JOIN | Murmuration Choir

SING WITH US

We are always interested to hear from singers who wish to join our project.

Please read our 'about' description, and check out our photos, videos and spotify soundboard to get a sense of what we do. You can find details of our next term below and, if you can make the dates, please fill in our online application form and email a demo mp3.

Deadline for Autumn '24 Term Applications: 16th September

Membership Due: 23rd September

WHERE & WHEN

Monday evenings, 6.45-9.15pm. Hannah Moore Primary School, New Kingsley Rd, St Philips, Bristol, BS2 0LT. For more rehearsal venue details see: hannahmore.org.uk

AUTUMN '24

Dates: 7.10 - 9.12

Performances: 15.12 - Main Soundbath Concert @ Trinity Centre, other community performances e.g. Southmead Hospital TBC

For the past 2 years we've been exploring the medium of immersive, choral sound baths in our Autumn-Winter term, and the potency that sound has as a tool for wellbeing, healing, connection and personal development. Our sound baths have taken us to Shambala, Wilderness and Medicine festival, and our last soundbath concert sold out in 12 hrs, proving to be profound experiences for both attendees and performers.

The beauty of joining us for our sound bath term, is that you get to be both singer and sound bather, as we swap roles throughout the sessions. We will explore how sound affects us in seated, lying, standing and moving positions, in addition to other practises, and the effects this has on our bodies, voices and relationship with self + other.

An example of one of our sound bath arrangements: 'All is Full of Love' by Bjork, which reached over 10K views in the pandemic.

Alongside our contemporary repertoire by progressive artists at the forefront of popular music cultures, we shall be weaving in improvised soundscapes made with voice + body percussion, spoken work, sound therapy instruments, guided meditation, story and yoga nidra.

The aim is to create a guided sound journey, where participants are able to:

Achieve a relaxing 'theta' brainwave state in a lying position
Gain valuable personal insights from this 'dream state', which in sound therapy is refered to as ASC (altered states of consciousness), and has many health benefits
Experience + move through emotions one might not otherwise feel fully in a usual audience setting
Leave feeling relax, refreshed, nourished + connected

In our sessions, we shall be incorporating gentle vocal yoga, self massage, breathwork, movement, meditation, and polyvagal exercises - all offered as intentional 'rest as activism' in response to the demands of the Christmas season, and the underlying need for resourcing as we wind down into mid winter.

MEMBERSHIP

(10 x week term)

£ 110 / 135 / 165 Sliding Scale (due 23.9).

Once offered a place, membership is confirmed with payment. Due to the time and resource it takes to make this project happen, we are unable to offer refunds once a commitment has been made, so please take the time to check details in advance of joining.

Thanks for reading about what we do, and we look forward to hopefully singing with you soon. If you have any questions, please email info@murmurationchoir.co.uk.

The Murmurs x

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L E D B Y I S O L D E L A C H L A N (Choir Director)

Isolde has been leading choirs and teaching singing,

composition + creative music making for 20 years, training

with Sylvia Young Theatre School, Trinity & Guildhall, LeedsCollege of Music, SOAS, the Association of British ChoralDirectors, Frankie Armstrong (Natural Voice Network),Anne Marie Speed (Estill Methodology), Briggite Bereha(Accent Method), Guillermo Rozenthuler (Collaborative VocalImprovisation), to name a few. In recent years, she has completed a Masters in Music Composition at Goldsmiths University, developing her artistic work as a songwriter, sound designer and choral composer with Distinction. Alongside her love of music as an artform, Isolde has always been interested in the body, healing and personal development, training with the British Wheel of Yoga, Devon Masage Academy and morerecently with the British Academy of Sound Therapy, Heather Lyle (Vocal Yoga) and Ben Grassby (NLP).

Decending from a family line of vicars, Isolde grew up singing in the church, where her first musical home, experience of healing and connection to self, others + that which is bigger than all of us, was vocal harmony. Her mission in her musical journey since has been to share this powerful experience in an non-denominational way, which supports an equal passion for the natural world and brings the sacred into popular music for the purposes of positive personal, social and environmental wellbeing.

W H A T O U R S I N G E R S + S O U N D B A T H E R S S A Y:

'Choral sound baths have been like a weekly spa for my nervous system' - Ellie S. (Murmuration Choir Singer)

'The gift of sound bathing has been one of the best choral experiences I’ve been part of and everyone I’ve invited has found it deeply moving and nourishing. The intentionality and connection brings such depth to the sound created and it’s just such a special thing to be part of.' - Rosie Sauven (Murmuration Choir Singer)'

I was totally blown away by last night's sound bath. It was like being bathed in the song of Angels. Absolutely divine.' - Tor (Sound Bath Concert Attendee + previous choir member)

"I would happily go every day over this time of year. Deep Gratitude" - Alice (Sound Bath Concert Attendee)

'That was literally an out-of-body experience... I floated in and out of waves of tears and laughter from beginning to end as memories and realisations materialised in my consciousness like scenes from a dream. Each note intertwined to bits of each of you and to specific periods of my last 2 years experience of life... The tensions I’ve been holding onto lately groaned cries of submission.. softening and dissolving them in the resonance between your harmony.' (Sound Bath Concert Attendee)

W H A T T H I S C O V E R S:

10 x 2.5 hr weekly group rehearsals, and resonant venue with facilitaties available for refreshments and break-out groups.

Original arrangements of contemporary pieces, largely never sung by other choirs, with scores, recordings, and exercises to aid Visual, Aural and Kinesthetic learning.

Experienced music professionals to support a holistic, mind-body approach to voice and group work, infused with industry-standard practice.

Meaningful, high-quality performances, with rare opportunities to collaborate with established artists.

The opportunity to sing and network with like-minded, skilled musicians who share a love of the same music.

Further opportunities for singers wishing to expand their skill set and performance CV.

Quality photography, footage and recordings of your work with the project.

A conscious message that empowers people and planet through music.

CALLING

Enthusiasts of progressive popular music, who are wishing to experience the connection of singing in a choir, and the creative potential of being part of a musical community.

Keen vocalists, who want to sing at an advanced level that attracts exciting opportunities to work with inspiring artists and collaborators, and who are able to invest in the rehearsal process which makes this possible.

Solid foundation skills in rhythm, pitch, harmony, vocal technique, with desire to develop and grow as a singer.

A love of people, and a healthy attitude towards collaboration. A desire to use music to promote wellbeing, community and sustainability.

REHEARSALS

Each rehearsal begins with 30 mins of warm-up and technical skill building that develop ear training, vocal technique, agility, expression, improvisation, support, breathing, rhythm, voice blending, vocal health, mind-body awareness and musical team building. We have a 10-15 minute break half-way through each session. We usually work towards one main, bespoke performance per term, which may be in collaboration with an external artist, and our repertoire for the term will be focused around this. Due to the advanced nature of the material and limitations on time, scores and recordings for material are given ahead of rehearsals, for singers to prepare parts ready to sing with others. Rehearsal time is then used to enjoy bringing parts together as a whole and refining them, without long periods of teaching time and waiting. Sessions include practise time with your section, to check-in with parts and get to know people. Total practise time outside of sessions is estimated at being 30 mins - 1 hr per week depending on how new you are to the material. In general, we aim to work towards a high standard in a way that is informal, fun and prioritises wellbeing and inclusivity. Please see our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Policy, behind the scenes instagram footage, or email us to get more of a sense of our rehearsal approach & ettiquette.