Intro to Vocal Harmony
- Acoustic
- Contemporary
- Folk
- In-Person Classes
- Singer/Songwriter
**THIS IS AN IN-PERSON CLASS**
Do you find yourself humming along to songs on the radio? Are you always thinking about what harmony line would sit just right in the tune you love? Do you feel drawn to artists like the Kossoy Sisters, The Avett Brothers, and Gillian Welch and Dave Rawlings, but don’t know how to start writing those tight harmonies yourself? Then Intro to Vocal Harmony with Sweet Petunia is the class for you! Over the course of 5 weeks, we will dig into what makes a good harmony line, how to find it, how to write it, and how to sing it. Starting by listening to existing harmonies found in old time tunes and the songs of artists like MJ Lenderman & Waxahatchee, and Simon & Garfunkel, we will help you build a strong foundation with knowledge based off of almost 7 years of singing together. This class is for those who are new to vocal harmony or anyone who would like to brush up on the basics. All are welcome, but a strong ability to hold a vocal melody is a plus. By the end of the course you will have practiced singing in two to four part harmony, learned to define harmonies in existing songs, and written your very own harmony lines to a song you love for the whole class to sing!
Listen to Sweet Petunia in action:
This class will be held from 6:30-7:45pm ET on Thursday, Jan 9, 16, 23, 30, Feb 6
Please note: The class will be held at The Passim School of Music which is located at 26 Church St. Cambridge, MA. Classrooms are located on the third floor and, unfortunately, we do not have an elevator.
Limited to students 18 yrs of age or older; Pre-sales are highly encouraged! Online sales end 2 hours before the class begins. 6 students are required for this class to meet. If a class is canceled due to low enrollment, you will be notified and receive a full refund.
Sweet Petunia
As a child, Mairead Guy (they/them) was surrounded by Celtic and old time musicians, learning decades-old songs and spending Thursday afternoons watching their parents play music in Richmond’s local Irish pub. At a similar time, though hundreds of miles away, Maddy Simpson (she/her) was falling asleep to The Essential Simon & Garfunkel in her mom’s car, internalizing the duo’s close harmony vocals and dreaming of making music of her own.
The two met in Boston during college, when they quickly discovered their voices fit together in a way almost familial. After a few hours of sharing songs and old stories, Sweet Petunia was born. The name was a no brainer, taken from a nickname that Mairead’s great grandfather called all his grandchildren, and in no time at all Simpson and Guy were playing anywhere they could – opening for hardcore bands in Allston basements, taking to the stage of festivals such as FreshGrass (2019) and In Between Days (2023), and most recently touring as much as possible in Mairead’s Honda CRV.
The duo have grown into their own as both powerful songwriters and harmonizers as well as lightning quick players, beginning every set with explosive double banjo action. Unapologetically queer and unafraid to get loud and angry, they craft music that is informed just as much by their contemporaries in Boston’s punk & DIY scene as it is steeped in rich folk tradition.
