Let’s keep singing

— from Monica Steele —

Spread the word! Keep singing! Happy Mother’s Day to Mothers and those who mother others and those who have mothers!! Time to appreciate nurturance of each other and Mother Earth as a universal ideal for all people regardless of gender.

Some of you have contacted me that you want to sing with us but Wednesdays or last Wednesday in particular did not work for you. Last Wednesday was an introductory meeting to orientate everyone to Zoom rehearsals (me included!). Now I see that an introductory rehearsal is best done in small groups and that flexibility for two or three different nights will help give more people a chance to get comfortable with a Zoom choir. I am including a Zoom connection that will work for next Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday nights 7 – 8:30 p.m. People who did not come last Wednesday should come on Tuesday or Thursday night. People that came last Wednesday should come again on Wednesday. After this week we will come up with a schedule that allows for maximum participation and sectional rehearsals. 

There are no auditions and ability to read music is not required. I am most willing to do a private Zoom with anyone who wants some extra help. Sharon Abreu has also offered to give vocal coaching to anyone on a sliding scale fee basis. Even one coaching session with Sharon can make a big difference in your vocal production. Sharon has tons of experience teaching and coaching voice and she is a great teacher. Her motivation, as well as mine, is to help as many people as possible sing and and feel comfortable and confident in their singing. We believe that the voice was first made for singing and then for speaking and everyone can sing.

Please print out the attached music and listen to the music from Missa Gaia that is related. We will also be singing music that is simple to just to sing as part of our vocal warm up. Please print that out also. If you are unable to print music out, let me know and I will print it for you to come by my house to pick up from my porch.

We are starting with Canticle of the Turning, The Canticle of Brother Sun  and The Blue Green Hills of Earth, Common Ground, Mystery. Attaching the sheet music makes too big a file so I have attached a link to Dropbox. All you have to do is click the link or copy and paste it into your browser. Scroll down further for youtube link for video and Zoom link for rehearsals.

“Search for Common Ground Choir” Shining Our Light On Mother Earth! Dedicated to gathering for the common good: Interfaith/Interspiritual/ Intergenerational

Rehearsals via ZOOM on Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday nights 7 – 8:30 p.m. Starting May 12, 2020 

Topic: Searching for Common Ground Choir

Time: May 12, 2020 07:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

        Every week on Tue, Wed, Thu, until Sep 2, 2020, 50 occurrence(s)

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Music is from Paul Winter’s Missa Gaia plus other inspiring music. The title stems from two languages, Latin (Missa = mass) and Greek (Gaia = mother nature). The Earth Mass was one of the first contributions made by Paul Winter when he and his Paul Winter Consort became the artists in residence at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City. The mass includes the usual text, such as the Kyrie and the Agnus Dei, and also other text, hymns, and instrumental pieces. The mass is an environmental liturgy of contemporary music. It features instrumentation along with a choir, vocal soloists, and the calls of wolves, whales, and many other animals that are woven into the pieces, sometimes used as the melody. 

Check out this performance in Maine from 2018.

Performance date for Orcas Island TBD when it is safe to gather. People of all spiritual paths welcome. Sponsored by Paths to Understanding. Contact Monica for more information.