggestions to this day.”

The Ten Pound Fiddle is offering this one-of-a-kind workshop on Wednesday, April 5, from 6-9 pm at The Robin Theatre, Lansing. Tickets are $20 / $18 Fiddle members / $5 students and are available online at tenpoundfiddle.org until 4 pm that day, or at the door, starting at 5:30 pm.