Tuneless Choirs: Exuberance in Singing

Peter Alsop is a beloved singer-songwriter who has spent decades writing children's songs that don't talk down to kids — instead, he tackles big feelings like anger, fear, and silliness with humor, honesty, and a whole lot of heart. His songs have become favorites in classrooms, living rooms, and family concerts across the country, known for getting grown-ups laughing right alongside the kids www.PeterAlsop.com

Carole is a high energy children's performer and educator whose infectious energy brings everyone in to the circle of song. Our conversation focused on singing with young children as we discussed approaches, rationales, repertoire, and warm-ups. You'll be charmed by Carole, as thousands of others have been over nearly 30 years. More information here. 

Joey Weisenberg has led workshops exploring singing melodies and phrases from the Jewish tradition for people of many backgrounds. The evocative nature of the music reaches across boundaries of race, ethnicity, religion, and class to create beauty and community.  find out more at https://www.joeyweisenberg.com/  

  Arla Good is an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Psychology at Toronto Metropolitan University and the co-director and lead researcher of the SingWell Project, an international research initiative investigating the potential of group singing to support psychosocial wellbeing, communication, and health in older adults. Our conversation focuses on what science can tell us about the power of singing together, confirming what many people experience with research..   https://www.singwell.ca/research-studies/  

Nick Page is the author of SING AND SHINE ON, a guide to multi-cultural song leading. Hal Leonard publishes his SING WITH US songbook which are sing-along songs for chorus and audience. Nick has led sings and songleading workshops at educational conferences, at the Jewish Choral Festival, for the Unitarian Universalist General Assemblies, and at the People Music Network gatherings (where he would wash pots with Pete Seeger). Nick directed Boston’s Mystic Chorale that always brought their audiences in to sing-along. He has over 100 published works for chorus. More info at www.nickmusic.com    N I C K     P A G E      R E S O U R C E S       F O R     S I N G S www.nickmusic.com    [email protected]   BVOCAL, Boston’s Voices of Community and Labor. (Lisa Gallatin started this chorus who sing at protests and rallies. Their website has songs, rehearsal schedules and more. I have a feeling it will become a movement spreading to other cities.) https://bvocalchorus.org   VOICES HEARD by Nick Page (Web resource of songs for social change. You must have a google account - Gmail - to access the files. It’s free.)  https://nickmusic.com/?page_id=386   PEOPLE’S MUSIC NETWORK (PMN). (They are a support group for songwriter activists with weekend workshops and online song swaps.) https://www.peoplesmusic.org   CHILDREN’S MUSIC NETWORK (CMN) (They are an offshoot of PMN, a support group for activist music teachers). https://childrensmusic.org   GREATER BOSTON CHORAL CONSORTIUM, (Support group for hundreds of choral groups in the Boston area. Other cities have similar groups). https://bostonsings.org   GLOBAL JUKEBOX, An incredible FREE online resource with recordings of EVERY CULTURE on Earth, songs, dances. www.theglobaljukebox.org   BUILDING SINGING COMMUNITIES  Joey Weisenberg is a master of leading contemporary Jewish songs. He has brought the niggun tradition into the 21st Century.   www.buildingsingingcommunities.com.   www.smithsonianglobalsound.org  l  Their "education & outreach" section (particularly the Center for Folklife section) has free lessons for teachers. http://www.folkways.si.edu/index.htm   CHORUSES FOR CHANGE. Peter Blood, co-creator of the Rise Up Singing songbooks, created a website dedicated to activist choruses. The site includes strategies, songs, and many useful resources.  https://www.riseupandsing.org/singing/choruses   SINGING CIRCLES  Circle Sings are improvisational a cappella fully-participatory events inspired by Bobby McFerrin’s work. Do a search for “singing circles near me.”   In Boston, go to: https://www.bostonareasingingcircles.com   SHAPE NOTE SINGERS   (Resource for finding Sacred Harp singers in your area.) https://shapenotesingings.com/local-singing-groups/   RECOMMENDED SONG COLLECTIONS AND SONG LEADING INSTRUCTION BOOKS.   The African American Heritage Hymnal, published by GIA  (Excellent hymnal)   Barnwell, Ysaye, 1989. Singing in the African American Tradition, Choral and Congregational Vocal Music. (Six CDs where Dr. Barnwell teaches the harmonies one part at a time---Her way of keeping the songs within the aural tradition.   With great background information.  Highly recommended!)   Blood, Peter, & Patterson, Annie, ed. 1988. Rise Up Singing. Bethlehem, PA: A Sing Out Publication, PO Box 5253, 18015.   (The best collection of folk song lyrics around.   Tapes or CDs available.) www.singout.org   Carawan, Guy and Candie, ed. Sing For Freedom, The Story of the Civil Rights Movement Through its Songs, Bethlehem, PA: A Sing Out Publication, 1990.   Cuyler, Patty and Stone, Molly, ed., RAISING THE BAR Vol. 1 & 2, Trad. South African music taught in the oral tradition from South African choirs. http://www.northernharmony.pair.com   Nyberg, Anders, ed. FREEDOM IS COMING,  Songs of Protest and Praise from South Africa for Mixed Choir. Chapel Hill, NC: Walton Music Corporation.  (Great book and CD of SATB songs and chants.)   Orozco, José-Luis, ed. Ill. by Elisa Kleven, De Colores and Other Latin-American Folk Songs for Children, New York, NY: Dutton Children's Books, 1994.  (also Diez Deditos, Ten Little Fingers)   Page, Nick.  Sing and Shine On!  An Innovative Guide to Leading Multicultural Song, available at www.westmusic.com  (The book offers several song-forms and strategies for teaching each.)   Page, Nick, The Nick Page SING WITH US Songbook, 2008, Hal Leonard.   (Many songs for community singing) Available at www.westmusic.com   Parker, Alice. 1976. Creative Hymn Singing. Chapel Hill, NC: Hinshaw Music, Inc. P.O. Box 470, 27514. (Even though her subject matter is hymns, her strategies apply to all songs. She teaches how to make old songs come alive again.)   Schmid, Will, ed., Get America Singing . . . Again!, (Vol. 1 & 2) Hal Leonard 1996. (Great collections of sing-along songs).   Seeger, Pete, 1993. Where Have All the Flowers Gone, A Singer's Stories, Songs, Seeds, Robberies.  Bethlehem, PA: Sing Out Corporation. www.singout.org   Sweet Honey In The Rock, All For Freedom. 1989. (Recording) Redway, CA: Music For Little People. (Great African and African-American songs for children.)   Songs of Zion. 1981. Nashville: Abingdon Press. (Manufactured by the Parthenon Press) [ISBN 0687391202] (Fantastic collection of African American Hymns, Spirituals, and Gospel Songs---with historical backgrounds for each style.) 1981   Treece, Roger, CircleSongs, The Method, 2016. Available from www.rogertreece.com. (Circle Singing communities have sprung up around the world – inspired by the improvisational group sings led by Bobby McFerrin.)   Tiemstra, Suzanne, Latin America Choral Music Resource www.latinamericanchoralmusic.org  - excellent   Weisenberg, Joey, 2011, Building Singing Communities, A Practical Guide to Unlocking the Power of Music in Jewish Prayer, www.mechonhadar.org, www.joeyweisenberg.co,, (Joey concentrates this guide on leading the Chassidic Nign, a style he is helping to make popular again.)     V I D E O S      DO YOU SHINE? by Nick Page https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rb7tFwcxHw   A PROMISE I WILL KEEP by Nick Page & Nita Penfold. Published by Boosey & Hawkes. Performed by The Mystic Chorale of Boston, Nick Page & Louise Grasmere soloists. https://youtu.be/2bg3WN9vuC0   SWIMMING TO THE OTHER SIDE  by Pat Humphries arr. by Nick Page sung by the Mystic Chorale. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1FRhZBNra4   I’M GONNA’ GET THROUGH THIS WORLD  words by Woody Guthrie, music by Lisa Gutkins of The Klezmatics from their Wonderwheel CD.  Performed by The Vocal Arts Academy of Milwaukee, Emily Crocker, director. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4Dzv_LGK_A   THERE’S HONEY IN THE ROCK, Spiritual with additional words by Nick Page.  Published in Nick Page’s SING WITH US songbook from Hal Leonard.  Performed by Nick Page, Jeannie Gagné and friends. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1xThijZ1c0&feature=related   YOU HAVE A HEART by Nick Page.  Published by Hal Leonard. The piece was written for New Jersey’s JOYFUL NOISE, a group of singers with physical and intellectual disabilities, but it can be sung by any group with audience participation.   The message is one that the group JOYFUL NOISE teaches us, that we need to let our hearts fly and not hold back. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Mesq_JRZoE  

  Nadine Cooper and Bernie Bracha started their first Tuneless Choir in 2016. Their sole aim was to have members walk out the door feeling uplifted. There were be no auditions, no music, no parts and no tuition.   Now there are over30 active tuneless choirs around the UK, with more in the planning stage.   https://www.tunelesschoir.com/story/

Heidi Wilson’s passion is to share songs in service to community and the wild world; songs that celebrate the seasons, bring groups together, offer thanks, muster courage, and make room for deep connection.   Heidi has been leading community singing groups in central Vermont and beyond for the last 19 years, and is touring The Well Tree, an original storytelling musical, with her trio Heartwood.   Other links for folks to look into: @singingresistance kairoscenter.org Songs in the Key of Resistance  HeidiAnnWilson.com  HeartwoodTrio.com 

Frankie Armstrong ( www.frankiearmstrong.uk) has been singing professionally since 1964. In 1975 she began her pioneering Voice Workshops  based on ethnic styles of singing - where singing is as natural as speaking. She has sung and run workshops all over Europe, N America and Australia   Frankie has made 12 solo albums and co-written three books on Voice, including Acting and Singing with Archetypes. She is President of NVN (Natural Voice Network. She offers workshops called Adventures in Voice and If you Can Talk You Can Sing as well as one called Rewilding the Voice. She’s been called :the godmother of the natural voice singing movement  

Joanne Hammil is a composer, songwriter, choral director, music educator and performer.  Her passions for singing in harmony and creating community through music infuse her songwriting and teaching.     She has directed many choruses throughout her career and has presented hundreds of workshops and concerts throughout the country.   Our conversation revolves around attitudes and approaches that make group singing more powerful and inclusive.   Her own songs and choral pieces have been performed and recorded by many artists and have become standards in songbooks, harmony circles and choir repertoires. For more information https://www.joannehammil.com   Joanne’s version of Break Them On Down begins the episode. It is by Harmony Grisman. 

Today's episode features two different guests. Lauren McElroy is a song leader in Viroqua, Wisconsin. She frequently attends and offers songs as part of Wisconsing's gathers. Bev Grant is a long time musician, activist, and for many years a leader of the Brooklyn Women's Chorus. https://bevgrant.com/ for Bev and  Motherofpurl.net for Lauren