TURNmusic hosts two sets of workshops on grief and musicianship
October 6, 2025 | By Waterbury Roundabout
TURNmusic announces two sets of workshops this fall, one focused on working through grief and another on nurturing musicianship.
Both will meet at The Phoenix Art Gallery & Music Hall, 5 Stowe St. in Waterbury. The grief workshop ties in with a special November event at the Barre Opera House. Find more details and register online at turnmusic.org.
Grief workshop: Holding Space
Anjali Budreski, TURNmusic workshop presenter. Courtesy photo
Led by Anjali Budreski this workshop is inspired by the Nov. 16 “Inheritances” program by pianist Adam Tendler taking place at the Barre Opera House. That concert event will feature new works commissioned by the Vermont native who invested money he inherited upon his father’s death.
TURNmusic has invited Budreski to lead a special series exploring grief and the grieving process. This aims to be a relaxed, four-part Sunday series in Waterbury.
Budreski is a certified yoga teacher and life coach specializing in grief, loss and life transitions. She is trained in the Grief Mentor Method and is working on a Grief Coaching Certification.
The workshop will explore living with grief and finding healing and meaning in a group setting. Through a guided meditation, sharing, journaling, and a different focus each week, the group will explore the process of acknowledging, honoring and transforming grief. Its aim is for participants to gain an increased grief awareness, daily practices to support themselves, self-compassion and inner peace.
The sessions will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Oct. 19 and 26, and Nov. 2 and 9, at The Phoenix.
Fees for the series and a ticket to Tendler’s Inheritances event in Barre are listed on a sliding scale of $130-210. The series is intended for adults only and attendance will be capped at 20 participants.
Rich Davidian, TURNmusic workshop presenter. Courtesy photo
Evolving Musicianship
Musician and music educator Rich Davidian will lead the Evolving Musicianship workshop series on six Thursdays, 7-9 p.m., from Oct. 16 to Dec. 4. A performance will take place on Dec. 7. Open to adults and teens in high school and up, the workshop fee is $245. More details and registration are online at turnmusic.org.
The series aims to assemble a large combination of instrumentation and study a variety of material from jazz repertoire. Practice between sessions is expected.
The sessions will cover elements of jazz history, jazz combo techniques and conventions, tonal maturity, personal creativity, reading skills, rhythmic and ensemble integrity. A minimum level of instrumental and reading skills will be required through the submission of a live video recording.
Davidian taught public school instrumental music for 40 years, retiring from teaching in 2010. He also ran an audio recording business and currently is the camp administrator and an ensemble director for the adult jazz camp, Jazz in the Mountains. Davidian’s specialty is big band jazz, and he’s played lead alto and directed the Vermont Jazz Ensemble for 48 years. He’s played in symphony orchestras, wind ensembles, pit bands, and behind the Temptations.