Combining the energy of urban street singing with first-rate musicianship, folk roots, and traditions from around the world, Moira Smiley & VOCO are one amazing group! A visionary blend of musical voices, the quintet redefines harmony singing with the power and physicality of folk song, the avant-garde fearlessness of Béla Bartók, and the delicious, vaudevillian accompaniment of cello, banjo, accordion, 'ukulele, and body percussion.

Creating plaintive, modal, lush original music full of fire and emotion, Moira Smily and Ariella Forstein, April Guthrie, Emily Eagen, and Pilar Díaz create sweet, hard-driving Americana mixed with crooked traditional Eastern European dance and dissonance. With a stage show that brims with joyous, improvisational energy, the group weaves together vibrant harmonies and awesome body percussion as they perform original improvisation-built songs steeped in Appalachia and Eastern Europe. Named #1 a cappella group in the U.S. in 2007, VOCO's most recent CD is Small Worlds.

Vermont-born Moira, who has studied everything from classical piano to early American shape note singing, originally moved to California to sing with KITKA Eastern European Vocal Ensemble. She currently works internationally as a vocalist and composer for dance, theatre, and film.

Moira Smiley & VOCO will be teaching the workshop Colors of the Voice: Honoring Vocal Traditions & Creating Anew from 5:30-7:00 pm.

Visit VOCO's website

Listen to a track from Moira Smiley & VOCO: