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The Understanding of Music Seminar | The Understanding of Songwriting Seminar | About Duncan Lorien | Reviews of the Seminar

The Understanding of Music Seminar

Sold Out - The 2004 Understanding of Music Seminar at the Victorian College of the Arts
Sold Out - The 2004 Understanding of Music Seminar at the Victorian College of the Arts
The Understanding of Music Seminar is a one weekend seminar that, quite simply, has been described by graduates as "the most amazing music seminar on the planet". (Graduates can then go on to do the The Understanding of Songwriting Seminar and learn to compose complete songs in 4 minutes.)

Since it began in 1991, more than 16,000 people have graduated from this incredible weekend seminar in 16 countries across 5 continents.

The Understanding of Music Seminar can truly inspire and motivate anyone who has ever had a desire to play any musical instrument or read music, even if they have tried to learn music before when they were younger, but failed or gave up in frustration.

Essentially, the Seminar helps you make a huge leap forward regardless of your prior musical experience.

Absolute beginners gain an understanding of music equivalent to someone who has been learning to play for years.

Accomplished musicians gain newfound insights and learn to tackle whatever has held them back for years. For some, this may be enabling them to finally read music. For others, it's about learning to improvise. For yet others, it's about finally learning to play in a new musical style such as the Blues. It can even completely revitalise "lapsed" or "failed" musicians, empowering them to once again pursue their musical dreams.

Music teachers gain new knowledge that "no one ever could explain to me", improve their own mastery of music, and take away methods that they tell us have made a big difference to their own students.

These claims are not made by the seminar organisers, but rather by the many thousands of people who have completed the seminar, some of whose testimonials you can read on this website.

The seminar does this by first exploding 6 key myths about music that stand in the way of people learning. These commonly held myths are that music is:

  1. complex and difficult to learn
  2. a "serious" subject
  3. expensive to learn
  4. takes years to master
  5. requires (at least some) "natural talent"
  6. is "not for everyone".

Once you have done the seminar, you will realise why these myths are simply that, just myths that will melt away as shadows.

The Understanding of Music Seminar is very practical, very "hands on" and involves you doing a lot of playing of keyboards and guitars. In fact, at the end of the seminar, every participant will be able to sit down at the keyboard and play a piece of music composed by Johann Sebastian Bach, using both hands together, while reading the music at the same time, even if they've never played a note in their lives. (We not only claim this, we guarantee it in writing! See our Guarantee page for more information.)

The seminar is presented by Duncan Lorien, a successful musician and music educator for over 30 years. He has recorded 3 top selling albums, worked as a session musician with some of the best musicians on the planet and been a producer for some of the world's top recording labels. He was once the Deputy Head Chorister for the Royal School of Church Music in London and at one point was the highest paid music teacher in Europe! Now he devotes himself almost exclusively to travelling the world to teach people music through his amazing seminar. (To find out more about Duncan Lorien, click here.)

You too can begin your journey towards your musical future. Please read through what others say about The Understanding of Music Seminar on our Testimonials Page, Sample it on our Samples page and have all your questions answered on FAQ page.

We look forward to welcoming you to The Understanding of Music Seminar and supporting you to make the biggest single leap forward in music that you'll ever make.

Top of page(See the Guarantee page for details of what s covered in this seminar)

The Understanding of Songwriting Seminar

This seminar is the ultimate for songwriters and music lovers alike. In fact, it is for ANYONE who wants to:

  • write complete songs
  • improvise
  • gain a better appreciation of music
  • finally understand music theory advanced and totally practical (some of the data and composition tools in this seminar you can t get anywhere else in the world, including at the premier music colleges!)
  • get hard-won tips and secrets about recording and publishing your songs
  • hook up with others

And it s hands-on you learn to write songs in 4 minutes or less regardless of prior experience. Why so fast? Because through quantity comes quality. This thinking is the opposite of conventional wisdom. Duncan s purpose is to help you avoid two of the biggest problems many people suffer from once they begin songwriting producing only a couple of good songs a year, and being trapped within a single musical style or sound.

Duncan teaches you how to write songs at lightning speed, which is totally liberating for people. It is a spontaneous and creative process that can be accelerated beyond your wildest expectations.

Finally, Duncan lets you into the inner workings of the music industry. Whether you re already dying to publish your own songs, or you re one of the many who think I ll never be that good and discover in the seminar that you really can write songs either way, you ll be thankful to know how to avoid the common pitfalls in the industry.

In short, this seminar is a real treat and only runs a few times worldwide each year. Australia is fortunate to have had it 3 times in the last 5 years.

The only pre-requisite is that you must be a graduate of the Understanding of Music Seminar (which is always run before any Songwriting seminar, so people who want to can do both seminars can within a maximum of 1 year gap).

Top of page(See the Guarantee page for details of what s covered in this seminar)
 

Understanding the Basics of Singing Seminar

This seminar is for anyone who has ever wanted to sing and has never realised their dream or for anyone who is currently singing and wants to improve their singing. In this remarkable two day seminar you will learn powerful fundamentals  of singing, that even the professionals don't know such as:
  • what it actually means "to sing", what your "voice-box" is and how it works and what "singing in pitch" means
  • how to be more relaxed in front of an audience, control your breath, project your voice better and increase the range of your voice
  • adding interesting effects to your voice and handing vocal breaks or transitions,
  • how to sing by sight-reading, so you can pick up any piece of music and know how to sing it
You'll also learn some great warm up and cool down exercises for your voice, so you can look after it better. The seminar includes a complete manual and a DVD of Duncan's own daughter demonstrating all the exercises for you.

About Duncan Lorien

Duncan
Duncan Lorien on Day 1 of the 2004 Seminar at Victorian College of the Arts - passion, energy and fun
Many of us can remember a favourite teacher, someone who fostered our passion in a subject and left us inspired, energised and excited. The kind of person who could make any subject interesting.

Duncan Lorien, the seminar author and presenter, is one of these rare people. He has recorded 3 top-selling albums, worked as a session musician with some of the most famous musicians on the planet and been a producer for some of the world s top recording labels. Above all, he is a brilliant music educator. His passion is watching people "come alive" with newfound understanding, inspiration and creativity by opening new doors for people in music.

Born in 1954 in London, England, he studied classical piano from the age of 4 years, and was Deputy Head Chorister at the Royal School of Church Music at Addington Palace in London. He studied drama and music in college and trained in opera and theatre for 3 years.

At teacher training college he found the approach to music was serious and complex and left to begin his own approach to the subject. The 20 years he spent researching music history and education resulted in the Understanding of Music Seminar delivered worldwide since 1991. The Understanding of Songwriting Seminar for graduates of the Understanding of Music Seminar was introduced in 1998.

He has worked as a recording artist, songwriter and producer with BMG Publishing, EMI Records, Polygram, PRT Records, Chappell, Carlin, Intersong, Ocean Disque and ARC Records. His publishing and recording deals resulted in the successful albums with guitarist Martin Daley; "Architects of Time" and "Dreams of the Yes Men." Both albums were playlisted on top radio stations and reached number one in the U.K. new age charts, charting above albums by Enya, Yanni, Rick Wakeman, Tangerine Dream and Andy Summers of The Police. The first album "Architects of Time," number one in 1989, was still in the top six new age charting albums in 1992, three years later! "Dreams of the Yes Men," released in 1992, went to number one the first week of its release. Duncan writes and performs many musical styles including rock, jazz, blues and classical and in March 2003 released a new rock instrumental album "One Life at a time."

The Music of Duncan Lorien.

The Understanding of Music Company was founded in response to the demand for Duncan's technology from hundreds of people all over the world and he currently averages 150,000 miles each year travelling around the world to five continents to bring his simple and powerful system to as many people as possible.

Top of pageHis revolutionary approach to playing, reading and composing has helped renowned rock, jazz and classical musicians, college instructors and teachers plus hundreds of total beginners to reach new heights of creativity! Duncan wants everyone to experience the joy and simplicity of music and he invites you to join him for the musical adventure of your life.

Reviews of the Seminar

Duncan Lorien and the Seminar continue to receive media and popular attention internationally. Since the seminar began in 1991, it has been presented to popular acclaim in 16 countries and the list is growing:

  • Australia
  • Austria
  • Canada
  • Czech Republic
  • Dutch Antilles (Aruba)
  • England
  • Germany
  • Hungary
  • Ireland
  • Mexico
  • Poland
  • Scotland
  • South Africa
  • Switzerland
  • USA
  • Venezuela

Participant acclaim in Australia has landed us a spot in the top 3 seminar countries worldwide. For all our lack of grandstanding, we spread the word to friends and family faster than many others do.

Also, we owe thanks to the media for their interest and positive reviews of the seminar. The seminar has receivedcoverage from:

Top of page

  • The Age
  • Herald Sun
  • ABC Radio
  • Boite Music Festival
  • Melbourne Music Festival
  • Australian Music Teacher Journal and Music Teacher Magazine

See our Downloads page for more information.

© The Understanding of Music Seminar 2005