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    86. We Were Made for These Times

    12:8 Change Determination Empower Flex Friendship Gather Hope Journey Ribbon Scale: Ionian (Major) Song Form: Call & Response Song Form: Harmonized Trust
    Song: We Were Made for These Times
    Music by Angela Gabriel
    Text by Clarissa Pink Estés
    from "Letter to a Young Activist During Troubled Times"
    Lyrics
    Call: Don't lose heart,
    Response: Do not lose heart,
    Call: We were made for these times.
    Response: We were made for this.
    Together: Show your soul, it shines like gold in these dark times.

    Additional verses: Don't lose hope, Don't give up.


    Picture
    Notes: Angela Gabriel's gospel-infused setting of Clarissa Pink Estés' fierce words is enough to lift me out of bed into the January cold! You'll hear me play with adding my voice in the looper with different tonal qualities so it sounds like we're singing with a crowd... and then at the end, I'll invite you to sing it simply with me, as a heartfelt duet. Patty said her art for this episode is inspired by the images of boats and wood from the Clarissa Estés letter... "and the idea of standing together, so here are the trees, rooted and strong in all weather."
    * This song has had a significant evolution since I recorded it for this episode -- please catch the updates under the links with Angela's own recordings!

    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.

    This song is free to share but Angela always welcomes financial and/or networking support if/when folks are so moved.

    Links: 
    Learn the updated version with Angela herself: https://youtu.be/kZfD7YbZJew?feature=shared
    Listen to the updated version: https://youtu.be/Rash_81HIhY?feature=shared
    Letter to a Young Activist by Clarissa Pinkola Estés: https://www.mavenproductions.com/letter-to-a-young-activist
    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

    Song Learning Time Stamps:
    Start time of teaching: 00:02:55
    Start time of reprise: 00:12:49

    Nuts & Bolts: 12:8, major, harmonized call & response

    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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    84. May I Be Open

    4:4 Accept Be Present Flex Grow Heal Notice Open Ribbon Scale: Ionian (Major) Song Form: Layer Tend
    Song: May I Be Open
    Words & Music ​by Heather Pierson
    Lyrics
    May I be open to things as they are right now,
    because this is how things are right now.

    Remember the breath, remember the body,
    ​remember the goodness that you carry.
    Picture
    Notes: I love the way this song pulls me into the very present moment of right now, really right now, with concrete reminders of the breath and body... and then also lightens my spirit with the rhythmic play as I sing about the goodness that I carry. Heather has found ways through steady, attentive practices to help herself heal from childhood trauma, and she carries this intentional tending with clarity and care into her music. Next week, we can settle into a songwriter conversation with Heather about all this, and more!

    Songwriter Info: Heather Pierson is a pianist, singer/songwriter, songleader, and performer based in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. She has released 14 albums, two songbooks, and several singles of her original music ranging in style from folk to jazz to vocal chants. Since 2018, she is the co-creator with fellow songleader Bernice Martin of Heart Songs & Circle Songs, a community singing project dedicated to the cultivation of harmony, wellness, connection, joy, and peace through music and song. When she isn’t making music, Heather enjoys her meditation practice, hiking, cooking, writing, reading, and watching the birds.

    Links: 
    'May I Be Open' is from Heather's album 'Wishes of Lovingkindness', available for free or by donation at her Bandcamp: https://heatherpierson.bandcamp.com/album/wishes-of-lovingkindness
    For more information about Heather's community singing project with Bernice Martin, please visit https://www.heartsongsandcirclesongs.com.
    For more information about all of Heather's musical offerings, please visit: https://www.heatherpierson.com.
    Heather's growing community on Patreon enjoys early and exclusive access to new songs, videos, and poetry every week. Learn more at https://www.patreon.com/HeatherPierson

    ​Song Learning Time Stamps:
    Start time of teaching: 00:03:00
    Start time of reprise: 00:12:15​

    Nuts & Bolts: 4:4, major, 2-part 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!
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    82. Whoever You Are

    3:4 Accept Belonging Friendship Gather Generosity Journey Listen Ribbon Scale: Ionian (Major) Song Form: Harmonized Trust
    Song: Whoever You Are
    Words by Rev. Ana Levy-Lyons
    Music​ by Adam Podd
    Lyrics
    Whoever you are, whomever you love;
    Wherever you are on your life's journey...
    ​you are welcome here!
    Picture
    Notes: I learned this song from Adam at the end of the summer at a group singing weekend workshop, and immediately decided to use it for my Pocket Songs welcome song during the fall, not only because of the generous, wide-open welcome of the words, but because of the way the music backs up the message. The lift and lightness of the rhythm, and the enjoyment of slightly surprising notes (I particularly love the first "are" of the tenor line, for example), the way we move from unison into connected harmonic diversity -- these musical things help me FEEL welcoming. Sometimes I shift the words to sing it to myself, as a reminder that whoever I am, whomever I love, wherever I am on this journey, I am welcome... and when I feel genuinely accepted as I am, it is so much easier to extend that welcome and acceptance to others.

    Join the A Breath of Song mailing list by clicking here. You'll 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.

    Songwriter Info: Adam Podd (he/him/his) is a Vermont-bred, Brooklyn-based music director, pianist, organist, bassist, composer, and arranger. As a pianist, Adam specializes in blues, jazz, and gospel. He plays regularly around NYC with his twin brother Matt, and their jazz and blues band Mimi and the Podd Brothers. He also plays keys, bass and music directs for singer/songwriter Dan Mills. I met Adam as he co-led a workshop on Star Island, off the coast of New Hampshire. I was struck by his unassuming, gentle manner and musical generosity. He welcomes sharing of this song.
    ​
    Links: 
    learn about Adam himself: ABOUT — Adam Podd
    check out the choral music Adam and his brother arrange: The Podd Brothers
    to read more of the writings of Ana Levy-Lyons: Home - Ana Levy-Lyons (analevylyons.com)

    Song Learning Time Stamps:
    Start time of teaching: 00:03:15
    Start time of reprise: 00:13:19​

    Nuts & Bolts: 3:4, Major, harmonized

    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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    80. Go Dark with guest Kate Thomas

    6:8 Be Present Darkness Empower Flow Journey Night Notice Release Ribbon Scale: Ionian (Major) Song Form: Harmonized Song Form: Unison Trust
    Song: Go Dark
    Words from Wendell Berry
    Music ​by Kate Thomas
    Lyrics
    To go in the dark with a light is to know the light.
    To know the dark, go dark; go without sight,
    and find that the dark, too, blooms and sings,
    And is traveled by dark feet, and dark wings.
    Picture
    Notes: You get to hear Kate and I in deep conversation -- complete with creaky chair, and me messing up as Kate teaches me her beautiful song, Go Dark. Do you ever have the experience of being solid on a part, as long as the leader is singing it, but then when they leave to teach another part, you lose it? You'll hear me doing just that! :) We talk about building a bank of nourishing words for hard times -- and Kate shares a story about something that shook her certainty and ease with life, and how that made her vow not to judge people. She observes how giving time and a safe place to make mistakes makes it possible for most people to learn to sing, like almost all people learn to drive eventually. And then there's the handpan, and learning Arabic, and... I guess you'll just need to listen in!

    Songwriter Info: Kate Thomas is a singer, song leader, songwriter and instrumentalist (guitar, piano and handpan) and has been leading singing groups in Sheffield for over 20 years. She has produced two songbooks, 'Honey and Salt' (from which 'Be Yourself' and 'Scattered Seeds'. If you are interested in contacting her about these resources, her email is honeyandsalt65@gmail.com. 

    Links: 
    Wendell Berry – Farming (counterpointpress.com) (Kate mentioned "Soul Food", but I think this ends up being the book with the poem in it.)
    Barbara Brown Taylor – Learning to Walk in the Dark
    Wanting Memories - Sweet Honey in the Rock
    Handpan playing -- Kate suggests thishandpan duo, Mea
    Raffi
    The Singing Kettle
    Tapestry – Carole King -- I'm pretty sure you can find the album, so here's an article that quotes many artists talking about the influence of the album on them... Talking about 'Tapestry': Musicians discuss the influence of Carole King's masterpiece - NJArts.net
    Karine Polwart – Scottish Songbook, The Lost Words: Spell Songs -- and here's a bonus interview with Karine about the Spellsongs project
    Youtube recordings of Kate’s songs -- here's her channel, where you can find all 10: Kate Thomas - YouTube
       And here are just a few links for specific songs:
      We Were Seeds: Kate's bold setting of the Dinos Christianopoulos quote, "They thought they could bury us; they did not know we were seeds.
      A Thousand Ways (with handpan! -- a beautiful meditation)
    Kate's profile and choirs: Member profile - Natural Voice Network
    Information about Honey and Salt (and Scattered Seeds is searchable there, too): Honey and Salt - Natural Voice Network

    Song Learning Time Stamps:
    Start time of teaching: 00:04:44 
    Start time of reprise: 00:57:07​

    Nuts & Bolts: 6:8, major, 2-parts here, (SATB in the Honey & Salt book) or works beautifully unison, too
    ​
    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!
  • Published on

    77. Winter Song

    4:4 Change Earth Flow Grieve Hope Journey Ribbon Scale: Dorian Song Form: Layer Trees
    Song: Winter Song
    Words & Music: Dirk Mont Campbell
    Lyrics​
    All things come and go, summer sun and winter snow.
    Blow wind, fall, rain; all things die and live again.

    Fallen leaves lie on the ground so cold and dead.
    Oak tree stands bare, and the holly green and red.
    Robin sings of love and loss for Jenny Wren.
    ​All things that die will return to life again.
    Picture
    Notes: I'd like to highlight the custom art created for each episode by Patty Piotrowski. If you're following this on a podcast app that shows only the A Breath of Song logo, and not the artwork, then please go here to feast your eyes! Patty sang in a chorus with me for several years before the pandemic and included me in the friends with whom she shared an Advent calendar of one painting a day via email -- and I loved the experience of opening my email to see something beautiful. During the pandemic, she sang Pocket Songs with me, and we both leaned into song as resource. When I decided to start sharing songs that were making it easier for me to navigate life through this podcast, I wondered if Patty would be willing to share this creative process with me. For each song, she listens ahead of time, sings with it, lets it soak in... and then waits for an image to appear. She emails me a photo of the custom art, which delights me, and makes the process of preparing the podcast for release exponentially more pleasurable.
    About this piece, she said:
       "Here is a tree for all of the seasons of this song
       I’ve been passing this tree along I91 and talking with it for two years
       It looks different depending on your orientation:
       when I approach it from the north on the highway, I see it whole and round with branches,
       but as I pass it, I see then actually there are no branches on the south side."

    Dirk says about the song: "Winter Song was written for amateur groups to sing at the winter solstice. I chose the traditional English round form so the repetition can have a meditative effect and people can sing it for as long or short a time as they wish... It was my late wife Adrienne who suggested to me ten years ago that there was a need for new songs to celebrate the eight-fold year celebrations of solstices, equinoxes and cross-quarters that Druids traditionally observe. I did write some others but they were not as good as Winter Song and have passed deservedly into obscurity! 2012 was the last year of Adrienne’s life. She heard the song performed for her birthday in July that year. She was pleased with it. My awareness of her impending death is probably what gives the song its emotional charge."

    Songwriter Info: Dirk Campbell has put this song into the public domain, so we are welcome to share it. Dirk was born in 1950 in the British military hospital in Ismailia, Egypt, and lived in Kenya till 1962, so was exposed to indigenous Arab and African music before its acculturation by western influence. He went on to a successful career as a composer for films, radio, stage, etc, His website is a fascinating dive (and I mean HOURS worth!!!) into many instruments from a wide variety of cultures around the world on which he has gained skill. He teaches musicians about ways of incorporating ancient and non-western music into contemporary composition.

    Links: 
    Dirk Campbell

    Song Learning Time Stamps:
    Start time of teaching: 00:03:43
    Start time of reprise: 00:16:39

    Nuts & Bolts: 4:4, Dorian, 2-part layer song with optional drone.
    ​
    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!
  • Published on

    74. Equinox Blessing (Shadows & Light)

    4:4 Accept Darkness Dawn Flex Flow Light Moon Night Notice Ribbon Scale: Dorian Shadow Song Form: Layer Sun Trust
    Song: Equinox Blessing (Shadows & Light)
    Words & Music​ by Heather Houston
    Lyrics
    ​
    Honoring the darkness, Honoring the light,
    Honoring the day, Honoring the night

    All things find their way into balance

    Suspended in time

    Shadows and light
    Picture
    Notes: This is song is a taste of Heather Houston's creative, connecting powers -- Episode #75 will feature an intimate conversation with Heather. After she shares another of her songs, we'll delve into why song matters, why voices matter... and a really good soup! Meanwhile, I love this song for noticing the balance of shadow and light -- to me, it's a beautiful song to sing on cusps, like dawn or dusk. Recently, as I've been healing from tick-borne illness, I've hummed it to myself as I watch the shadows and light cross my bedroom wall, encouraging my body to find its way into balance.

    Songwriter Info: Heather Houston is passionate about uplifting hearts, freeing voices, transforming lives, and building strong, loving communities through the power of singing. She spreads her magic through her 20+years of international song circle leading, private vocal coaching, and her online offerings - The Art of Mindful Singing, S.H.E. Sings, Singing as Sanctuary, and Sisters in Harmony Song and Chant Leader Training. You can now join her every Monday night on Zoom for a 2-hour Sisters in Harmony Global community song circle with guest artists!

    Heather recently released her second solo album, Sisters of the Moon, which features the ethereal voices of her 40-voice women’s choir Yala Lati. Her first solo album, Prayers for the Water is a ZMR Top 10 album. You can find Heather’s music and her a cappella group SIRENZ on all of the streaming platforms and for download on her website.

    ​Song Learning Time Stamps:
    Start time of teaching: 00:03:14
    Start time of reprise: 00:13:05

    Links: 
    Website: https://heatherhoustonmusic.com
    Albums
        Download: https://heatherhoustonmusic.com/recordings/
        Streaming on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4gw79r7NGOw6WF2bytPW5a?si=E0mvdKMpQ9ObjpRnhViDYQ
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heatherhoustonmusic
    IG: HeatherHoustonMusic
    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPr_m3bi0-TqhBFvJlD4pFA

    Nuts & Bolts: 4:4, Dorian, 5-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!