If troubled times compel you towards the deepening of culture work, you long to step beyond being entertained and instead be involved in music making, you’re moved by the works of Martín Prechtel, Stephen Jenkinson, Vanessa Andreotti, Manchan Magan, Dougald Hine, you’re interested in ancestral skills, permaculture, community building, sustainable living, wholisitc economies…. this may be a fit for you.

These connections may not obviously fit together snugly but they’re all part of the soup which stirs for me in raising my voice, responding to the increasingly polarising and fretful times we’re living into. I’ve lived in off-grid community, joined direct action movements, immersed in communication/deep listening training,…again and again recognising the issues I’m resisting in the macro (global, societal) reoccurring in the micro (inter-personal relationships). Like many others I’ve found myself drawn to the understory study of ‘how did things get to be this way?’ Refusing to glibly accept that humans always been so short sighted, selfish, dominant…that it’s inevitable that this path continues…that there’s nothing to be done…even though, yes, we continue to blunder with tragic consequence.

I’ve chosen some examples of people and ways of being/doing who illustrate to me that there have been other ways of crafting relationship in the world, relationships faithful to limits and true health, for all relations. Ways of thriving and feeling good in life while holding ourselves accountable to harm and responding accordingly.

Song has accompanied me through all of these enquiries, has appeared as vital connection in all the cultural histories I’ve encountered; regulated through strife, amplified prayer and ceremony in the honouring of living, brought voices in disagreement together in the collaboration of rhythm and harmony, brought in joy when it’s otherwise hard to find, stirred the veil of living when we wonder if there’s more than this.

Song is in our bones, and throughout turbulent histories, across time and cultures, people have known and lived by it…and continue to.

So this is my invitation to you to join my exploration on November 22.

The shape of our time will look something like this (with a break mid session – tea/coffee provided):

A brief greeting. A physical and vocal warm up bringing our awareness into the connectedness of our bodies and voices. Introduction of songs which stir the pot of wonderings I’ve spoken of above. I teach them step by step, call and response, layering into our collective memory until we’re weaving a rich basket of harmonies and rhythms. Whatever your singing experience or ability, your voice is tenderly welcomed and valued. More confident/experienced singers warmly support and include those who’ve lived with discouraging narratives. In this way, spells (I can’t, my sound is unwelcome) are de-spelled.

It’s my intention that we all come away loosened and nourished, with renewed strength to meet our daily living and systems with resolve to cherish life and support the possibilities and existing endeavours of interdependent communities sprouting and fruiting.

Tickets come with sliding scales so you can choose what’s realistic for you. This is my livelihood and I’ve priced according to my costs of offering this day, comfort limits of how many fit in this space and the cumulative costs of keeping up trainings and purchasing songs from writers. The examples are indications only… edges are squishy, so use your own judgement – I trust your integrity and won’t ask questions. If you claim a bursary place (your chosen amount), thank you and I’m glad you can join us. There’s a limit to how many can be in the venue so if you can’t come in the end, please do let me know so your place can be available to someone else.