Festival hosts ‘open hub singing’

Sisters Folk Festival is hosting a new community program at its Sisters Art Works facility. Open Hub Singing will take place from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. on the first and third Tuesdays each month at the Sisters Art Works building, located at 204 W. Adams Ave.

The first gathering will be held on October 1.

The vision behind the program is to see singing together become an essential part of a more honest, less fearful, kinder culture. Open Hub Singing is a non-audition, “aural” tradition community singing group. It is headed up by Ian Carrick, who is excited to start a new ongoing offering in Sisters.

“We are grounded in the belief that singing is a human birthright, and that group singing is a fundamental ‘technology of belonging,’” Carrick said. “Open Hub Singing is open to all singers. Our 50-plus members harmonize in uplifting oral tradition songs from an international cultural revival of group singing. We are a non-audition, embodied, joy-based choir. We welcome all new and returning singers throughout the season.”

Every song is taught call and response, by ear. Most of the songs sung by the group come out of a modern cultural revival of singing for the sake of singing; layered songs with multiple interweaving parts, perhaps inspired by different lines of a poem; simple chants with opportunities for rich harmony; engaging rhythmic rounds. Laurence Cole and Annie Zylstra are two fantastic examples of folks writing these kinds of songs. In addition to these fresh new songs, the group will sing a few old classic community songs (folk, gospel, spirituals) as well as songs from other cultures.

“We’ll sing to welcome friends home. We’ll sing loved ones goodbye. We’ll sing for people in the midst of big life transitions, old and young. We’ll sing to bless new projects and to let tired dreams die. We’ll know a common body of songs and have the skills as a community to sing them passionately and beautifully,” Carrick said. “We receive huge biochemical rewards when we raise our voices together. Group singing truly is one of the most potent ‘technologies of belonging’ available to us today.”

All voices are wanted: shower singers, non-singers, and seasoned hummers alike. Find more info and listen to some of the songs at http://www.openhubsinging.com. There is a $10-$20 suggested donation, but no one will be turned away for lack of funds. The group is LGBTQ+ friendly and free for those 18 and under — from activists in Missouri to corporate leadership teams in Seattle to choirs in Sydney— and participates in mens’ healing work and composes original aural tradition music.

Sisters Folk Festival, Inc. enriches lives through innovative music and arts education, programming, and events that serve an inclusive, multi-generational community.