Bring your instruments for a hands-on weekend of intensive, practical training for your whole team. Join one of our four, specialised strands from our skilled and experienced trainers as you drive your music ministry in a new direction. Enjoy the beautiful surroundings and serenity of the Youthworks Port Hacking Conference Centres, as you learn in a community of like-minded and passionate lovers of church music

Watch this space for the next TWIST Away event.

7 Great Reasons to TWIST Away...

1. TALKS by great speakers that are aimed to encourage, challenge and inspire you in your church music ministry!

2. FELLOWSHIP with your church team and other like-minded people from all over Australia in an intimate setting, and enjoy ‘time out’ in a peaceful, creative environment!

3. CHAT to workshop presenters over meals and in your down time – a unique opportunity to ask questions, gain insights and be encouraged!

4. WORKSHOPS led by professional, experienced, well-known Christian musicians who are passionate about their craft!

5. SINGING praises to God with other music-minded people is a sound and experience not to be missed!  Just ask anyone who came last year!

6. SIMPLE band arrangements for the corporate singing time will tangibly demonstrate how to play any congregational song with just a couple of instruments!

7. JAM with other musicians in free time!

... and so much more!

Foundations Workshops

‘Play’ – Band technique: This strand will cover all the elements of playing in a band and will develop the practical skills taught over the weekend, as each workshop builds on the previous one. Learn how to play your instrument in a band context by developing the skills required. This is a unique opportunity to try new things and to take your gifts to a higher skill-level by putting them into practice in a small, helpful environment, with highly experienced and professional presenters such as Andy Judd & Greg Cooper from Garage Hymnal. There will be lots of opportunity for questions and feedback, so bring your instrument and get ready to share the space to make great music! To take full advantage of this workshop, come as a church music team and learn together.  Our priority will be to put groups from churches together.

‘Sing’ – Song leading and vocal technique: A gifted song leader has the ability to make smooth transitions in and out of songs and to be the lynch-pin between the band and the congregation. That’s why this year we’ve brought back song leaders Lara Goudie and Sarah Bailey to lead these popular workshops. The workshops will incorporate the theory of song leading with all the practical elements, such as building confidence, microphone technique, what to say and do, and in addition, you will also be taught foundational vocal technique of breath, throat & resonators by professional voice coach, Jo Steele. There will be ample opportunity for questions, discussion and critique in a safe environment. The course is beneficial for song leaders at any age and level of experience, whether you are unsure what a song leader is but are keen to try, or whether you have been song leading for years.

‘Compose’ – Song writing: Ever wondered how Christian song writers compose songs that tens of thousands of people love to sing? Come and learn from Simone Richardson (Never Alone) and Michael Morrow (Nothing but the Blood of Jesus, Come Hear the Angels Sing) about the foundations of composition and how to incorporate the important elements of song writing for congregations into your current or future songs. Over the weekend, you'll have the unique opportunity to co-write a song with Michael, Simone and the other delegates. There will also be time to have your own songs critiqued, so bring along anything you are working on.

‘Support’ – All things audio: Steve Williams heads up this important strand. Covering the basics as well as some tricks of the trade in terms of sound and audio generally, these workshops will include both theoretical and practical skills taught over the weekend. They will be full of helpful advice and lots of opportunity for interaction.  Steve works with local churches to help raise the skills of their tech team as well as overseeing sound for groups like Katoomba Christian Convention, Reachout and a number of other churches and mission groups.


Futures Workshops

‘Re-Play’ – Band: so you’ve got the foundations of playing in a band under your belt – now the possibilities are endless!  In this workshop, we will break into small bands that will each work with an experienced professional musician as their ‘producer’. We’ll listen critically to recordings, throw around ideas, workshop parts, develop skills for leading a band, and help each other to take our playing to the next level.

‘Sing Up’ – Song leading and vocal technique: Are you keen to further develop your gifts in song leading?  Lara Goudie and Sarah Bailey are back to help you grow your gifts from last year. This workshop will build on the content taught last year, in particular introducing songs, with more time for each participant to practice and receive critique in a safe environment – giving you the opportunity to continue your ongoing training so that you are better equipped and more confident to serve in your local church. Jo Steele, professional voice coach, is back by popular demand, teaching more detailed exercises for resonators, stylistic techniques and expression, a more advanced vocal workout for voice building, and of course more time working with you and your voice! This workshop is available for song leaders who attended the song leading workshop last year.

‘Compose Away’ – Song writing: The art of song writing is an ongoing development, and as people living this side of Jesus’ death & resurrection, we have plenty of ‘new songs’ to write. Join Michael Morrow (Nothing but the Blood of Jesus, Come Hear the Angels Sing) and Simone Richardson (Never Alone) in this practical workshop, learning, writing and workshopping songs with other like-minded song writers. This workshop is practical, practical, practical, with a unique opportunity to co-write a song with Michael, Simone and the other delegates! There will also be time to have your own songs critiqued, so bring along anything you are working on!

‘Support Plus’ – All things audio: Steve Williams heads up this ongoing training strand. Our sound and audio professionals are in churches just like you, so they understand the complexities that arise in relation to your sound and audio ministry. They also understand that many churches are keen to take ‘that next step’, whether it be recording music or sermons, or any other number of contemporary issues. If you are ready to move on from the Foundations of sound and audio, then this workshop will be just what you need to continue to develop your skills base – both the theory and the practical – as various issues are workshopped. Come with your questions because there will be lots of opportunity for interaction and discussion.