Yidaki Workshops With Jeremy Cloake

Jeremy Cloake is returning to Europe again this year to deliver his highly acclaimed Yidaki workshops.


Jeremy is regarded as one of the world's most proficient non-aboriginal teachers of the Yidaki. He has been playing didjeridu since 1992 and teaching internationally since 2000.


He lived in North East Arnhemland - the birthplace of the Yidaki (didjeridu) - for 4 years where he studied Yolngu (N.E. Arnhemland aboriginal) Yidaki playing technique, construction and spiritual origins - amongst other things. During his time there he co-managed Buku Larrnggay Mulka art centre - a not-for-profit, community based, aboriginal owned collective of several hundred artists and crafts people. His work there was primarily as a Yidaki specialist. Whilst there he won two prestigious awards from the Northern Territory Government in recognition of his work together with the Yidaki makers. He also co-ordinated the Yidaki masterclass at the annual Garma festival.

He is professionally trained as a communicator in the field of Neuro Linguistics and uses these skills to deliver the information he teaches. He has an innate skill with languages, which means he can easily adjust to the changing needs of any group, no matter what their native language is. Jeremy has an easy going nature and a reputation as a humble, patient and understanding individual. He creates an open and comfortable workshop environment through his belief of equality. Jeremy Cloake shares the formula for his Yidaki playing style to make it easier for others to develop their own. He believes in giving people all the information they need to develop their own styles of Yidaki playing. Jeremy Cloake advocates playing Yidaki with techniques that show an understanding and respect for the cultural origins of the instrument, but do not directly imitate compositions that belong to Aboriginal culture. This  process was encouraged to him by his Yolngu teachers. The information he gives can be seen as a bridge between the non-Aboriginal didjeridu world and the world of Yolngu Yidaki. All of his workshops centre around the articulatory phoenetics of his style of Yidaki playing. He has delivered numerous workshops throughout the world and his teaching methods prove to be very effective. 




Jeremy will be teaching an introductory workshop, an advanced workshop and a Yidaki immersion retreat.


INTRODUCTORY WORKSHOP:

The introductory workshop is suited for all levels of Yidaki playing although it is beneficial to be competent with cyclic breathing. The content starts with clear explanations and practise of the individual sounds (parts of rhythms) that Jeremy uses in his playing, then it progresses into different ways in which the sounds can be put together to make different types of rhythms. Many practise rhythms are taught as part of this workshop. This workshop gives people all the resources they need to develop their own Yidaki playing style. Men and women of all skill levels are welcome. Limited to 20 participants. The total duration is usually around 4 hours, but can very depending on the size of the group.
Cost €90.

Special offer: All participants that have done this course and wish to attend it again can do so for only €60!


ADVANCED WORKSHOP:

The advanced workshop is limited to people who have done the introductory workshop as the information builds on that. This workshop centres around composition and closely examines different rhythm structures. Many different practise rhythms are taught and developed as part of this workshop. There are many useful composition and listening principles taught in this workshop. These principles are very useful in refining playing techniques and style development. Both men and women are welcome. Limited to 15 participants. The total duration is usually around 3 hours, but can very depending on the size of the group.
Cost €90.

Special offer: All participants that have done this course and wish to attend it again can do so for only €60!


YIDAKI IMMERSION RETREAT

This is an intensive series of workshops for people who are serious about deepening their knowledge and skills.

This year 2 Yidaki immersion retreats are being offered:
Both Yidaki Immersion Retreats are set in a comfortable environment with food and accomodation provided. The course starts with clear explanations and practise of the individual sounds (or parts of rhythms), progressing to phrases and structured composition, freestyle composition and then personal style development. This course caters for all skill levels and is the complete course to gain an excellent understanding with technique, composition and personal style. Men and women of all skill levels are welcome. Limited to 15 participants.





TESTIMONIALS:

“I can say without any hesitation that you are the best Yidaki / Didgeridoo teacher I have had the good fortune to learn from and your workshop was high excellence.” Colin Goring, England.

"Jeremy, just a thankyou for such an unbelievable, articulate class. Even through sleep, my brain hasn't stopped for a second attempting to digest all that you taught. I have a whole new perspective, and approach with yidaki now, and for the first time in many a year, have this motivation to push further with what you showed. Thankyou for your energy, your patience, and I won't let you down. Have a safe flight, and until the next class, take care brother. All the best." Zed, England.

“It is thanks to you, that I left the workshop totally inspired. This inspiration is still alive and it let me practice as often as it is possible. It was really refreshing that you did a lot of exercises with us - exercises that we somehow could manage. Your workshop was brilliant and it was a pleasure to have met you. Ka Pai and hopefully till next year. Best wishes.” Hajo, Switzerland.

“I found the workshop was fantastic. Jeremy is a great teacher and things were explained well for all. Just listening to Jeremy playing right in front of you was a great experience. We were encouraged to make notes and not to record anything. This has worked fairly well for me, but it would be good if maybe you could produce a cd or dvd to go along with the workshop. Just so as you could check back on things to hear how it sounded and so on [Let me know if you ever do]. Nothing more constructive to add, just that the day was awesome, and I can't wait for the return visit. The one thing I found when I got home and played was that the workshop gave me a real shot in the arm and improvements in playing are happening. Cheers.” Julian, England.

“I thought your workshop was one of the best I've done and if you come back to the UK again you could put me down for a place for sure. I would be interested if you even do a two-day workshop. I think the way you taught was brilliant and easy going. I also think your traditional playing was superb as you did not play that much when I first met you at Garma in 2004, I hope you come back to the UK. “ Dave White.

"I really apreciate your workshop here in Cesena. I'm doing practise with what i've learn in your lessons (at this time two workshop with you: Forlimpopoli was the first one) and cd tutorial. I'd really love traditional way of playing didjeridoo. But most of all the meanings and the culture around this instrument and the mens that "hear" the music. I really think that without knowing traditions or best, without appreciate the misterious emotions of meet myself that i've in commons with all human beings, playing didjeridoo risks to become training, performance, calculation, technicism. And human being's heart disappears behind the instrument.” Gianni Placido, Italy.

"I totally enjoyed the seminar at the London club in October, my playing as improved ten-fold. I`ll definetly see you on your next visit to the U.K." Chris.

“As so often on workshops, there are always people who want to make an effort to record the proceedings.....and I was really pleased that Jeremy did not compromise in allowing people to do this. I have to say I find it irritating and that note taking is by far the best way of remembering the proceedings. As with so many other aspects of music, there is a huge spiritual thread woven delicately through the whole area. You can teach a dog to jump through a hoop and you can teach someone to play an instrument - a mechanical process that does not necessarily include feeling and awareness. I found Jeremy's sensitivity and awareness quite moving, his ability to show how the Aborigines in his experience speak and feel, a huge eye opener and deepened my appreciation of the instrument and the spirituality it embodies. The way the day was set out suited me fine, and the putting together of rhythms and sequence of rhythms a brilliant exercise. Three of us got together last Saturday to go through what we did - using my written notes !!!!!!!! and it was a really good exercise. Improvements - well, I think it was just fine as it was. It is extraordinarily difficult having to put together a plan for a workshop, only to find that half have just learned which end to blow through and the other half have been playing for ages - in which case, the plan just goes out of the window. It was a great day, thankyou.“ Andy Mapplebeck, England.

“Here´s the workshop feedback: - THANK YOU!!! - My englisch isn`t good enough to write a long mail. Your workshop give me very much information, exercises and inspiration for the next weeks... (...months, ...years...). Greetings from Germany.” Christian Falkenrich.

"I thoroughly enjoyed your workshop! Your way of teaching was one that felt very natural and familiar to me. I also very much appreciated your no-nonsense and non-esoterical approach to the teaching that was backed-up by your knowledge in neurolinguistics. It was an excellent opportunity for me to double-check my own findings and to get a lot of new inputs. The only thing I was a bit sorry about was that the 3 hours went by too fast. I would have loved to sit down with you and do some 1:1 teaching. Hopefully, there will be another occasion sometime and if I have the chance to attend another one of your workshops, I certainly will!" Christian Som, Switzerland.

"Hi there Jeremy, again thanks for your enthousiastic and motivated course, it was great to be a student again and to learn and listen to your stories and knowledge." Bastiaan Baaij, The Netherlands.

"Hey Jeremy, a quick response on the Eindhoven workshop, last weekend. On Saturday you surprised me telling I had to play the yidaki in front, I never did that, when I started I even couldnt. Amazing you were listening and correcting when all of us had to play. I didnt hear any difference. Sunday was an off day, I was completely absent minded, cause that day I had a blinding headache, in spite off the asperine that I took. In the early morning I was okay and made a mountain bike trip for about 25 km. I couldnt make any proper sound on the yidaki that day, I felt a bit ashamed, too bad I had this headache just on that day. I didn't consider leaving the workshop, cause I wanted to hear and listen to all that you had to say. Your body absorbs the info that I am telling you said, your were right, on monday listening to your cd it went much better, and it all came up, even I could hear different sound. Well it is gonna take me some time to improve myself. It was a thrill take part in your workshop and I never forget it and you. Thanks again. The next time you visit Holland I'll try to be there again." Paul Gerrits, The Netherlands.

"A quick note to say how much I enjoyed your lesson, that you gave on Saturday 18th of October. I enjoyed it so much, and have found myself gripped by the yidaki once again. I enjoyed seeing you as well - a long long way from Sydney, eh? It is good to see that you are getting out and going round the world passing on what you know. It is very interesting to hear about yidaki from someone who has been to where they grow, as it were. It was good to see you on my soil this time." Dan Loizos, England.

"Mr. Jeremy Cloake, thanks you for your letter. I enjoyed your workshop very very much. I practice Yidaki with your tuition cd everyday. That is fun and I think I progress by little and little. I hope to see you again next year." Yoshinari Kobayashi, Japan.

"Hey Jeremy! I still want to thank you for the great workshop you gave us in Leuven (Belgium). It influenced my playing-style very much. The turorial cd is also very great! It helped me a lot. I truly hope we will have the opportunity again to do a workshop when you're in Belgium someday again. You are really a great teacher and we had a great day." Bart.

"Hi Jeremy, thank you for the workshop at Colin's shop in London. You certainly gave me alot to think about and to practise. I must say, you are defanitely the best yidaki teacher I've ever lernt from and a real inspration." Simon, England.

"Hello Jeremy, I hope all is good for you. I don't want to disturb you but just a few words to say that your new cd is very very very good. It's easyest now for me to anderstand yidaki sounds. now I can write all my rythms. The workshop you made in Alsace whith Gregory is in my mind for ever. I hope to see you the next year to learn more and more. If you come in France i don't forget the red wine and the white wine. Thank you for all you are and all you make. I hope my english is not too bad. THANKS......" Cyril, France.

"Great thanks one more time for your Yidaki tuition over here. I enjoyed the whole thing in a very special way. After six years of didjeridu playing a very new way of playing has germinate. I practise with great enthousiasm and found out that this circle for me is more round than only play common didge style. As we took it in history, it feels like give back a tiny bit from it. I learned in the weekend that we have to keep alive those traditional energies, before it will be completely lost over a 100 years. So if i may be small part of keeping it alive i'm a happy man. As you asked us for some bad comments, i don't have any. The far negative i can go is that it was way to short, but that is only positive. Believe me that i have had some rythemly fevers about dhid-dihrl-lung dha-rong dha-rong etc..back over home, it does run trough my brains every day, yeah!" Hans, The Netherlands.

"Hi Jeremy, I was the Aussie guy that came to your workshop in Tokyo the other month. Just want to say thanks for the workshop and opening me up to a whole new world. Since the workshop I have really immersed myself in yidaki and have really started to gain an appreciation for it. I think the way you taught too was very constructive and encouraging. After hearing you play I thought ‘how in the hell is he doing that?!’, but have realized that with practice I have been able to improve more than I thought I could.Thanks again and hope to see you at the next workshop, cheers." Andrew, Japan.



CALENDAR: 
(more dates will be booked soon) NB: TBC = to be confirmed

  • -Holland (Rotterdam) - Introductory Yidaki Workshop - 03.07.10 - TBC
  • -Holland (Rotterdam) - Advanced Yidaki Workshop - 04.07.10 - TBC
  • -Ireland (Cork) - Introductory Yidaki Workshop - 07.08.10 - TBC
  • -Ireland (Cork) - Advanced Yidaki Workshop - 08.08.10 - TBC


For further information about Jeremy Cloake, visit his official web page at www.resonance.co.nz.

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