Winterwords kicks off next week

Winterwords is shaping up to be another successful event this year with a wide variety of activities across next week. Creative director Janet Tweedie said guest speakers and performers are very excited to be visiting Beechworth. “They are looking forward to meeting our community and entertaining us,” she said. Among popular events are Songwords led by Beechworth’s Leanne Murphy while SongShedwords by Yackandandah Choir is being led by Leanne and Yackandandah musician Chris McGorlick. Leanne is teaching harmonies to three songs SongShed will be singing in a performance. “The first is an original of mine called Gathering Song and is my sung version of an Acknowledgement of Country,” she said. “We'll also be doing a fun part-song one of the SongShed crew introduced to the choir and an easy round which will be led by Chris. “Both highlight the pure joy of singing in harmony with others and workshop participants will have the full backing of SongShed when we invite them up to sing these songs with us.” Ms Tweedie said some sessions are filling up and she encourages people to book soon with the Winternudes Creation Event on Sunday having limited numbers. Tickets are still available for this year’s headline event, Geraldine Quinn's show, with Ms Tweedie also encouraging people to book sooner rather than later. “The bar will be open for this event and it's first come, first served for front row seats if people already have their tickets,” she said. The official opening next Friday, 22 August with a chance to mingle with authors, presenters, performers and committee members is a gold coin donation event with drinks and nibbles. “An open bookshop evening follows at Beechworth Books, the by a wonderful poetry event at Tanswell's by TT.O and Sandy,” Ms Tweedie said. “I'm looking forward to some of the workshops such as the writing one by Geraldine Quinn, and the poetry/writing workshop by Frank Prem and Roxanne Bodsworth.” Mr Prem said he is delighted to mix with fellow writers to explore the interesting things that (sometimes) keep people awake at night. “Who are you as a writer is a cornerstone question that many of us spend a lot of time pondering and we’ll be looking at that in the workshop,” he said. “I hope the workshop gives participants a better sense of themselves as writers, and how to identify and insert their own unique voice into the work they're undertaking.” Ms Tweedie said Roxanne’s separate Feministwords workshop will unpack mythological tales and reconstruct them in a modern way. The creative director said she looks forward to chat sessions with visiting authors, Liz Foster and Siobhan O'Brien, about their books 'A Good Woman's Guide to Making Better Choices' and 'All the Golden Light'. “I hope people will see this year’s Winterwords as one of the most diverse with the variety of sessions offered and come along and enjoy the festival,” she said. “Collagewords with Donna Caffrey, Monologuewords with Jenni Munday, and Yogawords with Valerie Crosse, are really different from events that we have previously run and will be fun. “We look forward to people coming to Bridge Road Brewers on Sunday night to help us all celebrate another great Winterwords.” Visit www.winterwords.com.au for more information, the program and to book tickets with six sessions offering a gold coin donation while two are free.

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