ABOUT RENÉE

Sound Nourishment Founder and Facilitator Renée Benmeleh brings over 20 years of world music and vocal performance experience to her workshops and team building events. Renée launched her vocal music studies with the late choir leader, pianist and vocal teacher Lucy Kinchen in 1991 at Laney College in Oakland. She holds a B.A. in music with a specialization in Vocal Performance from Mills College in Oakland, CA. While at Mills, Renée had the pleasure of studying with and being mentored by San Francisco’s grande dame of song the late Faith Winthrop, Molly Holm, and, soon after, with Ledisi at The Jazzschool.

Renée has studied composition with Pauline Oliveros, Jacqui Hairston, and Molly Holm; Afro-Brazilian and North African percussion with ritual Brazilian Bateria leader and percussion instructor Bruce Silverman; East Indian Raga with Rainey Eastman-Gannet; Neo-Soul singing with Trewlany Rose; and Middle Eastern vocal technique with Rachel Valfer-Sills.

Renée is the founder and facilitator of Bay Area Vocal Improv, and a certified Music Together teacher who has been joyfully leading adults, children, teams, and families in facilitated musical experiences since 2001. Renée was honored to be a music facilitator at the Oakland Children's Hospital cancer unit between 2006 - 2008. She is an enlivened drum circle facilitator trained by Arthur Hull of Village Music Circles.

In addition to a multi-culturally diverse vocal repertoire, Renée is a skilled and growing multi-instrumentalist, a practice that developed out of her natural curiosity, and was further supported by her studies acquiring a Certification in Sound, Voice, and Music Healing at California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco, CA. She has continued her studies with Ancestral Sound Curator, Musician, and Curandero Tito La Rosa.

Renée was the the lead singer of The Orpheus World Music Ensemble, and a member of Project Vox, an 8 piece Vocal Improv ensemble. She has facilitated ritual through song for 20+ years in the Lakota-Sioux ceremonial tradition and in the Jewish Renewal community. She has had the pleasure of facilitating private rituals including birth, coming of age, spiritual connection, death, and other ceremonies that assist members in the process of being held by community.

ABOUT OUR EXPERIENCES

VOCAL IMPROV

BENEFITS:

Develop new neural-pathways and access to cross learning
Overcome Inhibitions
Build Connections
Encourages risk-taking
Enhances joy and confidence

BEST FOR:

Team Building
Classes
Parties

One time or series workshops for people who want to learn how to free up and play with their voice through vocal and rhythm games. For participants of varying musical experience.

Musicality is available to all human beings! The structure and playful entry of this course provides participants the ability to musically collaborate with others in ways that allow for listening, participation, and simultaneously learn new musical skills while having fun, strengthening brain function, and improving mood and confidence.

BOOK A VOCAL IMPROV SESSION

DRUM CIRCLES

BENEFITS:

Develop new neural-pathways and access to cross learning
Overcome Inhibitions
Build Connections
Encourages risk-taking
Enhances joy and confidence

BEST FOR:

Team Building
Classes
Parties

One time or ongoing series workshops for people who want to learn how to free up and play with rhythm through drumming. For participants of varying musical experience.

Playing with rhythm is a pressure free way to connect with the heartbeat of all humankind. This course provides a playfully structured entry to musical collaboration through traditional and improvised instrumental and body rhythm games and sequences.

BOOK A DRUM CIRCLE

SONIC SHIFT SESSIONS

BENEFITS:

Enhances connection to inner guidance
Enhances feelings of relaxation and joy
Encourages receptivity

BEST FOR:

Individuals and groups
Parties
Ritual

Experience group and 1:1 sessions of sonic sound medicine. Designed to help you feel nourished by sound, this program allows for shifts in our internal focus, emotions, tension, and access to insights and guidance.

The music shared in these sessions is live - world music instrumentation and vocals from many traditions, as well as improvised in the moment.

BOOK A SOUND SHIFT SESSION