October 2009

We had an amazing weekend at the Stargaze 2009!  

Thank you all incredible participants...we had such a perfect combination of talent...and our drive-by-genius-songwriters Darrell Scott and Mary Gauthier blew us all away!

Darrell started us off...and set the tone for a beautiful talk on the power of creativity and the unquestionable gift we all have and how important it is for each of us to embrace our "inner permission slip".   I think he referred to it as a "get out of jail card free"!  It was so inspiring....

And then Mary Gauthier stepped into the circle with her great song and a challenge to us all to dig deep for our truth in our writing.

Among our other guest teachers we had the pleasure of meeting Allison Stillman and learning about the power of essential oils in the creative process.  Deeply spiritual and yet very routed in science and brain chemistry...it all fit in perfectly with astronomy believe it or not!   Allee's teaching on the oils was very experiential...and everyone went home with their own custom blend for creativity!

And Paul Reisler, easily one of the most in demand teachers in North America...taught 2 Master classes.  He also opened up the Stargaze with one of his breathtaking performances. Just below you can see me hugging Allee...not only do I love her...but she always smells SOOOOOOO good!

Of course Rocky Alvey blew our Cosmic socks off again....delving into mind-bending astronomical stuff that just seemed to tie everything about Creativity together....plus he performed a new song for us he has written for a movie!  He's really been holding out on is kids.   He will never do another Stargaze without performing a song!  I mean...he flips a good burger...but he's got GREAT songs up his oven glove!

Gabrielle's food was once again a focal point....and it was all over way too soon!  Thank you NSAI, Doak at The Nashville Muse, The Music Row Show, and Dan Har at Music News Nashville for the help with bringing us some great songwriters this year!!


And last but not least...please consider coming to the Costa Rica Songwriting Intensive!  And also pass this information along for us!  This is going to be such a life changing creativity growing experience!  I've already started writing songs just thinking about it!
For anyone that can come...you will be amazed at the value of what you'll come away with...all details HERE!

Happy Creating!! xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxBNC

Dave Polmeroy, Craig Krampf, Bill Lloyd & Danny Flowers

I had a blast performing "Every Day People" with powerhouse band Dave Polmeroy, Craig Krampf, Bill Lloyd & Danny Flowers for the First Amendment Center Celebration of the music of 1969!

The First Amendment Center

BNC recently caught up with the legendary John Seigenthaler at the Bluebird Cafe performance for the First Amendment Center.

Songwriting INTENSIVE Workshop in ** COSTA RICA **

Join Darrell Scott, Mary Gauthier and Beth Nielsen Chapman in Costa Rica from December 26, 2009 to January 2, 2010 in SONGWRITING INTENSIVE as the class explores Songwriting, The Creative Process and Spirit.

Ring in the New Year with fellow songwriters and recommit to the writers life as the calendar moves forward another year. Look down the mountain, from 5000 feet above, at the fireworks in the valley below!  

We will have:

• daily classes, discussions with Darrell, Mary and Beth leading the intensives
• a nightly open mic for the class to share songs with each other
• a community we have created to share songs, get feedback and support from each other
• a retreat space that, we swear, encourages energy to flow
• yoga classes included in the price
• options for the best body/energy work we have ever had
• 3 incredible wholesome and healthy meals per day
• options for Wednesday outings (whitewater rafting, volcano visits, beach day, canopy adventures)
• a final evening concert for the entire community by Mary, Beth and Darrell

Registration is now open!

To make a reservation, please contact Di Chapman at 888-767-7375 ext. 225 or email reservations@puravidaspa.com. Check out more information and learn about the beautiful resort online at PuraVidaSpa.com! Prices are all inclusive (excluding airfare)          

Tent – double: $1350 . single: $1615

Standard – double: $1420 . single: $1750

Deluxe – double: $1555 . single: $1955

Super Deluxe – double: $1710 . single: $2260

Suite – double: $1875 . single: $2600

Rates include 7 night accommodations, 3 meals per day, round-trip airport transfers, use of yoga hall and props and the Songwriting Intensive Workshop.  Gratuities not included.

Professor Sakena Yacoobi

BNC met the amazing Professor Sakena Yacoobi at the recent Peace Summit in Vancouver.  Professor Sakena is President and Executive Director of the Afghan Institute of Learning (AIL), an Afghan women-led NGO she founded in 1995. The organization was established to provide teacher training to Afghan women, to support education for boys and girls, and to provide health education to women and children. AIL is a groundbreaking, visionary organization which works at the grassroots and empowers women and communities to find ways to bring education and health services to rural and poor urban girls, women and other poor and disenfranchised Afghans. AIL was the first organization to offer human rights and leadership training to Afghan women and supported 80 underground home schools for 3000 girls in Afghanistan after the Taliban closed girls’ schools in the 1990s.  Professor Sakena is truly a remarkable woman doing remarkable things all over the world to focus attention on the urgent need for women’s rights, education and healthcare in Afghanistan and beyond.

Learn more by visiting Creating Hope International.

  

2009 Stargaze Weekend Schedule

Friday, October 16

5:00 - 9:00pm   

Registration, cookout, songswap, howdy & shake.  If you would like an adult beverage with your cookout fare, you are welcome to bring your own!

Saturday, October 17

9:00am - 9:15am  

   Bagels & Coffee

9:30am

   Introductions followed by "Lift Off" Master Class with Beth

12:30pm

   Lunch by Gabrielle

1:30pm

   "Melody" Master Class with Paul Reisler

3:00pm

   "Sand and Stars" with Rocky Alvey

3:30pm

   "Harmony & Chord Structure" with Paul Reisler

5:00pm

   Song Critiques with Beth and Paul

   "Tone Essence" in the Star Chamber with Allison Stillman

6:00pm - 7:30pm

   Dinner Break.  Out to eat or bring yours back to enjoy at the observatory.

   * Critiques will resume at 6:30pm.

7:30pm - 9:45pm

   Great Bid Ol' Song Swap & Fire Pit!

Sunday, October 18

9:00am - 9:15am

   Bagels and Coffee

9:30am - 10:45am

   Finding Your Voice with Beth

   Creativity and the 10 Senses

10:45am - 12:15pm

   Allison Stillman

12:15pm

   Lunch by Gabrielle

1:15pm

   Drive by GENIUS - songwriter Darrell Scott

2:00pm

   Drive by GENIUS - songwriter Mary Gauthier

2:45pm

   "A Sense of Balance" with Rocky Alvey

3:15pm

   "The Essence of Balance in The Chaos of Creativity" with Beth

3:45pm

   "Balancing Essence" with Allison

4:00pm - 4:15pm

   Tea Time

4:15pm 

   Critiques with Beth and Paul

6:30pm

   Go Forth and Create!

**  We will have guitars and keyboards set up at the workshop.  If you would like to bring your own guitar, feel free to do so!

THANK YOU FOR THE MUSIC! Hyde Park, London

BNC recently performed at the

  Thank You For The Music tribute to ABBA

in London's Hyde Park with Kylie Minogue, Tim Rice, Siobhan McCarthy, Elaine Page, Siobhan again, and Lulu!  British Royalty!!

African Childrens Choir

Night before last was a blast!  Singing for the African Children's Choir was just amazing.  

Pictured here clockwise from upper left, BNC with:  Ray Barnett (founder, African Children's Choir), the kids!, Bob Geldof (who won an award for service), Sir Ken Robinson with daughter, and Matthieu Ricard!