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5/28/2025 0 Comments 191. Another World
Song: Another World
Music by: Patricia Norton Lyrics by: Arundhati Roy Notes: Hearing these words in 2020 for the first time felt like a gift of possibility. I love the deeper listening they invite. It took five years before they found a melody in my head -- and the reminder of the quote in its entirety, which is, "Another world is not only possible, she's on her way. Maybe many of us won't be here to greet her, but on a quiet day, if I listen very carefully, I can hear her breathing." Listening. That's the invitation of this melody, which stacks up into a complicated chord when sung as a round. Songwriter Info: You can find out more about me in general here: https://www.juneberrymusic.com/about-patricia.html Or the whole team that puts this podcast out here: https://www.abreathofsong.com/about.html Sharing Info: Please share freely, and consider contributing to the A Breath of Song gratitude jar in reciprocity -- or write a review, leave a comment! Song Learning Time Stamps: Start time of teaching: 00:04:25 Start time of reprise: 00:14:00 Links: Flow Singing: https://www.juneberrymusic.com/flow-singing.html All of what I'm up to: https://www.juneberrymusic.com Kindred Voices Retreat: https://kindredvoicesretreat.com Nuts & Bolts: 4:4, major, round Join this community of people who love to use song to help navigate life? Absolutely: https://dashboard.mailerlite.com/forms/335811/81227018071442567/share Help us keep going: reviews, comments, encouragement, plus contributions... we float on your support. https://www.abreathofsong.com/gratitude-jar.html
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Song: In the Spring
Music by: Yuri Woodstock Notes: Yuri Woodstock describes himself as the "bossy pirate in the middle of the room" when songleading, and tells a supernatural story of his phone bringing him song advice. He also describes why he thinks his song gatherings have grown so large, why he's now living in a "housey-house" (and what he did before), how literally letting his hair down helped him "tease out the subtle mystery" of what makes him feel most like himself. Fortunately for us, that includes songleading and writing this joyous spring round. You'll learn it with me (and hopefully not mess it up with me when I go a bit wonkers at one point!) We talk about the importance of noticing when you're okay, not giving "the stank-eye" to people who miss notes, and how his brother, Jonah, helps kickstart his songs. Songwriter Info: Yuri Woodstock is a community song leader based in Asheville, NC, who has run the now 180-member Hark! Community Choir for the past seven years. It is a non-performing, non-auditioned group that sings for joy and connection. He specializes in quick teaches of layer songs and SATB bangers that are easy to learn and fun to sing. Often Hark! feels like a singing dance party. Sharing Info: Fully free, no donation requested Song Learning Time Stamps: Start time of teaching: 00:04:44 Start time of reprise: 01:02:21 Links: Yuri's website: https://www.weringlikebells.com/ Yuri's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/weringlikebells/ Village Fire: http://www.villagefiresinging.org/ Jonah Woodstock: https://www.woodstockbookstock.com/ Community Choir Leadership Training – CCLT: https://www.communitychoirleadership.com/ Tebe Poem: https://www.omniglot.com/songs/bcc/tebepoem.htm The Wild Ashville Community chorus with Susannah Park: https://www.wildashevillecommunitychorus.com/about-1 Laurence Cole: Let Things Ripen and Then Fall: https://www.laurencecole.com/album/let-things-ripen/ Shireen Amini: The Sun Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vLa23Lfe5w Bex Lipps: Take Your Medicine: https://music.apple.com/au/album/take-your-medicine-single/1729594936 Karly Loveling: I’ve Got a Fire: https://karlyloveling.bandcamp.com/track/ive-got-a-fire-2 Alexa Sunshine Rose: Pool of Love: https://alexasunshinerose.bandcamp.com/track/pool-of-love Kira Seto: https://www.instagram.com/kira.is.singing/ Heather Houston: https://www.instagram.com/heatherhoustonmusic/ “We contain multitudes.” - Walt Whitman: https://poets.org/poem/song-myself-51 “Shrinking”: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt15677150/ Laurence Cole: “Notice where you are” from "Attention is the Healer": https://www.laurencecole.com/album/attention-is-the-healer/ The Strokes: "Is This It": https://music.apple.com/us/album/is-this-it/266376953 Double syrinx birds – veery or hermit thrush: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Hermit_Thrush/sounds The Bowerbirds: “Tuck the Darkness In”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZeFTPj8zljQ Nuts & Bolts: 4:4, major, round Join this community of people who love to use song to help navigate life? Absolutely: https://dashboard.mailerlite.com/forms/335811/81227018071442567/share Help us keep going: reviews, comments, encouragement, plus contributions... we float on your support. https://www.abreathofsong.com/gratitude-jar.html 4/23/2025 0 Comments 187. Where Am I Going To?
Song: Where Am I Going To?
Music by: Patricia Norton Notes: I heard adrienne maree brown describe humans as "bags of water" -- humans on average are around 60% water.... like a delta, or the land around a pond or river with its banks, or a bathtub and its water pipes -- we are a way of shaping water -- we are, literally, a flow. This song was born in motion, the kind of walking where the rhythm of your steps and breath becomes the soundscape, and you can release everything else, dropping into the flow. Songwriter Info: Patricia loves to walk fast from one spring wildflower to the next -- averages out to a stroll! Sharing Info: Please share freely, and let people know about A Breath of Song when you do. Song Learning Time Stamps: Start time of teaching: 00:03:19 Start time of reprise: 00:11:40 Links: Flow Singing: https://www.juneberrymusic.com/flow-singing.html All of what I'm up to: https://www.juneberrymusic.com/ Kindred Voices Retreat: https://kindredvoicesretreat.com Nuts & Bolts: 4:4, major, round or 3 layers Join this community of people who love to use song to help navigate life? Absolutely: https://dashboard.mailerlite.com/forms/335811/81227018071442567/share Help us keep going: reviews, comments, encouragement, plus contributions... we float on your support. https://www.abreathofsong.com/gratitude-jar.html 9/18/2024 0 Comments 161. Good Friend
Song: Good Friend
Music by: Jan Harmon Notes: Both harbor and freedom, connection and release, seasons and timelessness. Jan Harmon's song, written in 1985, has generous space for harmonies, and impels us singers forward, as though we were the sail catching the wind. I love the feeling of holding and letting go as I sing this song -- it helps me grieve, helps rejoice, helps me open, helps me curl up... I wonder what you will experience as you sing it with me? Songwriter Info: Jan Harmon (1940-1993) was a published poet, a writer of short stories and biographical non-fiction, as well as a prolific composer of choral music, topical songs, ballads, rounds, musicals, and instrumental pieces. She was born in Saginaw, Michigan and lived in many places from southern California to Maine. Sharing Info: When sharing in a money-making venture, like a workshop, class, or performance, please contact Scott at Harmon Publishing for permission and rates: https://harmonpublishing.com/contact.php Song Learning Time Stamps: Start time of teaching: 00:02:47 Start time of reprise: 00:16:25 Links: Song info on the Harmon Publishing website (including a sheet music PDF): https://www.harmonpublishing.com/jan/music/library/good-friend Nuts & Bolts: 2:2, minor, round Join this community of people who love to use song to help navigate life? Absolutely: https://dashboard.mailerlite.com/forms/335811/81227018071442567/share Help us keep going: reviews, comments, encouragement, plus contributions... we float on your support. https://www.abreathofsong.com/gratitude-jar.html
Song: The Change
Music by: Mary L. Cohen Notes: “My dad played the copper fish mold.” — aren’t you curious now? Listen in as Mary Cohen and I explore family music, personal structures for improvisation, creating connections between incarcerated and not-incarcerated people, and more… We wander a bit through grief and disconnection and finding what is, in a conversation that’s real and messy and touches on fear and joy, building a caring community for ourselves, our neighbors, the global world… living with regret and streaming grace to the person we were when we made a mistake; restoring connection. It’s a glimpse of the rich variety of resources Mary draws on as she shapes her life… I hope to add some into mine. Songwriter Info: Mary L. Cohen, Professor of Music Education at the University of Iowa, is lead author of Music-Making in U.S. Prisons: Listening to Incarcerated Voices (2022). She co-founded the International Music and Justice Network: IMAJIN Caring Communities, a group of researchers from 18 countries who study music-making in prisons, and you are welcome to join by contacting Mary to get on the group email list ([email protected]). From 2009 to 2020 she led the Oakdale Community Choir with incarcerated and non-incarcerated participants where participants have written over 150 songs, and the Oakdale Choir performed over 75 of these songs, available with the Creative Commons License. To continue working toward the choir’s goals of building communities of caring through singing and songwriting, she founded the Inside Outside Songwriting Collaboration Project where partnerships between incarcerated and non-incarcerated songwriters create original songs, build relationships, and learn about transformative and generative justice. She has been a keynote for conferences in Germany, Canada, and Portugal, interviewed by the BBC3 Music Matters, and has over 40 publications in journal articles, book chapters, and conference proceedings. She leads weekly music groups inside the Juvenile Detention Center of Linn County. Sharing Info: The song is free to share, and Mary welcomes networking support and invites you to further your education and activism regarding environmental justice, restorative/transformative/generative justice, and simply acting with kindness to all you encounter. Song Learning Time Stamps: Start time of teaching: 00:05:45 Start time of reprise: 01:07:58 Links:
Nuts & Bolts: 6:8, minor, round Join the A Breath of Song Mailing list to receive a heads up as a new episode is released, plus a large version of the artwork, brief thoughts from my slightly peculiar brain... and occasional extras when they seem vitally important! No junk -- I will never sell your address. I read out all your names into my living room when I send new mailings... I appreciate the connection to you who are listening and singing these songs with me. https://dashboard.mailerlite.com/forms/335811/81227018071442567/share Exchange energy with A Breath of Song with dollars at the Gratitude Jar (whoo-hoo!!!!), or by making comments, leaving reviews, suggesting songs or songwriters (including yourself) ..... your participation matters! https://www.abreathofsong.com/gratitude-jar.html 4/16/2024 0 Comments 143. Love Stays
Song: Love Stays
Music by: Laszlo Slomovits Notes: Laszlo Slomovits gives us a sweet song of life transition -- and the love that stays constant as things shift. I'm singing through the end of a cold (I did edit out the coughing fit!) -- and it reminds me that one of the unique things about this podcast is that it's not all about me delivering album quality polish to you -- it's about you learning these songs, and taking them into your life -- YOU are the one who lets them into your life, singing them in ways that help navigate whatever you face, sharing them with others as you are moved. And all through this change that we are experiencing, love stays... Songwriter Info: Laszlo Slomovits is one of the twin brothers in the folk music duo Gemini. Besides his work with music for children, Laszlo has also set to music the poetry of the ancient Sufi mystics, Rumi and Hafiz (five recordings are available on the website) as well as classic and contemporary American poetry. He is also a published writer of both haiku and lyric poetry. Sharing Info: The song is free to share in oral tradition groups, but please contact Laszlo for recording and/or performing permission. Song Learning Time Stamps: Start time of teaching: 00:03:44 Start time of reprise: 00:12:20 Links: Gemini Children's Music: http://geminichildrensmusic.com/ Nuts & Bolts: 4:4, major, round Join the A Breath of Song Mailing list (https://dashboard.mailerlite.com/forms/335811/81227018071442567/share) to receive a heads up as a new episode is released, plus a large version of the artwork, brief thoughts from my slightly peculiar brain... and occasional extras when they seem vitally important! No junk -- I will never sell your address. I read out all your names into my living room when I send new mailings... I appreciate the connection to you who are listening and singing these songs with me. Exchange energy with A Breath of Song with dollars at the Gratitude Jar (https://www.abreathofsong.com/gratitude-jar.html) (whoo-hoo!!!!), or by making comments, leaving reviews, suggesting songs or songwriters (including yourself) ..... your participation matters! 3/17/2024 0 Comments 139. Bend and Rebound
Song: Bend and Rebound
Music by: Heidi Wilson Notes: Heidi is an incredible resource for songs connected with the natural world -- and this one turns to willows, with their ability to give and spring, bend and rebound. Next week, Heidi and I get to talk about how she accesses her own rebound during winter and other times. We ponder the urge to help, the balance of local and travel, and Heidi describes what she is "on a rampage" about... including a request for listeners regarding a cave! I hope you can join us... Songwriter Info: Heidi Wilson has a passion for sharing 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 healing. She is drawn to the potent and surprising journey of deep-listening and collaborative emergent music making. Heidi has been leading community singing groups in Vermont for the last 15 years and currently sings with the vocal trio Heartwood. Sharing Info: Heidi says: "I’m on an ongoing journey figuring out how to share songs (that feel like generous gifts from the world) while also making a living as a songweaver. I am happy for the songs coming through me to be shared! If people are singing them in informal, community, or ritual settings that’s awesome, sing away! If people are sharing them in a setting where they are making a bunch of money or there is a budget for educational/repertoire materials and they are able to pass some of those resources my way I appreciate that. I would feel good about that reciprocity coming in the form of a one time donation, or by joining me on Patreon and supporting my songweaving work at any monthly level. And if you are interested in recording any of these songs let’s talk! Looking for recordings of more songs? I mostly share music through Patreon, an online platform to support artists. On my Patreon site I’ve posted 80+ songs. Each post has downloadable practice recordings of the harmony parts. And through Patreon I also link to a spreadsheet where the songs are organized into categories, so you can listen through and find just the right song for Spring, or Gratitude, or Trees." Song Learning Time Stamps: Start time of teaching: 00:03:38 Start time of reprise: 00:11:42 Links: Heidi's Website: www.heidiannwilson.com Heidi's Patreon: www.patreon.com/HeidiWilson Heartwood Trio's Website: www.Heartwoodtrio.com Nuts & Bolts: 4:4, Ionian (major), 2-part round with harmony Join the A Breath of Song Mailing list (https://dashboard.mailerlite.com/forms/335811/81227018071442567/share) to receive a heads up as a new episode is released, plus a large version of the artwork, brief thoughts from my slightly peculiar brain... and occasional extras when they seem vitally important! No junk -- I will never sell your address. I read out all your names into my living room when I send new mailings... I appreciate the connection to you who are listening and singing these songs with me. Exchange energy with A Breath of Song with dollars at the Gratitude Jar (https://www.abreathofsong.com/gratitude-jar.html) (whoo-hoo!!!!), or by making comments, leaving reviews, suggesting songs or songwriters (including yourself) ..... your participation matters! 2/28/2024 8 Comments 137. Kick Up Your Heels!
Song: Kick Up Your Heels!
Music: Patricia Norton Notes: You know how sometimes happiness just bubbles up inside you and it feels like the world is unbelievably sweet? And then maybe, you get a little voice that says, "If you notice it, it's gonna disappear!" Or, "Don't be too happy, it attracts bad luck!" Or any other little fear message that says it's not okay to be purely happy for a moment? This song was my way of letting that go, dancing crazy around my living room and kitchen, lifting my hands high, high and releasing into the glow! On February 24th, 2024, A Breath of Song reached 51.5k downloads and we opened registration for our first-ever retreat... and we sang this song in a crowded Zoom room to celebrate big. Songwriter Info: In addition to hosting this podcast and an online singing program, Pocket Songs, Patricia is excited to be developing an in-person community singing program in Burlington, Vermont. You can find more details about that at the Juneberry Music site. Patricia believes in singing as a part of vibrant well-being, experiencing wholeness, courage, connection and joy along with brokenness, fear, loneliness, and despair... trusting the whole messy catastrophe! She lives with her long-time beloved, Tom, in a small townhouse close to their daughter's family (the better to play with their grand). Patricia reads widely, and also spends time exploring the natural world on these Abenaki lands, knitting, and reluctantly strength-training. Sharing Info: You are welcome to share this song; please contact Patricia directly for sheet music or permission to record or perform. She always appreciates hearing about how the song travels. Song Learning Time Stamps: Start time of teaching: 00:03:37 Start time of reprise: 00:12:34 Links: Patricia's Website: https://www.juneberrymusic.com A Breath of Song on Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/juneberrymusic A Breath of Song on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abreathofsongpodcast Nuts & Bolts: 4:4, aeolian with some chromaticism, round Join the A Breath of Song Mailing list (https://dashboard.mailerlite.com/forms/335811/81227018071442567/share) to receive a heads up as a new episode is released, plus a large version of the artwork, brief thoughts from my slightly peculiar brain... and occasional extras when they seem vitally important! No junk -- I will never sell your address. I read out all your names into my living room when I send new mailings... I appreciate the connection to you who are listening and singing these songs with me. Exchange energy with A Breath of Song with dollars at the Gratitude Jar (whoo-hoo!!!!) (https://www.abreathofsong.com/gratitude-jar.html) or by making comments, leaving reviews, suggesting songs or songwriters (including yourself) ..... your participation matters!
Notes: Chandler Yorkhall has written one of my favorite full moon songs, as I rarely sleep well during a full moon! I am delighted to have gotten to record this with my daughter, Rebecca -- laughter ensues, and we ended up including an "outtake", where we experiment with rounding the song much more closely than usual... just to see what happens (and okay, yes, maybe it's a train wreck, but then we tried again!) I love the dancing rhythms of this, and appreciated Chandler's willingness to listen to how I'd learned to sing it. He pointed out a few spots which differed from his original so we could bring you a fairly accurate rendition of his original. As good songs travel, they sometimes morph...
Songwriter Info: Chandler grew up singing with his family and can’t remember a time when singing wasn’t part of his daily life. He has been writing, leading, and getting inspired by songs since he was a teen, and songs have saved his sanity more times than he can remember. He is so pleased to be able to share his joy through sharing his songs. Chandler lives in Minneapolis with his wife and 4 children, who also love to sing! He's never really settled on a parenting “philosophy” per se, until his two teen daughters returned from their first Village Harmony camp, singing lustily in praise of everything good. At that point he said to himself, “Well, if my children leave my home knowing how to sing, I guess I’ll have done them, and the world, a great service.” Sharing Info: Yes -The song is free to share in oral tradition groups, but please contact Chandler for recording, performing, or publication permission. Song Learning Time Stamps: Start time of teaching: 00:03:50 Start time of reprise: 00:17:37 Nuts & Bolts: 3:4, Aeolian minor, round Join the A Breath of Song mailing list to receive a heads up as a new episode is released, plus a large version of the artwork, brief thoughts from my slightly peculiar brain... and occasional extras when they seem vitally important! No junk -- I will never sell your address. I read out all your names into my living room when I send new mailings... I appreciate the connection to you who are listening and singing these songs with me. Exchange energy with A Breath of Song with dollars at the Gratitude Jar (whoo-hoo!!!!), or by making comments, leaving reviews, suggesting songs or songwriters (including yourself) ..... your participation matters! 9/13/2023 0 Comments 117. September Round
Notes: Catherine Young, a poet deeply rooted in the Driftless region of Wisconsin, USA, gives us a wistful melody in the ancient Dorian mode -- a minor scale that has a beautiful, lifted sixth degree that gives it a particular flavor you'll come to know well by singing this with me. In the northern hemisphere, fall is upon us -- the equinox approaching -- and this song carries with it the beauty of this time, and the grief of letting go of summer. I teach the melody first, just letting my mouth form shapes to really get to know this beautiful tune -- you can create your own shapes, and then round it with me, or on your own -- or stay with the original melody. So many options!
Songwriter Info: Catherine Young is a writer and performing artist whose work is infused with a keen sense of place. She is author of the ecopoetry collection Geosmin and the environmental memoir Black Diamonds. Her weekly podcast Landward:Readings of Place and Season is available online from WDRT. Rooted in farm life, Catherine lives with her family in Wisconsin's Driftless Area where she is totally in love with meandering streams. She holds concern for water and deeply believes in the use of story and art as tools for transforming the world. Sharing Info: Yes -- The song is free to share but Catherine always welcome financial and/or networking support. Please contact her to purchase sheet music. Links: "September Round" is from the song almanac Rounding the Year which can be purchased in print or as pdf from Catherine: [email protected] You can also request to be put on her mailing list. For writings and recordings, visit Catherine's website: http://www.catherineyoungwriter.com/ Podcasts: https://wdrt.org/landward/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/catherineyoungwriter Live online international book launch conversation for her book Black Diamonds: a Childhood Colored by Coal. Thursday, September 28, 2023 6 PM Central Time (7pm eastern). LINK FOR EVENT: https://www.crowdcast.io/c/black-diamonds Song Learning Time Stamps: Start time of teaching: 00:03:53 Start time of reprise: 00:17:53 Nuts & Bolts: 4:4, Dorian, round Join the A Breath of Song mailing list to receive a heads up as a new episode is released, plus a large version of the artwork, brief thoughts from my slightly peculiar brain... and occasional extras when they seem vitally important! No junk -- I will never sell your address. I read out all your names into my living room when I send new mailings... I appreciate the connection to you who are listening and singing these songs with me. Exchange energy with A Breath of Song with dollars at the Gratitude Jar (whoo-hoo!!!!), or by making comments, leaving reviews, suggesting songs or songwriters (including yourself) ..... your participation matters! 6/21/2023 0 Comments 107. As A Seal Upon Thy Heart
Notes: Ali Burns gives us a beautiful two-part song that can also be a round... it feels like very exposed singing to me, and there's a way in which committing to what feels vulnerable in my voice, both high and low, also feels powerful and affirming. The ancient words resonate with longing for connection beyond death with those whom we love... and to me, are a reminder that can't force anyone into accepting love -- we can only offer.
Songwriter Info: Ali has built her reputation over the past 30 years as one of the UK’s prominent workshop leaders for community choirs. Many of her songs have found their way into the repertoire and hearts of singers across the UK, and increasingly, Canada, the USA and Australia. Her work is published by Faber, Sing Up! and Oxford University Press. Sharing Info: You can hear and buy a copy of the song for £5 from www.aliburns.co.uk Please visit her online shop for information about permissions: https://aliburns.co.uk/shop/licensing/song-licence/ Links: Ali's Website: www.aliburns.co.uk Song Learning Time Stamps: Start time of teaching: 00:03:08 Start time of reprise: 00:14:38 Nuts & Bolts: 4:4 major, 2-part layer, round optional Join the A Breath of Song mailing list to receive a heads up as a new episode is released, plus a large version of the artwork, brief thoughts from my slightly peculiar brain... and occasional extras when they seem vitally important! No junk -- I will never sell your address. I read out all your names into my living room when I send new mailings... I appreciate the connection to you who are listening and singing these songs with me. Exchange energy with A Breath of Song with dollars at the Gratitude Jar (whoo-hoo!!!!), or by making comments, leaving reviews, suggesting songs or songwriters (including yourself) ..... your participation matters! 4/12/2023 0 Comments 98. Between Nothing and Everything
Notes: Angela Gabriel has given us a brilliant setting based on words by Nisargadatta Maharaj, “Wisdom is knowing I am nothing, Love is knowing I am everything, and between the two my life moves.” The first line twists around on itself disappears into nothingness. The second line starts an octave away and drops into the security of "everything." Then, on a note in the middle of the two starting pitches, and in 6:8 instead of 3:4, the song begins to dance and flow, and ends on a slightly surprised major third. You don't have to know any of that for it to work its magic, though -- simply let it wind into your body as a beautiful melodic invitation to release. I'll be singing this one to myself long after this podcast is wrapped up, reminding me of both-and, flow, fluidity.
Songwriter Info: Angela is a professional percussionist & pianist and community music/community singing facilitator. She lived in Santa Fe NM for the last 20 years, where she played with the opera, symphony, chamber music festival, as well as in African, Haitian, and samba gatherings, funk and ragtime bands. She just moved to Bloomington, Indiana in the end of 2022. Angela's mission in life is to facilitate expressive creative, musical, and vocal experiences and to encourage folks to replace judgement with curiosity and open themselves to their unique, creative flow. Part of how Angela does this is by singing and drumming online weekly with people living with Parkinson’s and other movement disorders. Sharing Info: This song is free to share but Angela always welcomes financial and/or networking support if/when folks are so moved. Links: Angela's website: www.AngelaGabriel.me Support Angela's work: find songs, rhythmic activities, and more at patreon.com/AngelaGabriel Check out Hidden Whale, Angela's old band (she's the drummer): https://youtube.com/channel/UCpxdVqwSxzEBhgUilN3qQLg Nisargadatta Maharaj: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nisargadatta_Maharaj Nuts & Bolts: 3:4, Aeolian with major final third, round Join the A Breath of Song mailing list to receive a heads up as a new episode is released, plus a large version of the artwork, brief thoughts from my slightly peculiar brain... and occasional extras when they seem vitally important! No junk -- I will never sell your address. I read out all your names into my living room when I send new mailings... I appreciate the connection to you who are listening and singing these songs with me. Exchange energy with A Breath of Song with dollars at the Gratitude Jar (whoo-hoo!!!!), or by making comments, leaving reviews, suggesting songs or songwriters (including yourself) ..... your participation matters! 12/14/2022 0 Comments 81. Light Returning
Notes: I love the way Emma's song ushers in the darkness and turning of the seasons with a lilt that includes a trust that the light will return. There's a softness and acceptance to the song that makes it easier to be present with the turning. Emma says the song "was born on a winter walk during Covid restrictions in the UK. I was finding some comfort in the unruffled flow of the seasons - 'time's soft unfolding'. 21st December is my late father's birthday as well as winter solstice, so this song is dedicated to him - I think he would have liked the words and the structure."
Songwriter Info: Emma has been singing all her life and enjoys all styles of song and ensemble! When her daughter was born in 2018, she began an acapella singing group for local mums, and after joining the Singing Mamas network in 2020, was inspired to start writing her own songs, for herself, for her groups and songsharing colleagues. Links: Find Emma's album 'Light Returning' on Bandcamp https://emmamutter.bandcamp.com/album/light-returning You can also find newer songs on her Facebook page www.facebook.com/emmamuttermusic Contact Emma by email [email protected] to buy the score (suggested contribution up to £5) and/or purchase the song on Bandcamp if you'd like to share this song as a songleader. Please contact Emma directly for recording or performing permissions. Song Learning Time Stamps: Start time of teaching: 00:00:47 Start time of reprise: 00:15:38 Nuts & Bolts: 2:2, Aeolian (minor), harmonized melody with option of a round. Join the A Breath of Song mailing list to receive a heads up as a new episode is released, plus a large version of the artwork, brief thoughts from my slightly peculiar brain... and occasional extras when they seem vitally important! No junk -- I will never sell your address. I read out all your names into my living room when I send new mailings... I appreciate the connection to you who are listening and singing these songs with me. Exchange energy with A Breath of Song with dollars at the Gratitude Jar (whoo-hoo!!!!), or by making comments, leaving reviews, suggesting songs or songwriters (including yourself) ..... your participation matters! 4/20/2022 2 Comments 46. We Are the Way
Notes: I came across We Are the Way in 2020 when I was joyfully listening through Annie Zylstra’s online collection in Heartland Harmony – if you love songs and haven’t found her library yet, you are in for a huge treat! Annie had this song, which lifted my heart and became a touchstone song for me in very short order. She explains that Christine Kick was living in her basement during a major home renovation that was taking longer than expected, and she found herself feeling a little shamefaced when friends would ask, “How’s it going?”, as it very much WASN’T… and then she reminded herself to celebrate the difference & distance she had come. We’ve just moved out of our home for 22 years to a new community, we’re unpacking boxes, searching for things in new places, slowly starting to meet new people… I am using this reminder on the regular!
Songwriter Info: Christine has been writing songs ever since she was a kid, growing up singing in choirs, and playing flute, guitar, piano, hand drums, etc. She wrote We Are the Way in 2016. She teaches yoga as a way to harness more energy for life by overcoming our limitations and fears - energy that can then be applied to any passion or pursuit that fills us up! Christine believes that music is medicine, especially singing since it opens the throat chakra which allows energy to flow. Her mission is to inspire others to live their best life possible and show up for their heart's true calling.... and music is part of and parcel of who she is and what she does. When we connected for permission for me to use this song, she was in Costa Rica travelling, and sharing songs. Christine enjoys leading and hosting song circles, kirtans, and music jams. Links: Find Christine's website here: Christine Kick on facebook as ChristineKick or Instagram as @acrounicorn Song Learning Time Stamps: Start time of teaching: 00:02:32 Start time of reprise: 00:12:29 Nuts & Bolts: 4:4, Mixolydian, round and layer Join the A Breath of Song mailing list to receive a heads up as a new episode is released, plus a large version of the artwork, brief thoughts from my slightly peculiar brain... and occasional extras when they seem vitally important! No junk -- I will never sell your address. I read out all your names into my living room when I send new mailings... I appreciate the connection to you who are listening and singing these songs with me. Exchange energy with A Breath of Song with dollars at the Gratitude Jar (whoo-hoo!!!!), or by making comments, leaving reviews, suggesting songs or songwriters (including yourself) ..... your participation matters! 2/16/2022 2 Comments 37. Lead With Your Heart, Friends
Notes: I love the bloom of trust I can feel inside myself after singing Ian Carrick's "Lead With Your Heart, Friends" for long enough to let it settle inside me. I find myself relaxing, trusting that my heart knows the way already, that the day can unfold and I can follow it without worry or fret. It's a generous gift of a song, and I'm happy to share it forward... including all my mess-ups and squidgely tuning (highly technical term right there!) I figure the point of this podcast is for YOU to do the singing and take this song away with you, make it your own, let yourself sing it when YOU need to hear its message; let the breath and the vibration take you where you want to go! Songwriter Info: Ian Carrick is a songleader, musician and songwriter based in his hometown of Bend, Oregon. He aspires to be a sort of modern-day bard, telling stories of the land, tending the heart of his people, singing for life with rhythmic refrains and refreshing harmonies. Ian has been honored to lead singing for students of all ages, educators, homeless shelter residents, recovering addicts, corporate groups and grief ceremonies. He is thrilled to have released his first album as a songwriter and is excited to carry the ethos of community singing into the conventional realm of performance music. Links: https://www.iancarrick.net Original songs by Ian for singing together can be found both at https://soundcloud.com/iancarrick and https://www.openhubsinging.com/song-library Listen to Ian himself sing this at Lead with Your Heart Ian made a sing-along-able album of family-oriented music in 2023 - Check out Earthlings streaming wherever you listen! Nuts & Bolts: 4:4, Ionian, round Song Learning Time Stamps: Start time of teaching: 00:02:38 Start time of reprise: 00:11:30 Join the A Breath of Song mailing list to receive a heads up as a new episode is released, plus a large version of the artwork, brief thoughts from my slightly peculiar brain... and occasional extras when they seem vitally important! No junk -- I will never sell your address. I read out all your names into my living room when I send new mailings... I appreciate the connection to you who are listening and singing these songs with me. Exchange energy with A Breath of Song with dollars at the Gratitude Jar (whoo-hoo!!!!), or by making comments, leaving reviews, suggesting songs or songwriters (including yourself) ..... your participation matters! 1/19/2022 11 Comments 33. There Is A Love
Notes: What does it take to allow you to fall to rest, deeply & completely? Rest is such a necessary component of healing, and sometimes can be tricky to come by -- unless I'm the only one awake at 2 in the morning sometimes, with my head spinning fruitless circles? Feeling completely safe -- completely loved -- is one of the things that lets me rest, slows the adrenalin responses, and lets my body and mind heal. This song does that for me... whew!!! The composer, Elizabeth Norton, points out: "Please note that there is no "you" verse. This is because Rev. Dr. Parker was very clear that this is a widening circle of Love and compassion that embraces all." We are each at the center of this song.
Songwriter Info: A life-long church musician, Elizabeth (Beth) Norton has served First Parish in Concord, Massachusetts as Director of Music Ministry since 1994, leading a dynamic adult choir and guiding a vital and varied music ministry for singers and instrumentalists of all ages and stages. She has led UU singers on concert pilgrimages to Eastern Europe, building musical bridges with Unitarian churches in Transylvania (Romania), Hungary and the Czech Republic. Beth received her bachelor’s degree with a major in music from Smith College and a master’s degree in choral conducting from Hartt School of Music, University of Hartford. As a composer, she has written several songs, chants and choral anthems that are currently available by contacting [email protected]. Beth says she had the great wisdom to marry into the Norton family in 1986. Her husband, Peter, is Tom Norton’s brother. Thus, she has the great good fortune (again, her own words!) to claim Patricia Norton as her sister-in-law and friend! Beth and Peter have two adult sons, who live in southern Vermont and near Boston Massachusetts. Beth and her family share a love of music, hiking, skiing, and birding. She usually has a knitting project on hand. Links: The score can be accessed through the UUA "Worship Web" here: https://www.uua.org/worship/words/music/there-love Hear a roomful of people singing There Is A Love (and catch a glimpse of Beth!): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlY7Yf-l8rU Nuts & Bolts: 3:4, major, round Join the A Breath of Song mailing list to receive a heads up as a new episode is released, plus a large version of the artwork, brief thoughts from my slightly peculiar brain... and occasional extras when they seem vitally important! No junk -- I will never sell your address. I read out all your names into my living room when I send new mailings... I appreciate the connection to you who are listening and singing these songs with me. Exchange energy with A Breath of Song with dollars at the Gratitude Jar (whoo-hoo!!!!), or by making comments, leaving reviews, suggesting songs or songwriters (including yourself) ..... your participation matters!
Notes: I told Heidi that when I learned this song from her recording, I had misheard it, and sang, "My inner child sings wild." She laughed with delight, and said, "Maybe you tapped in to what it is actually supposed to be!" Heidi is at home with change and improvisation and trusting her inner voice -- and the inner voice of others. Heidi shares the sound of her singing bowls, talks about being both shy with her voice and in love with music and singing, and where that led her. An overview of the physical benefits of singing, an exploration of how to connect singing with other arts, and more in this conversation which follows learning The Song Inside.
Songwriter Info: Heidi McCurdy is a singer, songwriter and sound healer with a passion for teaching, sharing and creative collaboration. Having cultivated her own intimate relationship with the Muse, Heidi is a believer in the profound medicine and magic of Music – its power to heal, transform, elevate and connect us all. She draws from a diverse tapestry of soul, jazz, folk and new age influences for her unique blend of Global Soul original music. Her songs have received awards and have been featured on TV and Canadian radio, and she has performed at jazz, wine and music festivals throughout Canada and Europe as well as local venues. She is known for her warm, soulful voice, and her love of tuning into the music of the moment through improvisation. Her lyrics resonate with the beauty of dreams, a vital connection with nature, and our collective power to create positive change. Recently she has been exploring songwriting styles designed specifically for song circles, singing meditation and encouraging vocal expression. As well as creating and performing, Heidi also leads transformational voice programs and community song circles. Guided by the Muse, she specializes in helping others to free their authentic voice and wild, creative spirit. Links: Heidi's website: www.heidimccurdy.com Heidi's facebook: www.facebook.com/heidimccurdymusic Songroots -- https://songroots.ca/songroots-summer-camp2021/ Avalon: Web of Magic by Rachel Roberts Stevie Wonder: Songs in the Key of Life -- the link goes to the Wikipedia article about the album; you can buy or listen wherever you choose Amber Lily: Wild Dominique Fils-Aimé: The Red Nuts & Bolts: 12:8, Mixolydian with flat 6 (and sometimes a flat 3!), and a round. Join the A Breath of Song mailing list to receive a heads up as a new episode is released, plus a large version of the artwork, brief thoughts from my slightly peculiar brain... and occasional extras when they seem vitally important! No junk -- I will never sell your address. I read out all your names into my living room when I send new mailings... I appreciate the connection to you who are listening and singing these songs with me. Exchange energy with A Breath of Song with dollars at the Gratitude Jar (whoo-hoo!!!!), or by making comments, leaving reviews, suggesting songs or songwriters (including yourself) ..... your participation matters! 10/20/2021 6 Comments 20. Great-Full with guest Ishka Shir
Notes: Ishka talks about music making while hiking and cuddling, the influence of her singing mother, the difference between singing alone and in large groups, kitchen singing, good food, how songmaking could be available to anyone, and why she sometimes says she doesn't like music (!) And in with all that, she shares this song which originated as a walking song, but can be used in many moods... and I get to sing along so you can hear how it rounds... we can imagine ourselves in the kitchen making a yummy fall soup, singing together.... feeling grateful.
Songwriter Info: Ishka is someone who sings from their heart. She has been making up songs since she was a child and has been sharing songs at community song circles since 2007. Ishka integrates song into most aspects of their life which include, hiking, gardening, cooking, biking, and cuddling clients. Professionally Ishka is a therapeutic cuddler in Asheville NC. Ishka is especially drawn to songs that have simple yet powerful lyrics and believes that songs can help us heal. Links: How Could Anyone Ever Tell You? by Libby Roderick (this is a live recording of Libby's with a story at the beginning; the song starts at about 3'20") Aimée Ringle site: http://www.aimeeringlemusic.com/ Lyndsey Scott: to find more about her, I'm going to direct you to Episode #16, which features a song of Lyndsey's and all her multitudinous contact info! Ishka's Soundcloud site- https://soundcloud.com/user-943187430 Ishka directly shares many mantra-like songs Ishka's Therapeutic Cuddling website- holdmeavl.com Song Learning Time Stamps: Start time of teaching: 00:02:36 Start time of reprise: 00:32:55 Nuts & Bolts: 4:4, Ionian (major scale), 2-part layer or round. Join the A Breath of Song mailing list to receive a heads up as a new episode is released, plus a large version of the artwork, brief thoughts from my slightly peculiar brain... and occasional extras when they seem vitally important! No junk -- I will never sell your address. I read out all your names into my living room when I send new mailings... I appreciate the connection to you who are listening and singing these songs with me. Exchange energy with A Breath of Song with dollars at the Gratitude Jar (whoo-hoo!!!!), or by making comments, leaving reviews, suggesting songs or songwriters (including yourself) ..... your participation matters! 10/13/2021 2 Comments 19. You've Got To Move Slow
Notes: Ishka Shir says, "I created You've Got To Move Slow when I was hiking an area called Shining Rock wilderness in North Carolina. It was part of a healing from an abusive narcissistic relationship that I had been in." I learned it from Aimée Ringle at a Zoom circle, then shared it first with my Pocket Songs singing group in the summer of 2020. Personally, this song gives me a sense that I, myself, can create the space I need to heal. I love the practical, grounded approach Ishka has to singing and song making.... and for the next episode, #20, I get to have a conversation with them!!! Our conversation covers a lot of ground, and she shares a song of theirs that I've loved since I first heard it in the spring of 2020 when she and two of their good friends recorded a few "Fermentation Station" videos of songs to share.
Songwriter Info: Ishka is someone who sings from their heart. She has been making up songs since she was a child and has been sharing songs at community song circles since 2007. Ishka integrates song into most aspects of their life which include, hiking, gardening, cooking, biking, and cuddling clients. Professionally Ishka is a therapeutic cuddler in Asheville NC. Ishka is especially drawn to songs that have simple yet powerful lyrics and believes that songs can help us heal. Links: Ishka's Soundcloud site- https://soundcloud.com/user-943187430 Ishka's Therapeutic Cuddling website- holdmeavl.com Nuts & Bolts: 2:2, mostly Aeolian minor (the harmony is mostly Dorian), either unison, harmonized, or round. Join the A Breath of Song mailing list to receive a heads up as a new episode is released, plus a large version of the artwork, brief thoughts from my slightly peculiar brain... and occasional extras when they seem vitally important! No junk -- I will never sell your address. I read out all your names into my living room when I send new mailings... I appreciate the connection to you who are listening and singing these songs with me. Exchange energy with A Breath of Song with dollars at the Gratitude Jar (whoo-hoo!!!!), or by making comments, leaving reviews, suggesting songs or songwriters (including yourself) ..... your participation matters! 10/6/2021 6 Comments 18. The Truth
Notes: I was so surprised when I first learned this song from Roy Willey by how difficult it was for me to actually sing these words to myself. One of the beautiful things about mantra singing -- short phrases, repeated over and over -- is that you have time to notice how it feels to sing these particular words. You have time to get distracted and come back. And if you hear yourself singing the words often enough, maybe they become less surprising? I sent the email list a description of how I think this particular melody supports -- ensounds? -- these words. (You can join the list, too, by signing up on the homepage. (Scroll a bit...))
Macrina Wiederkehr, O.S.B., wrote a book called Seven Sacred Pauses: Living Mindfully Through the Hours of the Day. Velma chose texts and moments from this book to create a collection of 28 songs to sing during these pauses, which is available in CD and book form on her website, www.velmafryemusic.com. I love the way this particular song invites me to look at myself anew. Songwriter info: Velma's mother gave her the choice of washing the dishes or practicing the piano, so Velma became a musician! With six years of college music training, she was confident to diversify into singing, teaching piano and leading choral groups, performing (including 9 times on "A Prairie Home Companion"), and recording six solo CDs. As she was ripening into middle age, she wrote this song, "The Truth," using words by Macrina Wiekerkehr, for singing circles. For the past year, Velma taught piano and Song Salons weekly on zoom, and was a guest two times on Heather Houston's online singing classes. Particularly fun was a Happy Hour that Velma and Becky Reardon offered to a national audience on zoom. More to come! Links: Velma's website https://www.velmafryemusic.com/ Velma on facebook https://www.facebook.com/velmafryemusic Seven Sacred Pauses https://www.facebook.com/SevenSacredPauses Velma on youtube https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=velma+frye Nuts & Bolts: 4:4, unison or round, mixolydian flat-6 scale (sometimes called major-minor scale because the first half is major, and the second half is minor.) Join the A Breath of Song mailing list to receive a heads up as a new episode is released, plus a large version of the artwork, brief thoughts from my slightly peculiar brain... and occasional extras when they seem vitally important! No junk -- I will never sell your address. I read out all your names into my living room when I send new mailings... I appreciate the connection to you who are listening and singing these songs with me. Exchange energy with A Breath of Song with dollars at the Gratitude Jar (whoo-hoo!!!!), or by making comments, leaving reviews, suggesting songs or songwriters (including yourself) ..... your participation matters! 9/29/2021 10 Comments 17. Ancient Green
Notes: Kathleen says she caught this comforting song while lying on a huge rock next to the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia, crying her heart out over a relationship that was transforming. A beautiful oak tree was growing out of the rock, and as the song was born her sorrowful feelings washed through with the sound of the river, and she was left feeling whole, and at peace with the way things were. She also shared this story with me, "One time I sang the song in a show with a group of women drummers. Their teacher, a lovely African man, also played with us in the concert and rehearsal. After I taught them in the rehearsal and we had played it for a while, the African drummer told me that the song felt like an African song to him. That was one of my happiest moments, since I have for so long felt inspired by African diaspora music. And I did not really feel like I wrote that song... it just came through as a whole as I cried by the river."
Songwriter info: Kathleen has been writing, collecting and sharing songs for over 50 years. Her songs were awarded a North Carolina Arts Council Songwriter Fellowship. She currently leads the Bodies, Voices & Spirit Choruses in North Carolina and Maine, and is also a Dances of Universal Peace leader. She's a student of the Heart, and she facilitates The Work of Byron Katie. Links: Kathleen's blogpost & recording of Ancient Green with guitar, bass, piano, and drum. (So much fun to sing with!) https://www.kathleenhannan.com/song-blog/songs-for-our-journey-26 Kathleen's online presence: www.kathleenhannan.com Kathleen's chorus: https://bodiesvoicesandspirit.weebly.com/ Kathleen's song blog, which is searchable by title, subject or excerpts from lyrics: https://www.kathleenhannan.com/song-blog Kathleen's most recent CD is Seen & Unseen: Songs from the Light of Midlife Purchase CD here: https://www.kathleenhannan.com/seen--unseen-cd1.html Lyrics are here: https://www.kathleenhannan.com/lyrics--credits.html Photos from the recording process: https://www.kathleenhannan.com/photos.html Nuts & Bolts: 4:4, Ionian (major), round with possible harmonies, or optionally could be taught as a layer song Join the A Breath of Song mailing list to receive a heads up as a new episode is released, plus a large version of the artwork, brief thoughts from my slightly peculiar brain... and occasional extras when they seem vitally important! No junk -- I will never sell your address. I read out all your names into my living room when I send new mailings... I appreciate the connection to you who are listening and singing these songs with me. Exchange energy with A Breath of Song with dollars at the Gratitude Jar (whoo-hoo!!!!), or by making comments, leaving reviews, suggesting songs or songwriters (including yourself) ..... your participation matters! 7/14/2021 9 Comments 6. Be Open
Notes To be open to the possibility of something wonderful happening seems both counter-intuitive in the middle of the pandemic and multiple crises, and also surprisingly comforting and hopeful. And indeed, wonderful things are happening in addition to what's hard and perplexing and dismaying. I love how I feel lighter after singing this -- I wonder how you feel? Debbie said she wrote this song to help a couple people in her life that were going through difficult times. She says it is a great song to help manifest a dream into being -- you can think of something you want to come into your life and sing that into being, to embody it as you sing and to really see it happening, to call it in for yourself. Songwriter info Debbie Nargi-Brown started singing and dancing on the day she was born! A gifted community song leader, an award-winning dance teacher, and a talented songwriter, she offers her songs with love, compassion, and the hope of bringing joy and healing to others. Debbie’s lyrics and melodies are sung all over the world. She writes songs for the heart, healing, transformation, love, grief, and all that connects us as human beings. Bringing people together in dance and song is one of her greatest joys in life! Be one of the first to know as new episodes are released, plus a large version of the artwork, brief thoughts from my slightly peculiar brain... and occasional extras when they seem vitally important! No junk -- I will never sell your address. I read out all your names into my living room when I send new mailings... I appreciate the connection to you who are listening and singing these songs with me. Click here. You can connect with Debbie and her work at debbienargi-brown.com Support Debbie directly by buying "Be Open" on Debbie's Bandcamp: debbienargi-brown.bandcamp.com/album/grief-joy Song Learning Time Stamps: Start time of teaching: 00:02:09 Start time of reprise: 00:10:00 Nuts and Bolts 2 harmonized sections which can be sung as a round or layered, in 2:2, Ionian (major) mode. Join the A Breath of Song mailing list to receive a heads up as a new episode is released, plus a large version of the artwork, brief thoughts from my slightly peculiar brain... and occasional extras when they seem vitally important! No junk -- I will never sell your address. I read out all your names into my living room when I send new mailings... I appreciate the connection to you who are listening and singing these songs with me. Exchange energy with A Breath of Song with dollars at the Gratitude Jar (whoo-hoo!!!!), or by making comments, leaving reviews, suggesting songs or songwriters (including yourself) ..... your participation matters! 6/23/2021 17 Comments 1. Ocean of Breath
Notes This song was inspired by ujjayi pranayama -- a breath practice for calming and strengthening that creates an ocean-like sound.
Here are links to two other songleaders sharing the song: Heidi McCurdy does a beautiful version with singing bowls and improvisation moving into the song, and Tembre de Carteret in Ireland, starting around 9'30", teaches it live very shortly after it was written, when we were all figuring out how to songlead and sing on Zoom! Songleader info & links: find out more about me and opportunities to sing with me at juneberrymusic.com Song Learning Time Stamps: Start time of teaching: 00:01:07 Start time of reprise: 00:11:31 Nuts and Bolts It’s a round in 3:4, Aeolian mode. Join the A Breath of Song mailing list to receive a heads up as a new episode is released, plus a large version of the artwork, brief thoughts from my slightly peculiar brain... and occasional extras when they seem vitally important! No junk -- I will never sell your address. I read out all your names into my living room when I send new mailings... I appreciate the connection to you who are listening and singing these songs with me. Exchange energy with A Breath of Song with dollars at the Gratitude Jar (whoo-hoo!!!!), or by making comments, leaving reviews, suggesting songs or songwriters (including yourself) ..... your participation matters! |
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Come sing songs to help uncover wellness! We present these companion songs in a relaxed way that makes it easy to learn and join in.
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All original art by Patty Piotrowski,
pocket song singer Logo by Patricia Norton,
aided and abetted by Hannah Gross All text content (except quotes)
created by Patricia Norton ©2024 Juneberry Music, LLC |
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