Sing to Connect!
Catch the wave of group singing, whether committed or just curious...
Catch the wave of group singing, whether committed or just curious...
This is a dream program right now, awaiting local energy and enthusiasm to bring it alive.
If you love it and want to see it happen, let me know -- when I've heard interest from a magic 24 local people,
I'll invest the money and time for us to catch the wave together!
If you love it and want to see it happen, let me know -- when I've heard interest from a magic 24 local people,
I'll invest the money and time for us to catch the wave together!
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WHAT'S UP HERE? We're catching the community singing wave, with music that helps us befriend each other and tend ourselves! We celebrate generous inclusion, intent listening, and embodied sound, exploring four types of group singing over 15 weeks.
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WHO IS WELCOME?
Are you curious and uncertain about singing in groups?
Ever been told to stand in the back and mouth the words?
Are you exulting, "I LOVE group singing, bring it on!"?
Or maybe you regularly sing solo, and want to try hearing your voice together with others?
Do you have virtually no time to add anything, but yearn to do something with other folks?
Or is somewhere in you longing for a commitment to your voice and making music?
I recognize that not only does everyone have their own history with their voice, but we're all recovering from the pandemic differently. Here you can relax -- there's a place for you as you are -- simply curious, yearning & terrified, comfortable & committed. Find a warm welcome for fly-by, drop-in, once-in-a-blue-mooners for seven weeks of every term. 15 weeks of skill-building and deepening connection through regular singing if that's what you need. 4-week mini commitment possibilities if that's the right size. You do you.
Together, we will create an inclusive, non-shaming space, open to people of all ages and backgrounds willing to listen to each other and themselves. That's how I gather folk.
If your person younger than 16 wishes to participate, please contact me before showing up so we both know what to expect.
Are you curious and uncertain about singing in groups?
Ever been told to stand in the back and mouth the words?
Are you exulting, "I LOVE group singing, bring it on!"?
Or maybe you regularly sing solo, and want to try hearing your voice together with others?
Do you have virtually no time to add anything, but yearn to do something with other folks?
Or is somewhere in you longing for a commitment to your voice and making music?
I recognize that not only does everyone have their own history with their voice, but we're all recovering from the pandemic differently. Here you can relax -- there's a place for you as you are -- simply curious, yearning & terrified, comfortable & committed. Find a warm welcome for fly-by, drop-in, once-in-a-blue-mooners for seven weeks of every term. 15 weeks of skill-building and deepening connection through regular singing if that's what you need. 4-week mini commitment possibilities if that's the right size. You do you.
Together, we will create an inclusive, non-shaming space, open to people of all ages and backgrounds willing to listen to each other and themselves. That's how I gather folk.
If your person younger than 16 wishes to participate, please contact me before showing up so we both know what to expect.
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WHO'S GOING TO BE THERE? Well... I don't know yet! It's a brand-new program, and quite unique, so I can't post pictures of you, or add your words about the experience, or say what you're like. But I know I will be there... so here I am -- Patricia Norton, so very happy to meet you! For many, many years, I didn't sing where anyone else could hear me, ashamed and judgmental of my voice. Rediscovering it, coaxing it back out has been a hugely healing, affirming, and ongoing practice for me. I've been honored to help & witness many folk fall more deeply, comfortably in love with singing. I fell hard myself! Now I record my own podcast (what???) and sing with select ensembles. I've extensively studied voice, conducting, songleading and improvisation, and directed choral groups for many years. I've got a geek’s love of music theory & vocal technique, a poet’s love of words, and a deep emotional responsiveness to music and people. I kid you not when I say I can't wait to hear your voice. |
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WHY SPEND MY TIME HERE?
Singing is an effective, ancient technology for connecting... and the good news is there's a wave of community singing surging all around. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy names loneliness as a public health crisis in the U.S.A. When we sing, we not only improve our own health by breathing more deeply, releasing stress, and reducing the perception of loneliness; we also bond more easily with others. Singing together, our hearts entrain, we release oxytocin, "the bonding hormone", and we get the huge joy and satisfaction in creating something together none of us can make alone. The songs I choose to share have words that feel good to have on-repeat in your brain; they help me navigate life. On top of all that, singing is a practice of freedom, of opening, of increasing self-trust -- the kind of deepening connection with our own selves that allows for rich connection with others. |
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I CAN'T WAIT -- WHEN CAN I SHOW UP?
The program happens twice each week -- school vacations and maybe a few other odd days off --
Tuesday middays from 11:30-1:00 p.m. and Thursday evenings from 7:30-9:00 p.m.
Your weekly cost covers both sessions; you are welcome to come to either or both.
Check out the calendar on the home page to see what's happening on any given week, and when vacations are, etc.
The program happens twice each week -- school vacations and maybe a few other odd days off --
Tuesday middays from 11:30-1:00 p.m. and Thursday evenings from 7:30-9:00 p.m.
Your weekly cost covers both sessions; you are welcome to come to either or both.
Check out the calendar on the home page to see what's happening on any given week, and when vacations are, etc.
I’M READY TO CATCH THE WAVE!
Yay! You are welcome to register below in a way that suits your needs.
Yay! You are welcome to register below in a way that suits your needs.
- Buy a membership for 15 weeks of singing, and then you don't have to think twice about whether or not to come -- just put it on your calendar and show up. Great for building a good habit, strengthening your voice, and making the kinds of repeated connections that build friendships. Juneberry Connects members receive a 20% discount, and are expected to show up as committed singers to every week (or almost every week, life being life).
- Or, you can pay for individual weeks, picking and choosing what appeals and works for you -- one mini session here, a few Circlesings or Songtimes there. Sometimes there's not time or energy for a sustained commitment -- and you still want to be able to sing. Or maybe you don't know yet whether or not this program is for you? Drop-in, try it out, see how you feel afterward...
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WHERE DOES ALL THIS SINGING HAPPEN? We gather at the Heineberg Community & Senior Center, which was built by volunteers in the New North End in 1941 with a mission "to promote the common welfare" of the community. This is a very retro space, with great acoustics and a fabulous 70s vibe! The center welcomes people of all ages, and is easily accessible by bus, walking, bike, or car, with plenty of parking. We are on the upper level, which is accessible by elevator or stairs from the side parking lot door. The hardwood floor is beautiful, generous windows give good light, and I love singing in a space my grandpa would have felt at home in. (I do wonder if they would let me add a disco ball?) |
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I’VE GOT SOME ACCESS NEEDS TO TELL YOU ABOUT…
Absolutely. If there are things that would make participating easier or possible for you, we hope to hear so we can explore options together. Use the contact form, email [email protected] directly, or talk to me -- I want to understand.
Absolutely. If there are things that would make participating easier or possible for you, we hope to hear so we can explore options together. Use the contact form, email [email protected] directly, or talk to me -- I want to understand.
WHAT WILL WE BE DOING?
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FINDING YOUR VOICE is a 4-week mini session, during which committed participants develop skills for singing in groups (yes, they are learnable, no matter where you're starting from!) Using the innate inclination of your own body, and many tricks and tips I've learned, you get to explore your voice in the security of group sound. Laughter-filled, gentle, and occasionally a little wild, this session helps you rediscover the uniqueness of your voice and find how you belong in group singing. If you think you're not a singer -- let me prove you wrong!
$100/mini session. Pre-registration required. Included in Juneberry Connects membership. Group size between 5 and 15. Term I: September 5 & 7 - September 26 & 28 ........ Term II: January 2 & 4 - January 23 & 25 |
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Alternating weeks of Songtimes and Circlesings give lots of singing time in the months between mini sessions. Come to one day, come to all of them -- register ahead of time, or simply show up at the door.
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SONGTIMES are all-come, heart-opening, song medicine sessions. I will choose a cycle of songs based loosely on a structure from Joanna Macy's "The Work that Connects": Gathering, Gratitude, Grief, Praise, Power, and Protection. All songs are taught in the moment, including harmonies, percussion, and bass lines, depending on the inclination of the group.
Drop in at the door & pay with Venmo, cash (exact change) or check; or register ahead to pay with credit card. Pay-as-you-can options include a range of prices:
Term I: October 3 & 5, October 17 & 19, December 5 &7, December 19 & 21 ...... Term II: January 30 & February 1, February 13 & 15, April 2 & 4, April 16 & 18 |
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CIRCLESINGS are all-come song-creating sessions grounded in the practices of Bobby McFerrin, Rhiannon, Zuza Gonçalves and others. We use games developed internationally to layer nuggets of sound, creating expressive ephemeral music. We move through playfulness and discomfort to hear the heart and root music singing in our core. All experience is welcome, no experience is necessary. Might sound complicated or intimidating, but is actually a little weird and a lot wonderful!
Drop in at the door & pay with Venmo, cash (exact change) or check; or register ahead to pay with credit card. Pay-as-you-can options include a range of prices:
Term I: October 10 & 12, October 24 & 26, December 12 & 14, 2023 .......... Term II: February 6 & 8, February 20 & 22, April 11 & 13, 2024 |
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FLOW SINGING is a 4-week mini-session, during which a committed group of pre-registered singers learns a set of songs with greater depth and security. With as little talking as possible, we sing through a series of 6-8 songs that can support and nourish us, learning them more deeply each week. Think meditation with singing and maybe a dollop of laughter and tears. All voices are welcome; there will be ways for all singers, beginning and experienced, to deepen their own practices through these songs.
$80/mini session. Included in Juneberry Connects membership
Group size between 5 and 35. Term I: October 31 & November 2 - November 28 & 30, 2023 ............ Term II: March 5 & 7 - March 26 & 28, 2024 |
I CAN'T WAIT TO SING WITH YOU!!!
HOW DO I JOIN?
Registration is a simple 2-step; you click on the link (below, in the description, or the calendar listing) to give us your name and email. That was step #1. Then watch your email for a welcome letter, which includes all your payment information. Pay securely online with a credit card, or use Paypal, Venmo, or check. That's step #2! For Songtimes or Circlesings, you're welcome to register & pay ahead, or not register at all: simply show up and pay at the door with Venmo, check or cash (exact change, please.)
Registration is a simple 2-step; you click on the link (below, in the description, or the calendar listing) to give us your name and email. That was step #1. Then watch your email for a welcome letter, which includes all your payment information. Pay securely online with a credit card, or use Paypal, Venmo, or check. That's step #2! For Songtimes or Circlesings, you're welcome to register & pay ahead, or not register at all: simply show up and pay at the door with Venmo, check or cash (exact change, please.)
Finding Your Voice |
Songtime |
Circlesing |
Flow Singing |
100 |
15 |
15 |
80 |
4-week mini session pre-registration required |
per week drop-ins welcome |
per week drop-ins welcome |
4-week mini session pre-registration required |
Term I: September 2023 |
Term I: October & December '23 |
Term I: October & December '23 |
Term I: November '23 |
Term II: January 2024 |
Term II: February & April '24 |
Term II: February & April '24 |
Term II: March '24 |
Small group vocal discovery |
Songs that connect and heal |
Co-creation of ephemeral songs |
Deepening in song |
Juneberry Connects Membership
15 weeks of singing that builds and grows.
$227.50 for full membership. (20% off non-member cost)
Term I: September 5 - December 21, 2023
Term II: January 2 - April 18, 2024
A beautiful commitment to your voice and community.
Includes Finding Your Voice, Flow Singing, Songtimes and Circlesings.
15 weeks of singing that builds and grows.
$227.50 for full membership. (20% off non-member cost)
Term I: September 5 - December 21, 2023
Term II: January 2 - April 18, 2024
A beautiful commitment to your voice and community.
Includes Finding Your Voice, Flow Singing, Songtimes and Circlesings.
LOOKING AHEAD TO MAY 2024
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The FIRE mini session after Term II is by permission and registration only. This group will polish and hone a limited number of pieces for performance and recording. The final day, Thursday, May 30th, from 7:30-9 p.m., will be a recording date. Performance dates will be discussed in the group. $50 for the 4-week session; $40 for Juneberry Connects members. Contact Patricia directly to learn more and receive a link to register. May 7 & 9 - May 28 & 30, 2024 |
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