Singing Circle of Lament & Longing — at Laurelhurst Park

In these strange and tense times, when disconnection and loneliness seem to seep into our lives, I find solace in the act of singing, playing instruments, and listening to music. Playing my acoustic instruments transports me to a soothing sense of timelessness.

Let’s create a doorway to that space together through shared song.

Open air, open heart.

We’ll gather in a circle and warm up with an icebreaker and a minor scale. From there, I’ll teach a melody for us all to sing. I encourage anyone who feels inspired to bring their own bittersweet melody. If a song stirs your heart and heals your ache, I invite you to bring it to share with us

Acoustic instruments of accompaniment are welcome. Please avoid electric or electronic instruments for the sake of authenticity. I envision instruments that can harmonize, weep, or drone, such as the violin, flute, oud, harmonium, dulcimer, hand drum, and more. If you have any questions about specific instruments, feel free to reach out.

There’s no need to perform here. This isn’t about perfection; it’s about showing up and being present. It’s not a show; it’s a collective sigh put to melody.

Songs can be traditional, original, whispered, chanted, or hummed. They just have to carry the essence of longing, grief, wonder, and that bittersweet melancholy that allows the heart to unclench.

This is an experimental space where minor key enthusiasts can connect emotionally. If you practice Tonglen, that would be even more wonderful!

For pieces with lyrics that we can follow, we can simply pull up the lyrics on our smartphones. For other types of songs, which may be wordless, we will listen to each other.

Here are a few pieces I plan to include:

Loch Lomond (traditional)
Oh, Shenandoah (traditional)
Shalom Aleichem (traditional)
How Can I Keep From Singing? (trad.)
American Tune by Paul Simon
Young Rider (Apple-cheeked one) (trad.)
Avinu Malkeinu (trad.)
Susanne by Leonard Cohen
Slip Slidin’ Away by Paul Simon
Duncan by Paul Simon
Close Every Door by Andrew Lloyd Webber
Raisins and Almonds (trad.)
Where Is Your Heart? (The Song from Moulin Rouge) by Georges Auric
Beautiful Soup by Richard Heartley

Feel free to participate in any way that feels comfortable for you: sing or hum, play an instrument, or simply sit and listen.

Please bring a folding chair, blanket, bug spray, water, and snacks for yourself. _Optional: a battery-powered lantern or candles._