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  • Published on

    176. An Open Heart

    3 Layer 4:4 Be Present Heart Love Motion Open Rain Scale: Aeolian (minor) Song Form: Layer Song Form: Unison Sun Trust
    Song Learning Time Stamps:
    Start time of teaching, song 1: 00:04:26
    Start time of teaching, song 2: 00:08:51
    Start time of reprise: 00:12:16
    Lyrics:

    Original:
    I wanna let life touch me, 
    wanna let life move me deep, 
    Wanna let life stir me,
    from an ancient sleep. 

    May I laugh all my laughter, 
    may I cry all my tears, 
    may I love the rain as deeply as the sun when it clears. 

    Living my life with an open heart.

    Song 2:
    I'm gonna let life move me,
    I'm gonna let life stir me deep,
    I'm gonna let life wake me 
    from an ancient sleep.
    I'm gonna laugh all my laughter,
    I'm gonna cry all my tears.
    I'm gonna love the rain as deeply as
    the sun when it clears.
    Picture
    Song: An Open Heart/Gonna Let Life Move Me
    Music by: Scott Grace

    Notes: Learning songs in an oral tradition can be a little like playing telephone, as they take on a life of their own, responding to the people singing them, growing, evolving... I learned "Gonna Let Life Move Me" in a song circle, and loved it. Eventually, I wanted to share it with my Pocket Song singers. So I tried to find out who had written it, so I could ask their permission/blessing and send some financial exchange their way.... and it took a quite a bit of searching before I turned up Scott Grace (Kalechstein)'s original song. This one had shifted quite a bit, so I got in touch with Scott directly to ask how he felt about the changes... I quote his generous answer directly in the episode. Enjoy two songs this week, and see which one lands for you!

    Songwriter Info:
    WARNING:  Scott Grace, who has been described as a cross between John Denver, Robin Williams and Dr. Seuss, is wanted by the authorities for creating the peace, as well as defying the law of gravity with levity.
    Contact with Scott is likely to be hazardous to your misery, as he has provoked outbreaks of joy in four out of five laboratory humans. 
    It is alleged that Scott’s work has so threatened to cut into the sales of anti-depressants that pharmaceutical companies have offered him millions to retire. 
    Scott gives keynotes using a stolen identity, a.k.a. the Spiritual Dr. Seuss. His feel-good viruses on YouTube have infected over 2.5 million people with just four of his Seussian videos.
    Scott has been known to practice life coaching without a license, eluding the police by working over the phone, Zoom, or FaceTime. He fancies himself an intuitive, and smuggles wisdom and guidance over the border from beings he calls spirit guides, who are also not licensed, and who have allegedly not filed a tax return in several lifetimes.
    As a front, Scott does do various legal, above the board activities. He has written four books, his latest being Mindful Masculinity.
    Scott also has recorded nine CD’s (remember CD’s?) of his original music. He presents as an inspirational guest speaker and singer at churches, non-profits, schools, and corporate events. As an occasional stand-up comedian in the Bay Area, he has shared the stage with Dana Carvey and Robin Williams. 
    But don’t be fooled. His rampage of Song Portraits, custom-made personalized song-gifts that honor people for their birthdays, anniversaries, or for no reason at all, have been killing people softly with their song since 1987.
    Authorities would very much like your help in apprehending Scott. Try catching him on the web at https://www.scottsongs.com, or on YouTube at: https://www.youtube.com/user/skalechstein

    Sharing Info: The song is free to share in oral tradition groups, but please contact Scott for recording and/or performing permission. Scott says, "This song is my deepest prayer from my heart of hearts."

    Song Learning Time Stamps:
    Start time of teaching, song 1: 00:04:26
    Start time of teaching, song 2: 00:08:51
    Start time of reprise: 00:12:16

    Links:
    Scott's website: https://www.scottsongs.com 
    Scott's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/skalechstein

    Nuts & Bolts: 4:4, minor, 3 layer or unison

    Join this community of people who love to use song to help navigate life? Absolutely:
    https://dashboard.mailerlite.com/forms/335811/81227018071442567/share

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  • Published on

    106. Don't Numb to This

    4:4 Accept Be Present Breathe Calm Empower Flow Gentle Grieve Heal Heart Open Pain Release Scale: Aeolian (minor) Song Form: Unison
    Song: Don't Numb to This
    Music: Abigail Bengson
    Lyrics
    ​
    Don’t numb to this, don’t numb it out.
    Let it all flow in and out.
    ​You’re strong enough to feel it all,
    ​and keep your heart alive.

    Stay soft to this, don’t numb it out.
    ​Let yourself breathe in and out.
    You’re strong enough to feel it all,
    and keep your heart alive. ​I said,

     Don’t numb to this, don’t numb it out,
    Let yourself breathe in and out,
    You’re strong enough to feel it all
    and it’ll keep your heart alive. I said,

    Don’t numb to this, don’t block it out,
    Let it all flow in and out,
    You’re strong enough to feel it all,
    and it’ll keep your heart alive.
    Picture
    Notes: Singing this song settles me so deeply, reassuringly, into my body to be able to tolerate the discomfort of big feelings. When I was browsing for links about the Bengsons to share, the video, "My Joy is Heavy", drew my eye. I started it to see what it was about -- and couldn't stop watching. This podcast episode is about a fabulous song... and if you can go see "My Joy is Heavy", it will give you so much more. Abigail and Shaun Bengson are powerful storytellers, creating stories rooted in truths of their lives... this one in pregnancy and loss. Abigail says, "Honor the poetry that exists in each of our moments of crisis... when something big cracks your life, there is a kind of poetry that spills out -- details become important or disappear; it's an amazing time outside of time."

    Songwriter Info: Abigail and Shaun Bengson have this to say on their Patreon page: "We've been working to create music and community online and releasing it, joyously and of course for free for a bunch of years. Lots of folks found us initially through our songprayer The Keep Going Song, and then stayed so we could get to know each other. We've been so moved and humbled by the incredible support of the folk who come to our pages and participate through listening, commenting, singing along or writing to us with their own stories of grief, joy, loss, rage and transformation. We've always been focused on releasing everything for free, and keeping our concerts affordable for all!"
    ​
    Sharing Info: Yes -- The song is free to share but the Bengsons always welcome financial and/or networking support if/when folks are so moved.

    Links: 
    My Joy is Heavy on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMTBaFm5ibc https://www.bengsons.com/
    Abigail singing "Don't Numb to This" https://www.facebook.com/thebengsons/videos/629432998893008
    The Bengsons' Website: https://www.bengsons.com/
    The Bengsons' Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebengsons/?hl=en
    ​The Bengsons' Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebengsons
    The Bengsons' Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thebengsons
    The Bengsons' Spotify:
    https://open.spotify.com/artist/08VxLl1rmtFqsvoAmCVaNH?si=MxhG1JamRX6q_3C3a1ulbg&utm_medium=share&utm_source=linktree&nd=1

    Song Learning Time Stamps:
    Start time of teaching: 00:02:55
    Start time of reprise: 00:13:30
    ​
    Nuts & Bolts: 4:4 Minor (Aeolian), unison

    ​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

    105. Touch the Sky with Guest VoiceExchange

    3 Layer 4:4 Be Present Beauty Breathe Earth Grow Home Joy Light Open Safe Scale: Ionian (Major) Sky Song Form: Harmonized Songwriter Conversation Trees Trust
    Song: Touch the Sky
    Music: VoiceExchange
    Lyrics

    You are safe here, you are safe.
    No one will ask you why you need to touch the sky.
    Just touch the sky.     (3x)

    You are in the arms of the sky.
    ​No one ... you ... why ... you,
    you need to touch the sky,
    you need to touch the sky
    You need to touch sky, the sky.

     You are safe here, you are safe here,
    you are safe in the arm of the sky.
    No one will ask you why, oh no why.
    You'll touch the sky, just touch the sky.     (4x)
    Picture
    Notes: Songs can be career counselors, harmonizing means you don't have to memorize words, if you don't like to sing alone, then singing with others can unlock your voice, how to leave space for people, how to become a found family (food is involved) -- what other ideas might VoiceExchange have to share with you? This quintet of singers improvised their way through the pandemic -- learn how they honed their ability to play even when geographically distant (and hear an example at the very end, created on the fly with Zoom faces and Jacktrip sound). Improvisation can be a weird and wonderful world -- a chance to hear the unexpected. The song they shared is a tree speaking... and what a beautiful sense of embrace it creates.

    ​Songwriter Info: VoiceExchange initially formed as a practice group following a 2012 Bobby McFerrin Circlesongs workshop. As singers from disparate musical influences, they came together, connecting through a shared passion for vocal improvisation, and formed a unique a cappella group that blends diverse vocal styles into spontaneous harmonious arrangements. During the challenges of the pandemic VoiceExchange began a series of sequentially recorded collaborations for leading online circles. This resulted in a library of recordings, among them, Touch the Sky and Take My Hand. VoiceExchange members are Amado Ohland, Beth Lyons, Dina Torok, Joy Truskowski and Paris Kern. They can be found leading Circlesinging events in Maryland, Virginia, Massachusetts & Vermont as well as offering online and in-person workshops and providing spontaneous music to churches, temples and other community gatherings.

    Amado Ohland began his semi-professional career as a jazz and blues vocalist shortly after graduating University of Maryland at College Park with a bachelor's in music composition and theory. He attended his first Circlesongs workshop in 2011, and has been leading circlesinging events since 2013 in Washington DC, Pittsburgh, and western Virginia. He has recently received a master's degree in music from Radford University. For his doctoral dissertation he is working on a participatory ethnography of circlesinging worldwide and a song cycle of pieces based on circlesinging techniques.

    Born into a musical family, Beth Lyons actually can’t remember a ‘before’ time when singing-in-community wasn’t a part of her life. She currently performs improvised musicals with iMusical, the house musical improv team for Washington Improv Theater, performs and leads Circles with VoiceExchange, and leads online immersive Song Dive workshops and a Monday morning online choir named Coffee Choir. You can learn more about her offerings and sign up for her “Heads Up” notification/invite list at www.RiverChoir.org.

    Dina Torok has sung in and been musical director for various a cappella groups from college through adulthood. She was a professional film and television session singer, performed in various pop/rock bands in Los Angeles, and recorded an original solo album and a piano/vocal album of show tunes. Dina found VoiceExchange and circle singing in 2015 and has been a grateful member ever since.

    Joy Truskowski is a singer-songwriter and community songleader. She has performed as a solo artist in the Roanoke, VA area for 13 years. You can find her original songs on Bandcamp under the name “Joy Tru”. She started Star City Circlesinging in 2019 and has been leading circles with other co-leaders in Roanoke ever since. During the beginning of the pandemic she started contributing to VoiceExchange’s online circles. She fell in love with all of them, and they all asked her to marry them. She said, “I can’t marry you, but I’ll join your group!” And that was a fair compromise. So she officially joined in the summer of 2021.

    Paris Kern started performing traditional folk music at coffeehouses and concerts when she was 16 years old. She studied classical vocal performance in college, but her heart was always in the world of pure traditional folk traditions. In 2011, for reasons unknown to her, she was internally compelled to attend Bobby McFerrin’s CIrclesongs workshop. Feeling like a fish out of water, surrounded by mostly Jazz musicians, she nonetheless was hooked by the magic of Circlesongs and the sensation that her heart was being sung back to her. She has been leading circles in Washington DC, and Baltimore and is now starting circles in Southern Vermont.

    Sharing Info: VoiceExchange would love to know if you plan to teach or perform Touch the Sky or another of their songs; drop them a line at info@VoiceExchange.org. And if teaching/performing their song is a profitable business for you, please share a bit of the profit with them via their donation link at https://voiceexchange.org.

    Links:
    Paris mentions a Burl Ives recording, but we could only find a link for Patti Page’s version of "How Much is that Doggy in the Window?" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rJo9yJxd5M
    Julie Andrews: https://www.biography.com/actors/julie-andrews
    Joan Baez: https://www.biography.com/musicians/joan-baez
    David Crosby: https://davidcrosby.com/
    Martin Carthy: https://www.allmusic.com/artist/martin-carthy-mn0000367979
    "It’s a Small World After All" by Richard and Robert Sherman
    https://www.songfacts.com/facts/disneyland-childrens-sing-along-chorus/its-a-small-world
    "Diddle, Diddle Dumpling, My Son John" : https://allnurseryrhymes.com/diddle-dumpling/
    Freddie Mercury: https://www.biography.com/musicians/freddie-mercury
    Somatic Voicework: http://thevoiceworkshop.com/somatic-voicework/
    Bobby McFerrin Circlesinging: https://circlesongs.com/circlesong-school-2023/
    Tuvan throat singing: https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20210414-a-revival-of-indigenous-throat-singing
    All the Way In- Rhiannon: https://www.rhiannonmusic.com/all-the-way-in-home
    Motor, interlock definitions: http://songsofthemoment.com/category-rhiannon/
    Take My Hand: Episode 104 on A Breath of Song:     https://www.abreathofsong.com/episodes--show-notes/104-take-my-hand
    Vocal River by Rhiannon: https://www.rhiannonmusic.com/vocal-river
    Zuza: https://singers.com/vocal-coach/Zuza-Goncalves/
    “Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience” by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
    https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/66354.Flow
    Tuck & Patti album 1988 Time After Time: https://www.discogs.com/release/10168223-Tuck-Patti-Time-After-Time
    Star City Circlesinging: https://www.meetup.com/Star-City-Circlesinging/
    Musica do Circulo Brazil: https://www.playgroundforthearts.com/musica-do-circulo
    Amado on Bandcamp: https://amadomusic.bandcamp.com/album/circlesinging-on-zoom
    "She’s So Unusual" by Cindy Lauper: https://www.allmusic.com/album/shes-so-unusual-mw0000194590
    "The Game" by Queen: https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-game-mw0000650663
    "Medicine Music" by Bobby McFerrin: https://www.allmusic.com/album/medicine-music-mw0000309576
    Prince: https://www.prince.com
    Eagles: https://eagles.com
    Sting: https://www.sting.com
    Billy Joel: https://www.billyjoel.com
    Alanis Morisette: https://alanis.com
    "Blue" by Joni Mitchell: https://jonimitchell.com/music/album.cfm?id=5
    "Abbey Road" by The Beatles: https://www.thebeatles.com/abbey-road
    Patrick Watson: https://patrickwatson.net
    Great interview with Martin Carthy: https://www.innerviews.org/inner/martin-carthy.html
    And here’s a link to Martin singing “The Trees they Do Grow High”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaKGeTmFqbE
    "Vocabularies" by Bobby McFerrin: https://bobbymcferrin.com/albums/vocabularies/
    VoiceExchange on Meetup: https://www.meetup.com/circlesinging-dc/
    Jacktrip Software: https://www.jacktrip.com

    VoiceExchange's quiet Website: https://voiceexchange.org
    Email: info@voiceexchange.org
    VoiceExchange on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VoiceExchangeMusic?mibextid=LQQJ4d
    VoiceExchange on Instagram: https://instagram.com/voiceexchange?igshid=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==
    VoiceExchange's Email: info@voiceexchange.org

    Amado's Website: https://amadomusic.com/
    Paris's Website: https://www.pariskern.com
    Joy's Website: http://www.joytru.com
    Beth's choir Website: https://www.riverchoir.org

    Song Learning Time Stamps:
    Start time of teaching: 00:05:10
    Start time of reprise: 01:14:25
    Improvisation at 1:18:55
    ​​
    Nuts & Bolts: 4:4, Major, 3-part harmony, 3-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!
  • Published on

    102. When You Make Beauty

    12:8 Beauty Flow Holy Open Release Scale: Ionian (Major)
    Song: When You Make Beauty
    ​Music: Mo Washburn
    Lyrics

    when you make beauty
    when you make beauty with your mouth
    when you make beauty
    when you make beauty with your mouth

    i feel
    i feel the holy
    i feel the holy being fed
    i feel
    i feel the holy
    i feel the holy being fed
    Picture
    Notes: Mo Washburn is a somatic healer, among other wonderful things, and this song brings me into intimate, joyful, aware-of-miracles kind of connection with my own body. I love the way singing the words "my mouth" pulls me into awareness of the physicality of singing; I love thinking about what it means to feed the holy... what is the holy, really? What does it mean to feed it, to grow what is holy? The close harmonies feel like I'm being held in the song... and the way it gathers urgency around the words, "the holy being fed" by pushing ahead rhythmically feels so good to me. Here's a song I can lean on!

    Take two! I am updating this recording, based on some feedback from Mo -- I had messed up a rhythm (on the "-ty" of "beauty") and a note (on the "-ing" of "being") -- and it didn't feel like an accurate share of the song -- so as of June 4, 2023, it's updated to more accurately reflect what Mo hears... and I promise that when/if Mo records it, there'll be a link in the shownotes, so you can get the real deal!

    ​Songwriter Info: Mo Washburn (they/them) is an integrative bodyworker, doula, song tender and community web weaver. they cherish working with folks in the field of building and remembering connection~with their bodies, with song, with each other, the unseen, and with the earth. they passionately value slowness, deep listening, singing together, and they love savoring delicious meals with kin.

    Sharing Info: Please share this song far and wide, it wants to be sung.

    Links: 
    Mo's Website: www.mowashburn.com
    Mo's Bandcamp: https://mogather.bandcamp.com/album/gather
    Mo's Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/1nCTliEzzWW59C8FiRwCSZ

    Song Learning Time Stamps:
    Start time of teaching: 00:03:02
    Start time of reprise: 00:15:55
    ​
    Nuts & Bolts: 12:8, Major, 3-part harmony

    ​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

    101. Sacred Breaking

    4:4 Be Present Darkness Grieve Grow Heal Heart Love Open Pain Release Ribbon Scale: Aeolian (minor) Song Form: Layer
    Song: Sacred Breaking
    Music:     Hannah Jeffery
    Lyrics

    The only way to be here is to be constantly breaking open
    How else do we make sense of this human experience?

    Beauty, break me open
    Tragedy, break me open
    Humility, break me open
    Love, crack open my heart

    Heartbreak is our birthright 
    It's the only way to be here
    Heartbreak is our birthright
    It's the only way we can heal
    Picture
    Notes: This song of Hannah's rings so deeply true to me -- and it is reassuring to me to have heartbreak normalized. I'm not the only one who hears the news, reads the stories, looks around me, and feels heartbreak. What's beautiful and healing in Hannah's song is the turn of all that breaking into sacred -- something deserving of veneration -- something that blesses us and opens us to life in the most beautiful possible way.

    ​Longtime listeners (well, two years at least!) may notice I've shifted things up as we've moved into the second 100 episodes, in response to some ideas from you all. There's a clip of the song at the very beginning of the episode, and time markers for when I start teaching the song and the reprise in the shownotes. There's a little less talk at the beginning, but still the invitation to come into your body and breath and voice, which is part of this singing practice. Hope you find it ever more useful in navigating your own life, tending your own heart.... I continue to do it as my own tending, shifting work!

    ​Songwriter Info: Hannah Jeffery (She/They) is a songstress, composer, song-leader and mama living in the Upper Valley of Vermont (Abenaki land). Her creative venture, Deep Well Song, is a gathering vessel for people to come together in song, prayer and playfulness, to turn toward and embrace all that it IS to be human on Earth. The songs Hannah carries, catches and teaches are songs of the heart and soul, that touch joy, grief, gratitude, heartbreak, righteous anger, beauty, love and praise and connect us to each other, ourselves and the Beloved Mystery. Hannah leads song at the UU church in Norwich, Vermont and in the newly forming Well Song Choir. To learn more and get involved please check out their website and Patreon and be in touch!

    Sharing Info: When sharing, please name Hannah as the song catcher and acknowledge the place where the song was caught, Upper Valley of Vermont, Abenaki land. And if you can pass on the story that accompanies the songs and how they were inspired, bonus. Thanks!

    Links: 
    Hannah's Website: www.deepwellsong.org
    Hannah's Patreon: www.patreon.com/deepwellsong

    Song Learning Time Stamps:
    Start time of teaching: 00:03:42
    Start time of reprise: 00:18:50
    ​
    Nuts & Bolts: 4:4, Aeolian, 4-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!

  • Published on

    95. Joy To Your Heart with guests Cathy Baker and Dick Jackson

    4:4 Celebrate Empower Friendship Generosity Heart Hope Joy Light Love Open Play Scale: Ionian (Major) Song Form: Zipper Songwriter Conversation
    Song: Joy To Your Heart
    Music & Words: Cathy Baker and Dick Jackson
    ​Lyrics

    I want to bring joy to your heart,
    I want to bring joy to your (+) heart.
    I want to bring joy to your heart,
    Joy, joy, joy!

    Joy! Joy! Joy!
    Let me bring you some Joy! Joy! Joy!
    *I want to pour it on ya* Joy! Joy! Joy!
    Let me share my Joy! Joy! Joy!

    (this to your that, this to your that...)
    Examples:
    wind-sail or hugs-heart
    blue-sky or soup-bowl
    *line is changed to suit the bold-faced pair*
    Picture
    ​Notes: Lately, I've been reading closely the lengthy gratitude lists that follow any achievement, struck by the glories created in collaboration. Cathy Baker and Dick Jackson are both work and life partners... so I had many questions for them about collaboration. How do you nurture trust, how do you communicate through disagreement? They took over the reins of the large and thriving Getttin' Higher Choir from beloved coleaders Siobhan Robinsong and Denis Donnelly -- such changes are often fraught with disappointments and unhappiness -- yet they seemed to me to have negotiated the transition with grace and generosity. Cathy describes "A whole lot of good will and an understanding of what ultimately really matters here… that we each feel completely heard," and according to Dick, “A little bit of meditation practice can go a long way.” Hear, too, about their thoughts about imposter syndrome (hint: it's real!), "only the freshest" choral arrangements, the difference between "performer" and "facilitator of people singing in harmony," and more... including Cathy's exuberant, warm-hearted wish, partially inspired by large bus windshield wipers -- "I want to bring joy to your heart!"

    ​Songwriter Info: Cathy was once the shy middle kid of 5 siblings where singing as a family was just part of everyday life. She always loved singing, especially around campfires, on road trips, wilderness trips or anywhere outside. Always seeking harmony, she got over much of her performance shyness by bringing groups of friends together to sing. She now directs the Gettin' Higher Choir with her life partner, Dick Jackson, and she is on the leadership team for both The Ubuntu Choirs Network and the Community Choir Leadership Training (CCLT) program in Victoria, BC. Cathy is active in her local Unitarian Universalist community where Dick is the Musical Director. Together, Cathy and Dick provide musical leadership for Canadian UU camps and Canadian national UU services. They both welcome the opportunity to bring members of the Gettin' Higher Choir to "Sing When Asked To" community events. Dick was fortunate to have singing in the home with his Mom from an early age, and kept involved with singing, school band and organ, later with percussion, piano and a few stints in opera chorus. A keen observer of his excellent music leaders over the years, he is grateful to be able to make this a shared joyful vocation with Cathy.​

    Sharing Info: The song is free to share but Cathy always welcome financial and/or networking support if/when folks are so moved. Do let Cathy know where this song has travelled. Have fun...may it bring JOY to your heart!

    Links:
    Gettin’ Higher Choir: ​​http://www.gettinhigherchoir.ca/index.php
    Gettin’ Higher Choir YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@thegettinhigherchoir8002
    Community Choir Leadership Training Program: http://www.communitychoirleadership.com/
    Ubuntu Choir Network: http://www.ubuntuchoirs.net/index.php
    Pat Wictor: https://patwictor.com/
    Cee Cee’s Climb by Pat Wictor, performed by Brother Sun https://youtu.be/fkTVK2Yg-JI
    Dick’s album that’s affected him strongly: Joe Jackson “A Big World”
    Dick suggestion for an artist:Joe Jackson: http://joejackson.com/
    Cathy’s album that’s affected her strongly: Peter Paul & Mary: Peter, Paul & Mommy
    Cathy’s suggestion for an artist: Connie Kaldor: https://www.conniekaldor.com/
    Patti Page: Mocking Bird Hill: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7zrMzVNYwo
    God Sees the Little Sparrow Fall: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnN1Cu7RZ-Q
    A sound Cathy feels strongly about – Pacific Chorus Frogs: https://acousticatlas.org/item/2433

    Nuts & Bolts: ​4:4, Major, zipper song

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