Chant

Workshop # 6
Beverly Shepard

Chant starts simply. As we sing, the music grows richer, deepening the worship and our faith. We use a variety of styles from different traditions; the majority are Judeo-Christian. (Many chants include "Lord" and other theist terms.) Expect joy, tears, exaltation, and healing. No special singing experience or gift is necessary.

Percentage of time:
Worship/worship-sharing 80; Lecture 10; Discussion 10; Experiential 80
(PT)

Open to all

The chants we will sing are short, melodic, and repeated, so that even inexperienced singers can learn them quickly. As singers become more familiar with them, new harmonies suggest themselves, and the music develops and grows. Most find that it is more rewarding the more it is sung. Over the days of the workshop, we will have an ever-deeper spiritual experience, which is the primary goal of chant. However, participants will also learn that chant does not have to be something someone else teaches you: if you have a particularly beloved text, a spiritual or emotional need to be met, or an occasion to celebrate, you can compose a chant which will satisfy you and others.

This sort of singing does not require a trained voice and certainly does not require that a participant read music. A good sense of harmony is helpful, but not essential. I hope to help people to feel both free and enabled to express themselves musically in this simple but moving way. Several members of each of the last few Gathering chant workshops composed chants over the course of the week or afterwards, and twice we've had a special afternoon session on composing chants. (Composition can be discussed during the morning workshop period, but usually participants prefer to spend the mornings in song.)

Each morning would start with a short period of check-in and discussion followed by silent worship, and end with silent worship. In each succeeding session, we will become more familiar with some chants and learn some new ones. We have found that a Wednesday session of lively, rhythmic chants helps reverse the mid-week slump, and a Thursday morning of healing chant moves us toward ending our time together.

Registrants don't need to do any advance preparation for this workshop.

All I would suggest that people bring, if they wish, is a favourite short text to be set to music, and drums or other rhythm instruments if they have them and like to use them. Chants may also arise out of a specific need (for example, healing); this may or may not be something that a person deliberately brings along to the workshop.