Melanie DeMore leads us in a recent ZOOM rehearsal/workshop from her home in Oakland, CA.
Although we have not met and rehearsed in person since early March, we’ve been meeting virtually and have participated in six wild and wonderful ZOOM rehearsals. The beating heart of our choral community is alive and well with between 50-75 singers logging on each week.
For the month of May we scheduled special ZOOM workshops with leaders including Danielle Cozart Steele, Omope Daboiku, and Melanie DeMore where we learned about the importance of voice, resilience, hope and activism through song.
Many of us in the choir stay closely tuned to the news coming out of Marion Correctional, as well as Dayton Correctional and London—where we just sang in January. Before the pandemic stay-at-home orders, we were scheduled to perform Lifting As We Climb, a song cycle with narration commemorating the 100th anniversary women’s suffrage, at the Dayton Correctional Institution on May 2.
Our goal is to sing at least one song on Wednesday August 26 to celebrate “Equality Day,” the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the woman suffrage amendment. We will sing at the Yellow Springs Women’s Park, observing 6 feet of separation and donning our masks (if we are allowed out). The choir is also working on a virtual performance of “All Lifted Hearts,” a choral piece that includes the choir, strings and narration using the texts of the Golden Rule from eight world faith traditions. We will share the performance on social media.
Screen shot of recent World House Choir ZOOM rehearsal