Cedarsong Retreats
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Teachers

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Victoria Banks
Victoria Banks has been nominated for 11 Canadian Country Music Association (CCMA) Awards and was named CCMA Female Artist of the Year and Songwriter of the Year in 2010. She was also labeled “one of the best songwriters in the business” by Nashville’s MusicRow magazine.

In addition to releasing three albums and touring with artists from Reba to Wynonna, Banks - who hails from Muskoka, Canada - has written ASCAP, SOCAN, CCMA and Covenant-award-winning songs for more than 50 artists.
Her cuts include Jessica Simpson’s Billboard record- breaking single “Come On Over,” Sara Evans’ solo-written hit “Saints & Angels” and duet “Can’t Stop Loving You” (featuring Isaac Slade of The Fray), and Lauren Alaina’s “Queen of Hearts”. She has written songs for film and TV shows including ABC’s American Idol, CMT’s Nashville and VH1’s Couples Therapy.  In 2016, Banks performed with the Nashville Ballet as part of their Attitude program, for which several of her songs were choreographed including the program’s title song, “City of Dreams.” 
Victoria has been a staff songwriter on Music Row for over 20 years, and she is currently published by RareSpark Media Group.


“This is an artist you absolutely need to pay attention to. Recommended without reservation.”  - Robert Oermann, MusicRow
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“A powerful singer...a very impressive songwriter...definitely a name to look out for.” - Maverick Magazine (UK)

Learn more about Victoria at victoriabanks.net

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Suzahn Fiering
Suzahn is an internationally renowned touring artist, songwriter and educator astounding audiences with clever compositions and heart-felt performances at Jazz and Americana festivals, clubs, concert halls and Universities world-wide including the Copenhagen Jazz Festival, Lincoln Center (NYC), and the Birmingham UK International Jazz Festival (5 years in a row) to name a few. Suzahn leads Master Classes throughout Europe and the US including la legion d’honneur ecole in Paris (founded by Napoleon), New York University,Vanderbilt University, Stanford University, Baisin Scuola Musica (Italy), LIPA (Liverpool Institute For The Performing Arts - founded by the indefatigable Mark Featherstoner-Witty and Sir Paul McCartney) and many, many more. 

Suzahn has worked with a who’s who in entertainment including Roger Daltry, John Entwhistle, Sam Bush, Paul McCartney, Sean Lennon, Julian Lennon, Yoko Ono, Larry Gatlin, Pete Seeger, Odetta, Faith Hill, Tim McGraw, Reba McIntyre, Ashley Judd, Gloria Steinem, the Honorable Al Gore, and many more. The Jazz list includes Mel Lewis, Grady Tate, Marvin “Smitty” Smith, Donald Brown, Donald Harrison, Dick Oatts, Alan Barnes, Digby Fairweather, Jaco Pastorius, Jeff Coffin and Victor & Reggie Wooten to name a few.

With original songs in over 20 network television shows (played in over 40 countries) you may have heard Suzahn's work on Oprah, Desperate Housewives, Coyote Ugly, Disney, ESPN, BET, National Geographic, Nickelodeon and more, or in numerous independent films world-wide. Her national jingles (USA) include Certs, Dr. Pepper and Pillsbury. Suzahn has 4 songs in the Smithsonian Museum in Washington DC, and 2 in the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Learn more about Suzahn at suzahn.com. A list of her Master Classes can be found HERE. 

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Leslie Garbis
Vocal and Performance Coach

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Leslie Garbis is an intuitive vocal technician who enjoys helping singers, speakers, and even those who are not studying singing, to discover, connect to, and free their own true voice. She teaches each person as the individual they are, bringing their own unique set of needs. Challenges with everything from lack of breath support, to tension release in specific areas of the body, to negative self-talk and self- judgment, to acting the song, and more, are all addressed in a holistic manner that works for each client. Leslie prides herself on very quickly understanding what needs attention and how to efficiently help each student get results and have effective tools to take away to work with on their own.

Leslie has her masters in music, in the area of vocal performance, and is also a certified Pilates instructor. Along with her vocal training background in performance and pedagogy, the Pilates helps give her some specific insight when it comes to posture, alignment, and core engagement, particularly around issues with sufficient breath for singing. Leslie finds that applying Pilates principles to her voice teaching has helped her and her students immensely.

Leslie has enjoyed professional singing opportunities within a variety of styles and venues over the years. From singing in a doo-wop band or a bluegrass band, to opera, to musical theater, to cruise ship revues, to her own cabaret, to weddings, to church section leader, to symphony engagements, to studio session singing, and more, she has logged many hours of stage time.

Currently, she is focusing on her teaching, as an adjunct voice teacher at Belmont University school of music, as a workshop facilitator, and in her own private studio. She also enjoys music writing and recording projects, leading community song circle, and part-time homeschooling her 11-year-old son.




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Cant wait to see you there!


Hours

M-F: 7am - 9pm

Telephone

615-852-5572

Email

csretreats@gmail.com
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