About us
Hey Creative Musicians!
As many of you know, I love improvising. Several years ago, I became involved with an organization called Music for People (https://www.musicforpeople.org/wp/). It's not a socialist edict ;) but rather an organization dedicated to music improvisation as a means of self expression.
What does that mean? It means to be aware that culturally for us music is an art that intimidates everyone, that you have to be "gifted" or an "expert" to be any good at it and enjoy it. Anyone can create art (draw, paint, write poetry etc.) but somehow not sing a song, or pound out a rhythm unless you spend months even years in training behind closed doors.
I don't believe this to be true. I feel we are doing ourselves a great disservice to deny ourselves access to music, when it can be a really fun means to express ourselves and connect to one another. It can be a great way for someone curious about studying music to get their feet wet, and equally valuable to the seasoned musician stuck in a rut of expectation and judgement to free oneself and truly explore.
So I've started a regular gathering in Buffalo to create a community of like minded folks interested in getting creative musically. I'd love to meet and see who is out there, what your interests are, and perhaps jam a bit. Here's the mission statement:
Buffalo Creative Music Group is a group dedicated to exploring improvised music as a form of self expression, and creating community through music. Using activities inspired by the organization Music for People (https://www.musicforpeople.org/wp/) we hope to share and introduce music making to all who are curious and inspired in the Buffalo community.
Buffalo Creative Music Group is committed to providing a safe, fun, judgement free place for making music of all genres. Buffalo Creative Music Group is open for experienced musicians wanting a new creative outlet, inexperienced musicians exploring their own music for the first time, and everyone in between.
We'll explore melody, rhythmic feel, ensemble playing and exploration of styles and harmonies using simple fun exercises and forms. Lots of jamming and musical fun will be had by all!
Upcoming events
3
Adventures In Improvisation (Friday)
292 Summer St, Buffalo, NY, USHello Creative Musicians,
Instead of our regularly scheduled gathering we are going to have a weekend workshop in May!
This is our biggest event since I started the Buffalo Creative Music Group 3 years ago so I hope everyone can make it!
There will be 3 events total:
Friday night 5/29 — 7:00pm-8:30pm - Free Intro Session
Saturday 5/30 — 9:00am-5:00pm
Or
Sunday 5/31 10:00am-1:00pm
I'm listing all 3 on Meetup so everyone has all the details and can respond.
Friday night is our FREE Intro session. This is great if you haven't attended an event yet and want to check it out.
REGISTER HERE (even if you’re just coming on Friday)
A personal note if you're not sure what to expect:
My first experience with music improv happened at a week long workshop not dissimilar from this workshop.
I was intimidated by improv, stuck with my own music and playing and didn’t know where to go next.
About 2 hours in I discovered it was OK to just play, to be with others in the groove and see what happens.
It was a huge epiphany -- I got a deep sense of connection with my fellow musicians and
I finally felt free to make my own music and turn off the voice in my head constantly evaluating what I was doing.I can’t emphasize enough how valuable it was to me and how great it felt to be in that community.
So in case you’re on the fence….
Reasons to register:
- Mary Knysh, director of Music for People is coming to facilitate. She is an amazing facilitator who can bring the joy into every gathering and get everyone jamming and having an awesome time.
She is in high demand giving workshops and conferences around the world so it’s an honor to have her here in Buffalo for a weekend. - Exploring ALL the Instruments - Our hosts at Benten Music Center have collected all the stringed lutes, guitars, and plucked things from everywhere. It’s a chance to explore more of them.
- Dig Deeper - Find new levels of improvisation you didn’t know you had. Find deep inspiration from yourself and everyone around you exploring all the many aspects of improv: Melody, Rhythm, Structure and Harmony.
- Make a Community - Connect with like minded souls from all ages, experience, and walks of life who you might have never met otherwise. Witness their great artistry and create a strong sense of self and community.
Please DON’T HESITATE to message me with any questions/concerns.
Happy music making!
Leanne
Buffalo Creative Music Group is dedicated to exploring improvised music as a form of self expression and community building.
3 attendees- Mary Knysh, director of Music for People is coming to facilitate. She is an amazing facilitator who can bring the joy into every gathering and get everyone jamming and having an awesome time.
Adventures in Improvisation (Saturday)
292 Summer St, Buffalo, NY, USHello Creative Musicians,
Instead of our regularly scheduled gathering we are going to have a weekend workshop in May!
This is our biggest event since I started the Buffalo Creative Music Group 3 years ago so I hope everyone can make it!
There will be 3 events total:Friday night 5/29 — 7:00pm-8:30pm - Free Intro Session
Saturday 5/30 — 9:00am-5:00pm
Or
Sunday 5/31 10:00am-1:00pmI'm listing all 3 on Meetup so everyone has all the details and can respond to each event.
Saturday is where we cultivate deep listening and connection, explore the basics of improvisation, and experience the healing power of sound.
We'll go much deeper than in our regular sessions.The workshop fee:
Saturday Only: $99 Early Bird; $75 (Regular $150)
Entire Weekend: $135 Early Bird; Educator/Student $125 (Regular $185)REGISTER HERE to attend.
So in case you’re on the fence….
Reasons to register:
- Mary Knysh, director of Music for People is coming to facilitate. She is an amazing facilitator who can bring the joy into every gathering and get everyone jamming and having an awesome time.
She is in high demand giving workshops and conferences around the world so it’s an honor to have her here in Buffalo for a weekend. - Exploring ALL the Instruments - The hosts at Benten Music Center have collected all the stringed lutes, guitars, and plucked things from everywhere. It’s a chance to explore more of them.
- Dig Deeper - Find new levels of improvisation you didn’t know you had. Find deep inspiration from yourself and everyone around you exploring all the many aspects of improv: Melody, Rhythm, Structure and Harmony.
- Make a Community - Connect with like minded souls from all ages, experience, and walks of life who you might have never met otherwise. Witness their great artistry and create a strong sense of self and community.
Please DON’T HESITATE to message me any questions/concerns.
Happy music making!
LeanneBuffalo Creative Music Group is dedicated to exploring improvised music as a form of self expression and community building.
2 attendees- Mary Knysh, director of Music for People is coming to facilitate. She is an amazing facilitator who can bring the joy into every gathering and get everyone jamming and having an awesome time.
Adventures In Improvisation
292 Summer St, Buffalo, NY, USHello Creative Musicians,
Instead of our regularly scheduled gathering we are going to have a weekend workshop in May!
This is our biggest event since I started the Buffalo Creative Music Group 3 years ago so I hope everyone can make it!
There will be 3 events total:
Friday night 5/29 — 7:00pm-8:30pm - Free Intro Session
Saturday 5/30 — 9:00am-5:00pm
Sunday 5/31 10:00am-1:00pmI'm listing all 3 on Meetup separately so everyone has all the details and can respond to each event.
Sunday is when we go deeper into your music and learn more about Music for People’s facilitation process so we can continue to make music on our own after the workshop.
The workshop fee:
Sunday Only: $50 Early Bird/Educator/Student (Regular $65)
Entire Weekend: $135 Early Bird; Educator/Student $125 (Regular $185)
REGISTER HERE to attend.So in case you’re on the fence….
Reasons to register:- Mary Knysh, director of Music for People is coming to lead the workshop. She is an amazing facilitator who can bring the joy into every gathering and get everyone jamming and having an awesome time.
She is in high demand giving workshops and conferences around the world so it’s an honor to have her here in Buffalo for a weekend. - Exploring ALL the Instruments - The hosts at Benten Music Center have collected all the stringed lutes, guitars, and plucked things from everywhere. It’s a chance to explore more of them.
- Dig Deeper - Find new levels of improvisation you didn’t know you had. Find deep inspiration from yourself and everyone around you exploring all the many aspects of improv: Melody, Rhythm, Structure and Harmony.
- Make a Community - Connect with like minded souls from all ages, experience, and walks of life who you might have never met otherwise. Witness their great artistry and create a strong sense of self and community.
Please DON’T HESITATE to message me any questions/concerns.
Happy music making!
Leanne
Buffalo Creative Music Group is dedicated to exploring improvised music as a form of self expression and community building.2 attendees- Mary Knysh, director of Music for People is coming to lead the workshop. She is an amazing facilitator who can bring the joy into every gathering and get everyone jamming and having an awesome time.
Past events
37
