SONGRISE IMPROV CHOIR
WINTER / SPRING DATES 2025 in KITS
TUESDAYS 7:30 to 9pm (doors 7:20)
Feb 18, 25, Mar 4, 11, 18, 25, April 1, 8, April 15, 22, 29, May 6, 13, 20
Cost: Individual dates are $20 payable online.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
Save money and support the choir!
6 session pass = $108 (you save $12)
*No one will be turned away for lack of funds. Please contact Laurel to make other arrangements.
WHAT IS SONGRISE?
There are no songs to learn and nothing to rehearse. Laurel Murphy will lead you in soulful grooves, heavenly harmonies, earthy rhythms and wordless melodies, invented in the moment.
Your voice is the instrument. You and your section of singers will be given vocal riffs and patterns to sing, call and response. They will be looped and layered on the fly, evolving as parts are added and removed. There will be different musical influences, from jazz and blues to world rhythms and harmonies depending on the mood of the moment.
We stand in a circle, stepping in time, tuning in and getting in sync with the group sound, the rhythm, harmony and tone.
There will be structured parts and also an opportunity to explore and invent your own melodies. If you can carry a tune, you will have fun and learn a lot. If you are an experienced singer, your presence will add a lot and you will have a chance to step out and solo over top.
SongRise is about growing a vocal community and creating a welcoming space to express and connect while strengthening music skills. If this sounds like what you are looking for, join us. Bring your singing friends and your enthusiasm! You can register for individual dates or sign up for a series pass at a discount. See above.
How is this different than a regular choir?
There are no songs– all the music is improvised. Singing in a circle with chant-like repetition is ancient and communal. It helps us drop into the body and breathe and connect with each other. We sharpen our listening and learn to sing from a place of ease. You can attend any or all of the sessions. The more you come, the more you will learn and connect with the community.
Who is it for?
SongRise is open to singers of all levels experience, from beginner to professional, who love to sing, are open to the unexpected and want to connect with others.
Each session includes vocal warmups, group experimentation and opportunities for more adventurous singers to solo.
Sign up for the mailing list to receive updates.
SongRise Virtual Improv Choir on Zoom
Yes! You can sing with each other on Zoom! It is not perfect but improvisation lends itself quite well to this medium. Come and see for yourself!
Join the mailing list to hear when the next series will begin.
The Local Online Group is open to all singers who are wanting to explore their voice and learn about improvisation. A basic sense of rhythm and pitch is recommended.
The Global Online Group is for experienced singers with strong rhythm and pitch and previous experience improvising.
These sessions are for singers who want to liberate the voice, uplift the spirit and cultivate open-hearted connections.
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HISTORY OF SONGRISE
SongRise 1995: 5-hour continuous acapella creation
Very rough footage from SongRise 95, the first event of its kind in Canada. This 5-hour improvised choral creation brought together 200 singers and 1200 audience members on New Year’s Eve 95 at St. Andrew’s Wesley Church (Vancouver, Canada.) Featured in this video in order of appearance: Rhiannon, Dee Daniels, Jon Washburn, Sal Ferreras, Ann Mortifee, Modesto and Laurel Murphy. Not shown: Coco Love Alcorn, Lovie Eli and Kate Hammett-Vaughan.
SongRise 1999, New Year’s Eve: 5 hour continuous acapella creation. Film clip taken at 1:30 am, Laurel Murphy and the SongRise Choir welcoming in the New Millennium. Laurel is joined by Rhiannon and earlier also featured conductors Joey Blake, Pepe Danza, David Hatfield, Shari Ulrich, Jon Washburn and the Vancouver Chamber Choir.