GATHER & SING
A community singing collective in the Hudson Valley, led by Elissa Maas Weinzimmer
In collaboration with the Athens Cultural Center. Fall season begins Monday, October 6th!
Singing brings us together.
Gather & Sing is a brand new(!), seasonal, non-auditioned, multi-generational community singing collective. Singing together boosts our mood, lowers stress levels, and creates strong social bonds. Come build community resilience by gathering to sing!
How it works
Each season, we meet for eight sessions. We welcome all ages and all vocal abilities, with no auditions.
We sing simple music, often celebrating the season, and always dedicated to our voice as a pathway for liberation and joy.
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We will often be moving while singing! We are not a traditional choir that stands in a semi-circle. We'll be roving through the space for fun, and to hear others' voices. (While accommodating for all physical needs... folks of all movement abilities are welcome.)
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Some songs will be sung in unison, some songs will be in rounds, and some songs will have low, middle, and high parts. Some songs will be serious, some will be silly. We won't use the labels of traditional choirs (bass, tenor, alto, soprano), so that all are free to sing the part they like the best.
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We will learn approximately 10 songs each season. All songs will be taught auditorily, in a practice that brings us into presence and connection with each other in the room. Our instrument is our voice, no accompaniment necessary. You'll have tracks to practice with between sessions.
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If you don't consider yourself a strong singer, or if you've been told you're "tone-deaf" (ouch!), you are welcomed into this group with wide arms. It is everyone's birthright to make sound!
The Schedule
We meet on Mondays from 6-8pm at the Athens Cultural Center (24 2nd St, Athens, NY 12015) . Our fall season meets for the following eight sessions:
Monday October 6th
Monday October 13th
Monday October 20th
(no gathering October 27th)
Monday November 3rd
Monday November 10th
Monday November 17th
(no gathering November 24th)
Monday December 1st
Monday December 8th*
*The final session on Monday December 8th is the Gather & Sing Social - family and friends are invited!
In addition to singing, each session will include a gentle vocal and physical warm-up, activities to build connection and community, and a spacious break.
The Athens Cultural Center
Gather & Sing is a collaboration with the Athens Cultural Center, located in the beautiful riverfront town of Athens, New York at 24 2nd St.
The mission of the Athens Cultural Center is to nurture an appreciation of art and culture, and uplift creative voices in a welcoming place for all. It is located in an 1870's former storefront on the main street of Athens, and is steps away from the Hudson River and the beautiful Athens Riverfront Park.
With gratitude and humility, we acknowledge that we are gathering on the ancestral homelands of the Mohican/Mahican and Lenape peoples, the indigenous people of this land.
Learn more and become a member of the Athens Cultural Center here.
Guidelines
Each eight week season of Gather & Sing is a closed container. There are no drop-ins.
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Children of all ages are welcome, provided they can participate fully for the two hour session, and that they attend with a parent or caregiver. (Ages 15, 16, & 17 may attend without a caregiver - please write to Elissa at [email protected] so we can discuss.)
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This is an in-person, masks optional gathering. Please do not attend if you are sick!
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The cost to join for a season is $150, regardless of attendance. You'll get the most out of the experience if you attend all the sessions, but of course we understand you may have to miss a session for travel or other reasons. (If you become unexpectedly ill, please let Elissa know in advance of that week's session, and stay home. We will happily offer you an $18 credit for the following season as thanks for protecting the health of the community.)
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This is an experiential group, focused on the joy we build when singing together. There is no public performance, but we do invite family and friends to join us for the Gather & Sing Social!
Registration
Please register by Friday, October 3rd:
Hi, I'm Elissa!
If we haven't met, I'm glad you found this offering and I'm so happy you're interested in singing together. I am singer, a vocal health educator, and a presence coach. My interest in voice teaching began because I very suddenly lost my voice when I was 21, due to a vocal hemorrhage, severe onset of acid reflux, and muscle tension dysphonia. Out of that difficult experience, I created Voice Body Connection. In my online training, I offer vocal health and nervous system training courses, a Community with warm-ups and workshops, and an Instructor Program for voice teachers. I also run Vibrant Voice Technique (vibrators for the voice), alongside my mentor and colleague, David Ley.
I've been teaching voice and movement for nearly two decades - I have an MFA in Theatre Voice Pedagogy from the University of Alberta, and I'm certified in Body-Mind Centering®, Fitzmaurice Voicework®, and Hatha yoga. You can find my music on all platforms by searching 'Elissa Maas,' and I'll teach you some un-released songs in our Gather & Sing seasons. I am based in the Hudson Valley of New York, where in addition to leading Gather & Sing, I also offer in-person workshops.
If you have any questions about your participation in this group, please email me at [email protected]. I look forward to hearing from you!
