Singing Our Souls

Workshop Number

Leader(s)

Niyonu

Spann

Audience

Who may register:

Open to All (adult & high school)

part time-attenders welcome

Time breakdown

Experiential Activities:

85%

Lecture:

Discussion:

15%

Description

Short Description:

Open your heart and join in building a singing community. We will sing songs of transformation - spirituals, gospel, jazz, folk and the indescribable. We will write songs together. We will make a joyful noise and a sorrowful noise. You do not have to think of yourself as “a singer”— the Singer is there!

Long Description:

Open to all who choose to come - however long they choose to come. Each day we will worship together and share deeply in the process of building community in song. We will worship in the ways that come forth from the silence and we will be guided by prepared queries in worship sharing form.

This is a largely experiential workshop with a mix of typical follow-the-choir- director style and spontaneous sharing and harmonizing. Most of the music will have a clear connection to the African/African-American traditions.

We will learn mostly by rote - a challenge for those who have primarily experienced singing only what they could see written on the page. But, everyone can do it! Or shall I say that I've yet to meet the one who could not. So, instead of looking at the sheet music, we will face each other and allow the fullness of our hearts to burst forth and connect.

Leader Experience:

Leading interactive workshops and performances is what I do! Besides offering this workshop at the 2003 Gathering, I have led singing at several Gathering Plenaries. My singing group, Tribe 1 performed and helped to create interaction at the 2007 Gathering. I lead workshops and teach others to do so for a living.