The Sing Portland! Blog
That beautiful voice of yours – let it shine!
Guest blog post by Noe Venable from San Francisco. A QUESTION ABOUT SINGING Recently, someone asked me a question. Her question was this: I am a songleader leading groups of people in chant as spiritual practice. I love singing, and I sing quite freely when alone....
What I’m thinking about the future
Have you come across the term “corona-coaster” yet? I spotted it the other day and, boy, does it ever sum up the emotional highs and lows of living through a global pandemic! Two months or so into this whole thing and I think we’re all still trying to figure out what...
When life gives you lemons…
Finding the positives in the pandemic. The world has been turned upside down — for all of us. It’s almost as if we’re moving through the stages of grief; anger, yes, there’s plenty of that. Depression is certainly doing the rounds too. Denial I’m familiar with. I...
19 things you can do to keep singing
Choral singing is on hold for weeks. Maybe even months. But don’t let anybody keep you from singing! Have fun with these suggestions: Sing by yourself Download a karaoke app like Smule or Yokee and sing your heart out. Make a play list of “Corona” songs. I’m thinking...
Standing out or blending in?
If there’s a better feeling in the world than belting out a tune at the top of your voice, I don’t know what it is! Whether you’ve had a bad day and want to release some pent up stress or whether you’ve had an amazing day and you’re feeling like you could take on the...
The secret to finding the right pitch: it’s all in the eye contact.
Sing Portland! is going up in the world — singing with Deke Sharon, performing at Carnegie Hall. We’re getting a bit of a reputation. So it’s about time we shake things up a bit, right? It’s about time we take a look at our ‘everyone welcome’ policy and start making...
Finding your purpose: let music be your guide
Money worries: we all have them. For you, it might be paying off your student debts, making rent, or stressing about your 401k. Me, I wonder daily how the heck I’m going to get my kiddos through college. Sometimes I fantasize about making big bucks to make it all...
![[guest post] Every Musician Should Give a TEDx Talk. Here’s Why.](https://www.singportland.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Finding-inner-freedom-Dec-2019-940x675.png)
[guest post] Every Musician Should Give a TEDx Talk. Here’s Why.
I had imagined that the day after my TEDx talk I’d be physically and emotionally exhausted. But I wasn’t. Usually after an important performance, I experience a fabulous afterglow followed by a letdown, even a vulnerability hangover. But not this time. Why was this...
![[Guest Post!] Coming Home to the Music](https://www.singportland.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Coming-home-Nov-2019-940x675.png)
[Guest Post!] Coming Home to the Music
Music has always been a huge part of my life. I was born in Nashville, the home of country music. I grew up singing in choirs, musicals, and a capella groups, and even now, I can’t walk out the door without my headphones and a playlist. I have a constant soundtrack...
How singing helped me rediscover my inner harmony – and save me from the workday from hell!
Overwhelmed and spread too thin…sound familiar? For many of us it’s more than familiar — it’s just normal life! My beautiful choir member, Kelly, can relate. The very first night she came to Sing Portland! that’s exactly how she was feeling. She says that the...
When history divides us, is music the bridge?
Some things just stay with you, don’t they? If you’ve read my December post in which I described my experience of last October’s “Singing on the Edge” weekend at Esalen, you won’t be surprised to hear that the experiences I had there won’t be leaving me any time...
The Deke Sharon method for giving the perfect performance: forget about perfection.
“Deke Sharon is Marion on steroids!” Well, I don’t know how Deke Sharon would react to the comparison, but I was thrilled when one of my students said this about me recently. What a compliment! I know that if I could harness even a drop of Deke’s talent I’d be...