Now booking US dates - Choral Workshops for church choirs featuring special arrangements of spiritual classics and original compositions


All around the world, Gospel music and Negro Spirituals have the power to move and inspire people no matter what nationality or race you are.

The excitement and the force of these songs can be irresistible.

Imagine …that YOU are the one actually doing the performing.

Now it’s possible!


Feel the force, the enthusiasm and the bonding generated by an entire group singing these powerful songs together with 2, 3 or 4 voice harmonies in only one weekend.


Coming originally from the African slaves in the United States, Negro Spirituals represent a universal expression of the most profound human sentiments.


It’s a musical form that can be easily learned and assimilated by almost anyone regardless of race or nationality and they lend themselves easily to singing in harmony.


Anybody and everybody can sing and enjoy this group activity. Previous musical training or experience is not at all necessary.


Internationally acclaimed composer/conductor Marc Mir is now offering choruses of all levels the opportunity to learn and sing this joyful and spirited music under his direction in a weekend workshop that can climax with a public performance at the end of the weekend.


In addition to singing, Marc’s workshops include several kinds of exercises for the body and mind as well as the voice. Participants do not need to be experienced musicians or experts in reading music!


They do have to love singing and be ready to enjoy working together with other singers in learning a fun piece of music that can be challenging.


As this workshop requires only a one-weekend commitment, you may wish to invite any and all of your group members to participate. You can even invite other choirs in your area to come together with you for this occasion as well. There is no maximum number and the more the merrier!


The workshop typically begins on either Thursday or Friday evening, goes all day Saturday, and includes one or more performances under Marc's direction for your choice of Sunday service(s) or a public gathering.


The evening sessions last approximately 3 hours (suggested time: 7:00-10:00 PM). Saturday hours: 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM, including mid-morning and mid-afternoon breaks for coffee and snacks as well as one hour for lunch.


Marc also offers a “Guest Artist” program for churches with professional caliber choirs featuring a selection of his most requested compositions and arrangements, including his acclaimed "Halleluya" for five-voice choir.

Hosting organizations may then add a selection of Marc's compositions and arrangements to their permanent repertoire under a special ASCAP license.


Who the heck is Marc Mir?

Born and raised in the United States, Marc is a multi-talented artist who is experienced in a wide variety of musical activities. Paris, France has been his home since 1979.


He is currently the Artistic Director and conductor for "The Voice of Freedom" - a fifty voice choir - one of the oldest choirs in France that specializes in traditional Negro Spirituals.

Click here to see highlights of Marc and "The Voice of Freedom" in concert


Click here to visit "The Voice of Freedom" website (English translation courtesy of Google)



As a conductor, composer, arranger and performer, he has worked with several major personalities in the musical world such as Michel Legrand's French lyricist Jean Dréjac, pianist Claude Kahn, flutist Patrick Gallois, and composers such as Jean Françaix and Jean-Michel Jarre.


He has conducted both symphonic and vocal ensembles in France, Monte Carlo, Switzerland, Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg, Corsica, Turkey, Israel and, of course, in the United States in concert featuring his original compositions and arrangements including concerts with violinist Ronald Patterson, pianist Claude Kahn and the Orchestre Philharmonique for the United Nations/UNESCO in Paris.


His corporate clients include Oracle, Audiophic, Ixis Corporate and Investment Bank, Credit Agricole Bank (Luxemberg) and the FNAC, one of the largest retail operations in France.

Watch Video of Marc's Paris choir "The Voice of Freedom" live in concert

"The Voice of Freedom" is one of the oldest choirs in France specializing in traditional Negro spirituals. An American musician living in Paris named Avon Stuart started "The Voice of Freedom" in 1992. While Avon passed away in 1999, the organization he left behind continues his legacy.

Marc became The Voice of Freedom's
Musical Director in 2004. In addition to conducting the choir, he created a number of original compositions and arrangements for the organization.

This video features highlights from a concert performed in Paris in the spring of 2006.

Enjoy!

video



The Flash Song™ Experience - a team building workshop for businesses and other groups

In recent years, some of Europe's biggest companies have made Marc Mir's Flash Song workshops one of the most popular team building experiences in the corporate world.

Why? Because the most productive corporate teams are the ones who function like a finely tuned musical ensemble - listening to each other and working in perfect synchronous harmony.

"It was an amazing experience and tremendously fun. In the process of learning how to sing together, I also learned new ways to listen to and work with my colleagues that are already making my job more enjoyable and productive."

Marcel W. - 2007 Flash Song participant

With Marc Mir's Flash Song workshops, singing is just the beginning. As organizations and corporations all over Europe have discovered, they are a great team-building experience.
His corporate clients include Oracle, Audiophic, Ixis Corporate and Investment Bank, Credit Agricole Bank (Luxemberg) and the FNAC, one of the largest retail operations in France for whom he created "La Joyeuse Chorale de Vendredi," whose members were all FNAC employees. Even though most of the members of this group had never practiced music in any way up till then, this chorale gave its first concert after only 10 weekly lessons to audience and member raves.

Now, for the first time, American organizations can experience Marc Mir and his Flash Song workshops.

Depending on the requirements of the hosting organization, Flash Song
workshops are scalable in length and can range from a few hours to an entire weekend or longer.

No need for any prior musical experience or knowledge in order to participate. It's enough to just be open to new sensations of well-being and the joy of sharing with others as equals.

Marc will take care of the rest. . .