Portland Circle Singing
Spontaneous
Community
Singing
Circle Singing is music making in the moment for people of all musical levels and backgrounds. The spontaneous music is made on the spot, with the help of a leader and a chorus of voices.
The term circle singing was coined by vocal innovator Bobby McFerrin (remember "Don't worry. Be happy."?) who is credited as the modern founder of circle singing and made it a popular singing practice.
Circle Singing Is...
- Improvisational - the leader creates parts on the spot (rhythms, harmonies, melodies, percussive sounds) and teaches them to the group.
- Collaborative: Participants contribute through call and response, their own vocalizations and other elements.
- Inclusive: All voices are welcome, and no experience is necessary.
- Therapeutic: Circle Singing can be a healing activity for non-musicians and musicians alike.
- Community Building: you don't have to know your neighbor to create something beautiful together.
- a Celebration of human voices.
- Always fun. Sometime messy. At times pure Magic!
- About being fully present - being open and curious, letting the music flow through.
How it works
- A leader stands in the middle of the circle and they simply start to make up a part that they think maybe the altos or sopranos, tenors or basses could sing.
- The singers learn their part from the leader through call and response.
- While that first section sings their part, the leader comes up with another part for another section. A song can consists of 3 or more parts.
- The leader may change parts, pause parts, come up with new parts, or save one part and morph the song into something new. They are composing in the moment!
- That leader can be you! Circle Singing thrives on shared leadership.
"When you get people together in a room and get them singing, you instantly knock down all the walls - the creeds, the gender, age and race differences, everything. You're all one at that point, lifting your voices."
Bobby McFerrin
Charles Bankhead Haines
Marion understands music in a way that I never will.
Jorge Blackmore
Marion is Music.
Glenda Montgomery
You have changed my life with singing.
THE DETAILS
- Come to be led in spontaneous community singing or create something in the moment with singers at your fingertips. Anybody can do this!
- Sometimes it's messy. Sometimes it's pure magic! We always, always have a good time.
- Absolutely no experience necessary. All you need is a willingness to open your mouth and to have fun with whatever comes out.
- We sound better together!
- Come to be led in spontaneous community singing or create something in the moment with singers at your fingertips. Anybody can do this!
- Wednesdays 7-8:30 pm
- 40 weeks a year:
- 2nd week September - mid December
- Januar - late March
- April - early June
- 4-6 weeks in Summer
- 5915 SE Division Street, Portland, OR 97206
- $30 at door, $20 in advance
