We were thrilled to host a workshop with Mary Cay Brass in Bath for the first time. An eager group of singers from near and far enjoyed learning nine songs from a wide range of harmony singing traditions. The lively Balkan songs from Bosnia, Macedonia and Croatia were accompanied by Mary Cay on the accordion and Jane Harris on the fiddle. We also enjoyed learning soulful American songs and a powerful protest song from South Africa.
Mary Cay is a highly experienced choral director and musician from Vermont. She is particularly renowned for teaching songs from Bosnia, Macedonia and Croatia, where she has lived, studied, and traveled extensively, learning from local singers and musicians. She also teaches a wide repertoire of songs from America, South Africa and beyond and collaborates regularly with other inspiring leaders including the African American gospel leader Kathy Bullock, John Harrison, Larry Gordon, and Nicholas Williams of Genticorum, a fabulous group from Quebec.
Mary Cay leads two wildly popular 80-90 voice intergenerational community choirs in Vermont and Massachusetts and co-directs a hospice choir. She has taught teens and adults with Village Harmony singing camps for 30 years and has created and led numerous camps in Macedonia and Bosnia. In 2019 she is co-leading Village Harmony camps in Kentucky and Quebec.