UNDER The Edge Arts are delighted that harmonic overtone virtuosos, LightGarden will be making their debut appearance at the Chipping Hall, Wotton under Edge on Saturday June 18.

On Saturday afternoon, from 3-4pm, there will be a Harmonic Voice Workshop and in the evening at 8pm LightGarden will be performing live in a concert featuring their unique, ethereal overtone singing.

Harmonic Overtone singing is created when one note is sung in a very specific way so that its overtones become audible; LightGarden compare this effect to what is seen when a narrow beam of white light is shone through a prism and a rainbow spectrum of coloured light emerges.

LightGarden use the non-guttural, fluty, Sygyt style of overtone singing, which unlike the Karkhiraa (growling) style (favoured by Mongolian performers), blends well with the other instruments, yet is crystal clear. In the sygyt style of harmonic overtone, the voice acts as a separate instrument, creating interesting and unexpected harmonic progressions, which complement the other instruments in the performance.

LightGarden was formed in 2006 David Moss and Masha Kaestner got together to support the Monks of the Tashi Lunpo Monastery. A few years later, guitarist Rob Colquhoun and saxophonist/clarinetist/whistle/bagpipe player, Dave McKeown joined the ensemble. LightGarden write their own material with songs and tunes for multiple instruments including: voice, overtone chanting, Indian Harmonium, Fiddle, church organ (if available), guitar, and bouzouki, they also love throwing traditional folk tunes into the set: Irish, Scottish, Romanian, and just because it’s nice, a Finnish Folk song.

In the afternoon workshop, renowned teachers Dave and Masha will unpack the basic elements for producing overtones, step by step, practicing each one until the overtones start to appear. The workshop, is “voice-on”, there will also be some basic background technical information about the use of overtones for sound healing, and sound and matter – fascinating scientific stuff.

Everyone can expect to leave the workshop with some experience of producing overtones themselves, having produced at least one or two during the workshop for everyone else to hear…even if they’re not able to hear them themselves - an interesting and fairly common phenomenon.

LightGarden will be at Under the Edge Arts on Saturday June 18th, with the Harmonic Voice workshop from 3 to 4pm and an evening performance at 8pm. Entrance costs £6 for the workshop and £10/£8 for the evening performance. Tickets can be booked online at www.utea.org.uk or by calling UTEA on 07791 323869. Subject to availability there will also be tickets available at the door.

For more information, please visit http://www.lightgardenmusic.com, www.utea.org.uk and Martin Clarke 07850 278494