Presentations text content in “When Did We Stop Singing?”
Slide1
“When Did We Stop Singing?”
Vocal Improvisation and Circle Singing as a metaphor and tool
for community building
Slide2Deb Hensley
www.improvox.com
www.whendidwestopsinging.com
Slide3When did you stop singing?
Slide4Your Hopes
and Concerns
for today…
Welcome, Introductions, Hopes and Concerns around the circle
Review: safety, confidentiality, permission to "pass," encouragement to try etc.
Vocal
ensembling
/improvisation as a metaphor and tool for building community:
(brainstorm parallels--
v
short discussion to set intention for
wkshop
)
Slide5How often do you actually sing (individually or with others)? Do you feel free to sing in public...why or why not?Do you think singing a natural part of human expression? How do indigenous cultures use singing to build community? Why has Western culture largely stopped singing in community? Do you think singing is important to peace-building, sustainability and communities of all kinds?
Some Questions to Consider
Slide6Do we live in a culture
bereft of
meaningful
“Social Capital?”
Slide7Learned Fear of Singing…
A Western inventionRelentless assault of riff-raff or public “music”“Expertism” at the expense of accessibility to all
Performance verses community based singing
Over-dependence on recordings
Slide8A Serious Silencing
…of a basic human need
Slide9Indigenous Cultures Sing Freely
To establish contextTo celebrate the hunt (songfeasts)To connect and reconnectTo promote interdependence
To express place
To express identity
To indicate solidarity
To build social capital
Slide10Indigenous Cultures incorporate singing seamlessly into community
African “Song of the Child”Singing as a response to socially aberrant behavior
T
Aborignal Songlines Medicine man asking “when did you stop singing?”
Slide11OOHVISI
OriginalOpenHonestVoluntaryIntimateSpontaneousInnate
OOHVISI refers to singing that is accessible to anyone—alone or together
It goes beyond the formal constructs of choirs, glee clubs and performance venues
Slide12What makes a community come alive?
OOHVISI singing models a way for communities to establish interdependence, connection and celebration, stronger rhythmic routines, emergent themes, and a defined identity
Slide13Circle Singing & Vocal Improvisation are about saying…
YES
Slide14Community
Interdependence
Connection
Celebration
Slide15The NEW Community:
Design, Story, Orchestra, Empathy, Play, Meaning
-
A Whole New Mind
by Daniel Pink
Slide16Big-pictureOut of the boxConnecting patternsPolyrhythmsThe Undervoice
Design
Big-picture
Out of the boxConnecting patternsPolyrhythmsAccessing the “Overvoice”
Big picture thinkingOut of the box thinkingConnecting patternsPolyrhythm OvervoiceUncervoice
Big-picture
Out of the box
Connecting patterns
Polyrhythms
The
Overvoice
The
Undervoice
Slide17Story
the voice of another
the voice of the self
the voice of the common experience
the voice of narrative medicine
Slide18Orchestra
steady beat
patterns
dy
nam
ics
melodic themes structure
interlocking parts
counter melodies repetition
variation
tempo meter
rhythm
pitch tone
Slide19
Empathy
Deep listening to the voice of another
Embracing silence
Compassionate and bold response
Slide20
Play
Voluntary
Spontaneous
Self-initiated
Simple or complex
Structured toward freedom
Slide21
MEANING
IntentionExpressionContextualDirectionComprehensionEmotionMemoryRelational
“The secret of life is to discover your song and the meaning of life is to sing it.”
-
Annonymous
Slide22Warming up the speaking, singing and body voice
"Dig a Duck”Speaking: Your Story/Our Story --two word story around circle, get it going until it feels like one story1/12/1/1232/1/123432/1 etc..Call and response tones/scale patterns/namesCircle-Song (voicestra)Round: When You Were BornLong Tones--unison then harmonics and back to unison
Write your name with a
lazer
beam
Slide23The Overvoice
Rhythm and Polyrhythm
Ah
mah
eee
boo oh
ee
aayeee
Slide24Hearing the Melodic and Rhythmic "Overvoice" Ahm ah ee boo” rolling round— from Ysay Barnwell of Sweet Honey and the Rock) Whole group sings together, then ask for volunteers to sing as a smaller group. Listen deeply to the many melodies created within this one song when many people sing it together. Debrief discussion around these concepts: What did this teach us about community building--collective endeavor, unforeseen ideas that come forward in community, deep listening, attention, holding individual part vital, hearing the "overvoice" etc.
OF MELODY…
Slide25Improvisational Forms
And what they teach us about community
Slide26VOICESTRA
Emerges in the moment
A Spontaneous Circle Song
Can have words or no words
Simple or very complex
Start by banishing your brain from the circle!
JUST VOICE IT….
Slide27:
Group Home-
-
2 or 3 people choose a rhythmic or melodic riff together, then the next three etc--can be harmonies or interlocking parts. Invite volunteers to improvise (2 at a time)
Individual Home
--(ask for 5-7 volunteers...each person creates and holds their own part. One improviser sings in center of circle and ends piece)
Sound Wave—leader introduces a vocal pattern and passes it on…then starts another pattern once that is established down the line….as in vocal “telephone” game
Debrief: how do these vocal experiences relate to community.
What did you have to do individually and collectively to make them work?
What was difficult/scary/fun/interesting/unifying etc...
Slide28…of rhythm
Clapping and Object Rhythms
One, one two one…Clapping meters, body rhythms Cup game
Body Rhythms
Body Body Body
Sylvie with Body Rhythm
Aie
Aye Mo Chi
Noomba
Slide29Quodlibits: Swing Low/When the Saints/Coming Round the Mt.When I breathe in I breath in peace…Deliver meI will believe the Truth about myself...The Tarantulas are on the RoadAie Aye Mo Che NoombaLay Down my Sword and Shield (ask for input)Can't imagine life without...Choo can get to feeling happy,What to do if you can't get Pizza...what to do when it rains...
Some Simple
SONGS
that build community…
Slide30Get on Board
Choo
can get to
feelin
’ happy you can get to feeling good,
choo
can do most anything that
choo
thought
choo
could…
Get on board, get on track. Get to where you’re
goin
’ and don’t look back…
Choo
take a ride,
choo
take a ride,
choo
let it go…step aside…
Get on board….Get on track….Get on board….Get on track…
-Terri
Garthwate
Slide31Breathe in Peace
When I breathe in, I breathe in peace,
when I breathe out, I breath out love
Breathe out….breathe in… breathe out…breathe in….
Slide32Rolling Round
I will believe the Truth about myself…No matter how beautiful it is
Slide33When you were born…
When you were born you cried, and the world rejoiced,
Live your life so that when you die
The world cries and you rejoice
Slide34Spontaneous Circle Singing
Voicestras
…
Invite people who are inclined, to try setting up their own
voicestra
and improvise with it
Closure:
Keep Breathing (As the chorus of this continues invite participants to consider a time in their life when…..and share this aloud when ready)
Long tones and goodbye....
Slide35Voice is inherent in each of us, everyone has a VOICE. May not ultimately be about physical singing, but YOUR VOICE is vital to the community, both as a support and a melody in itself. Pay attention to it and use it.Identify where your VOICE lives (what is your primary means of expression?)Thank you for considering the primal, ancestral nature of music here today and its implications for community building
THE SPONTANEOUS VOICE
Slide36“
A bird doesn’t sing
because it has an answer.
It sings because it has a song
.”
--Maya Angelou
Slide37Deb Hensley
www.improvox.com
www.whendidwestopsinging.com
“When Did We Stop Singing?”
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