Michael McDonald, Bob Geldof and Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Bob Geldof was honored with Archbishop Tutu at the Vancouver fundraiser where Michael McDonald, Sarah McLaughlin and BNC performed.  The Malaika Award was presented to Bob for his dedication and commitment to serve the children of Africa.

Sarah McLaughlin, Michael McDonald and Archbishop Desmond Tutu

BNC was so happy to meet and sing with Sarah McLaughlin at a fundraising party in Vancouver honoring Archbishop Desmond Tutu....they sang "Angel" together....

She performed with Michael McDonald at the same gala event....pictured below. 

( L to R,  Dr. Robert Sherman, BNC, Sarah, Amy McDonald, Mike McDonald )

African Childrens Choir 25th Anniversary Gala

The internationally acclaimed African Children’s Choir is celebrating their 25th Anniversary on Tuesday, Sept. 29, at the Fairmont Hotel in Vancouver, BC. The Gala will feature performances by the African Children’s Choir with friends Beth Nielson Chapman, Paul Rodgers, and Michael McDonald. Sir Bob Geldof will be presented with the prestigious Malaika Award – Malaika meaning “Angel” in Swahili – for his dedicated and extraordinary commitment to Africa.

The African Children’s Choir has been helping Africa’s most vulnerable children for 25 years this month. Their purpose: to raise awareness of the plight of the orphaned and abandoned, but also show the beauty, dignity, and potential of each African child. With a focus on education, the Choir is currently caring for several thousand underprivileged children throughout Africa. These are children who could have lost all hope, but have overcome their circumstances and now are making a positive impact on society by being a voice for millions of children suffering in Africa.

2009 Vancouver Peace Summit with the Dalai Lama

BNC is incredibly honored to be invited to Connecting for Change, a three-day dialogue for corporate and social leaders and philanthropists that will focus on questions related to universal themes of compassion, community, and peace. This exciting dialogue is an integral part of the 2009 Vancouver Peace Summit with the Dalai Lama!

On Sunday, Sept. 27 at 9:00am pst/12:00pm CTV will live stream the Peace Summit  so you can take part! See the Dalai Lama in dialogue with Nobel Peace Laureates and distinguished guests including Eckhart Tolle, Matthieu Ricard, Maria Shriver, Steven Covey and others.

I truly believe that individuals can make a difference in society. Since periods of change such as the present one come so rarely in human history, it is up to each of us to make the best use of our time to help create a happier world.

- His Holiness the Dalai Lama

Honoring Archbishop Desmond Tutu

BNC to perform with Michael McDonald at a dinner honoring Archbishop Desmond Tutu on Sun, Sept. 27th as part of the 2009 Vancouver Peace Summit with the Dalai Lama!

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For the first time this year we are offering Scholarships for a few lucky winners! If you would like to apply for a scholarship to this years Stargaze please send an mp3 of one song & written lyric to us at bncnews (at) me.com. We offer this at a rate of $45.00 per scholarship to cover some of the basic costs for materials.
The songs will be reviewed and then a drawing will be held for the top 20 entries. If you have already signed up for the Stargaze you are still eligible to apply for a scholarship!

NEW LIMITED EDITION EP FEATURING "SHADOWS" FROM THE UPCOMING BACK TO LOVE

Available now at bethnielsenchapman.com!

Something New For Stargaze 2009

Aromatherapy to Inspire the Muse
The use of essential oils to relax the mind and allow the inspired muse to come forward and play the strings of our heart, has been practiced for thousands of years. We will journey into the fragrances used to bring about inspired creativity and passionate expression.

This year at Stargaze while thinking of changing your perception and finding your center all at the same time, we're going to have a real treat with a presentation from a Master of Aromatherapy! Allison Stillman will be coming to illustrate for us the amazing connection creativity has to your aural senses! "What's that got to do with songwriting?" you may ask.

Well I have been thinking about this one for a while...it occurred to me that there were some "comfort patterns" I've developed over the years when I'm writing that, on a subliminal level, have played a part in my working through to the end of writing a song. I just didn't really pinpoint until recently how much "aroma" could affect my writing mood shifts. For instance, there's a certain essential oil candle I like to light when I sit down to work on a lyric. It's like my "lyric writing candle" and it has a certain fragrance that, for whatever reason, I associate with coming up with good lines. Now I can't prove anything by this....but it works for me! And since the whole creative process is magical anyway why not go with it?

Allison will actually be able to tell us in much more concrete and scientific terms, why that candle may have actually helped me to finish up some lyrics through the power of aromatherapy. She'll share with us her wealth of knowledge that combines the divine secrets with modern research in the study of essential oils for over 35 years, of this primordial art. She will also create a one of a kind blend for this workshop!

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Sign Up For The 2009 Creativity Stargaze

This year's Stargaze will be a blast!
Not to mention the blast of fall color from the leaves! We are going to have some amazing deep exploration into the mystery of creativity using all of our senses.
Being in the setting of the Dyer Observatory, we'll have all of space to inspire us. You'll look through the telescope and check out Jupiter as well as traveling inward to connect with the endless resources of creativity within you. Each of us holds a unique point in the universe. The Creativity Stargaze is about stepping fully into the power of our own unique perspective and creating from the center that we hold. When doing that, one cannot help but be original!

I have been teaching workshops on creativity and songwriting for many years. My style of teaching is very similar to my style of writing. Often I look out on the faces of students waiting for me to show them "how" to write a song. Well the paradox is, that the very first part of stepping into the creative flow is to surrender into "not knowing". I want to guide the students into a place of "lift off" which allows the space and oxygen needed in the beginning to really have something to work with. Learning how to not judge and to play until there's this beautiful, although still not quite defined "lump of clay" that comes through--an idea, or a part of a melody. You can learn to distract the ever-opinionated "critic" or "editor" until it's needed later. There will be many tips and tools you can learn to help streamline the editing process and then re-invite the creative spirit back in- in the process of the second draft.

I will also be doing critiques of songs as well as working with the voice and presentation of the song...I'll weave in the principles of "singing with your speaking voice" which is an amazingly freeing way to sing! Doing this, a singer of any level will dramatically improve and find much more energy available when performing.

We are going to have some amazing guests starting with the legendary Paul Reisler!
Paul has been performing, composing, and teaching for over 30 years and is unquestionably one of the most popular songwriting teachers in North America.He provides a comprehensive and wonderfully digestible wealth of knowledge about songwriting and song structure. A teacher for many years and in high demand, Paul, songwriter, composer, songwriting teacher and founder of the musical group Trapezoid is also the founder and creator of "Kid Pan Alley" which was featured on NPR's "Morning Edition."

We'll have a few "Drive-by-Genius-Songwriters" popping in......this year we have a great poet and songwriter, Mary Gauthier coming by to share her secrets with us! There will also be a couple of other surprise Geniuses showing up....so stay tuned!


The "Rock" AKA Rocky Alvey, astronomer-genius and caretaker of the Observatory, will also be taking us on a few mind-widening voyages that will blast your intellectual boundaries with incredible concepts of space and time and forever shift your perception about your unique place in this world and how important you are and how what you have to say is fascinating. You owe it to the universe to wake up your inner writer!

You don't have to be a professional songwriter to love this workshop. Any form of creativity may apply!

This adventure includes tips, tools, song critiques, guitar-pulling, bonfires, and fantastic food! Friday evening will be a cookout/guitar pull and bring your own beverage kind of thing. And then get ready for bonfires, story swapping, and spontaneous "Drive-By-Hit-Songwriters" not to mention incredible home cooked organic lunch each day by Gabrielle Middlestadt!

Sign Up and I will see you there!! ☺BNC