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Fri, Mar 27 - Sun, Mar 29 | Jamaica Plain
Join us for an immersive weekend of community singing.
Boston Big Sing is a weekend immersion of communal singing, bringing together the growing and vibrant singing community of Boston. Join us as we cultivate connection to ourselves, our community, and the Earth through song.
Our guiding question this year is:
"what is the role of singing in this cultural & political moment?"
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Schedule
FRIDAY | 7 - 9:30 PM | Hope Central Church | kid friendly
7 PM | Opening Circle
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Learn powerful songs from different featured Songleaders & connect with the weekend's singing community
8:30 PM | Community Song Share
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Participants are invited to bring a song to share with the circle - simple, repeatable songs work best!
SATURDAY | 11 AM* - late evening | Hope Central Church
*with optional training at 10am for those who want to be part of the No Kings "Singing Resistance" Pod
Saturday Afternoon | 11am - 5:00pm | kid-friendly
10 AM | No Kings "Singing Resistance" Action Training [optional]
11 AM* | Opening Circle
*At end of circle, those who wish to join the No Kings March will depart with songleader Joshua Blaine
12:30 PM | Your choice of 2 workshops:
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"attuning to our seed sounds in the long dark" with nisha purushotham
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workshop TBA with Destiny Cooper
2:00 PM* | Lunch
*No Kings March Singing Pod returns back to the church between 2 and 3pm.
3:00 PM | Full Group Session w/ kei slaughter
4:30 PM | Break
Saturday Evening | 5:00pm - late | Ages 12+
5 PM | Sound Bath w/ Lawanda Monique
6 PM | Songleader Dialogue & Song Share
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asking "what is the role of singing in this cultural and political moment?"
7:30 PM | Dinner
8:30 | Clean & Sing
9 PM | Full Group Session w/ collaborative songleading
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songleaders will collaboratively craft a session responsive to the unfolding of the day
10 PM | Unbroken Circle
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An emergent, improvisational space where anyone can step in to shape the music. Lasts as long as there is energy.
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SUNDAY | 10:30 - 1:30 PM | Outdoors* by Jamaica Pond | kid-friendly
*rain location: Farnsworth House Community Room, 90 South St, Jamaica Plain
10:30 AM | Workshop w/ Asa Peters
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"Trusting Relations in Motion: Context and Introduction to Northeastern Woodland Social Songs and Dances"
12:00 PM | Closing Circle
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Gather with community outdoors for a closing circle of reflections, inspirations and final songs
*Torn between Boston Big Sing & The
No Kings March on Saturday the 29th?
Months after scheduling our Big Sing Weekend, the third national “No Kings” action was scheduled on the same day. Given that we are in a powerful moment of participatory singing being used in social movements across the country, and that we've heard some of our community members having difficulty choosing which event to attend, we are organizing a pod of singers to help bring song to the No Kings action while still being a part of the Big Sing experience. How it will work: those who plan to join the “Big Sing No Kings Pod” will gather at Hope Central Church at 10am on Saturday for a training with songleader Joshua Blaine before the official opening circle at 11am, where all Big Sing participants will gather and honor the different choices we are each making. Around noon, the “Singing Pod” will depart on the orange line to the No Kings Action in Boston Common, where they will help spread song as the crowd arrives between 1 and 2pm, in collaboration with BVOCAL (Boston Voices of Community and Labor). The group will return to Hope Central Church between 2:30 and 3pm to catch lunch and then participate in the 3pm Full Group Session. If you would like to stay for the full No Kings action (ending at 4pm) you may do so, and then return in time for our 5pm soundbath. Note that participants do not need to decide whether they plan to join the “No Kings Pod” or stay at Hope Central for the afternoon session in advance. If you are considering joining the pod, you are welcome to buy a Full Weekend or Full Saturday ticket at the lower end of the sliding scale.
Songleaders & Facilitators
nisha puroshotham
Saturday Afternoon Workshop Facilitator — "attuning to our seed sounds in the long dark"
we are moving through a period of accelerated systems collapse and entering what writer and soul
activist, francis weller describes as the long dark - a period of uncertainty when the current world order
is falling away and what is to be is yet unknown. in this workshop, we’ll explore how our breath, seed
songs bearing ancestral wisdom and future descendants’ longings, and guided vocal play can help us connect with our authentic voice, create permeable boundaries of connection and draw on our intuition
to navigate this time of un-settling and reimagining.
nisha purushotham is a queer femme, leadership coach, cultural facilitator, writer, musician and ritualist.
she studied european classical music for piano from the age of 8 to 18 and afro-caribbean and north
indian percussion traditions with master drummers from cuba, dominican republic and india from 2000 -
2012. for over a decade, nisha facilitated afro-caribbean folkloric rhythm workshops primarily for bipoc
young people to explore music as a potent source of cultural resilience and resurgence. nisha comes
from a lineage of singers and channels songs that speak to the beauty and terror, devastation and
resilience, and grief and unbridled joy she encounters in the world.
kei slaughter
Saturday Afternoon Workshop Facilitator
Workshop details to be announced.
kei slaughter is a New Orleans-born-and-raised flutist, vocalist, composer, and board-certified music therapist. Raised in African American congregational singing traditions, kei learned music as a communal practice that holds reverence for grief, joy, imagination, and resistance. Their work as a song leader, culture bearer, artist, educator, and healer carries this spirit forward, conjuring bokou magik in service of collective care. An active performing and recording artist, kei has been featured across studio projects and stage productions. For over 16 years, they've practiced in community mental health and youth organizing spaces. Since 2022, kei has been an Associate Professor of Music Therapy at Berklee College of Music, and through SOULFOLK Sounds, they co-create healing portals with Black Queer and Trans folx. A Southern boi at heart, kei cherishes porch sitting and singing around their grandmother's kitchen table. They currently live in Jamaica Plain, MA, tending houseplants and a whimsical pencil collection.
Joshua Blaine
No Kings "Singing Resistance" Training Facilitator & Pod Leader
In alignment with the "Singing Resistance" values, Joshua will lead a training on Saturday morning for those interested in helping bring song to the No Kings Action on Boston Common in collaboration with BVOCAL (Boston Voices of Community & Labor) - and then lead the group out into the streets!
l
Joshua H. Blaine (he/him) is a community songleader & songwriter, Jewish ritualist & storyteller, and Resonant Healing facilitator & coach walking the winding magid / sacred storyteller “Shomeret Shalom” rabbinic path of Jewish revolutionary nonviolence under the tutelage of Rabbi Lynn Gottlieb. His songs have been sung across the land from synagogues to the streets in service of our shared and collective longing for liberation. Though he calls many places home, he's currently living in his beloved converted school bus in the woods of western Rhode Island.
Destiny Cooper
Saturday Afternoon Workshop Facilitator
Workshop details to be announced.
Destiny Cooper is an active musician, conductor and educator whose goal is to find ways to build community through music, education and performance. As a music educator and conductor, Destiny is passionate about getting students thinking creatively and expressively in their music-making; incorporating songwriting and elements of vocal improvisation. She is currently a Middle School Choral Director in the Greater Boston Area and has been a Conductor with Boston Children's Chorus since 2018. A passionate choral singer, Destiny has worked with The Western Wind and the King's Singers as well as participating in performances with the Boston Modern Orchestra Project and Boston Symphony Orchestra. Outside of traditional choral music, Destiny has been an active member of the Circlesinging Boston community. She became a member of Circlesinging group, Backyard Collective in 2021.
LaWanda Monique
Saturday Evening Sound Bath Leader
After a long day of singing and socializing, rest and receive soothing sound during this saturday evening Sound Bath. Using singing bowls, chimes, and other vibrational instruments, this session aims to reduce stress, improve mental clarity, and restore emotional balance.
LaWanda Monique is a Boston-based multidisciplinary healer, Mom and the founder of Pharaoh Essentials. Specializing in sound baths and mindfulness education, she is deeply committed to serving the BIPOC and POC communities while welcoming all on their healing journey. As a sound healer and wellness coach, she believes in the power of vibrational healing to combat depression, disconnection, and misalignment, guiding others toward self-awareness, strength, and self-love.
Asa Peters
Sunday Afternoon Workshop Facilitator - "Trusting Relations in Motion: Context and Introduction to Northeastern Woodland Social Songs and Dances"
In this session*, Asa Peters will introduce the group to a handful of social songs and dances from the local Algonquian communities and gifted songs from Haudenosaunee peoples. The group will learn about stories and earthly lessons the songs and dances represent and have an opportunity to try them out. In doing so, Asa will explore some of the dynamics of both protecting and promoting local Indigenous culture to broader publics outside of Native community.
*Note that the Sunday session is only open to those who participated on Friday or Saturday.
Asa Peters is an educator, artist, and researcher. He is a member of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe with descent and community connections in the Narragansett Indian Tribe. As a musician, he has specialties in saxophone, hip-hop production, and a deepening knowledge of Eastern social songs and dances from northeast Algonquin and Haudenosaunee traditions. Asa enjoys engaging in collaborative and creative projects with tribal communities in the northeast in the realms of history, archive development, dance and music, and plant relationships. He is trained in fields of Botany, Music and Technology (BA, Connecticut College), and Critical Ethnic and Community Studies (MS, UMass Boston). Asa currently works at the Native Land Conservancy as a Land and Cultural Knowledge Caretaker.
Jordan Mudd
Big Sing Co-Organizer, Songleader
Jordan Mudd is a vocal coach, grief tender, songleader, ritualist, and prayerful activist based in Jamaica Plain. He co-founded Boston-Area Singing Circles in 2023 and just recently launched his private practice of accompanying clients on their journey of finding freedom in and connection with their voices, bodies, and souls. He is excited to be stewarding the vision of Boston Big Sing for the second year.
milly roberts
Big Sing Co-Organizer, Songleader
milly roberts is a songleader, educator, community health musician, & wilderness guide with a passion for designing experiences that support the full range of human expression. She's been organizing community art experiences in Boston the last 4 years including co-creating Boston Area Singing Circles, the Songbuilders' Soirée, and the Somerville Recovery Music Circle. Her facilitation is marked by a playful approach that bring groups into a powerful brave zone.
Our Approach
Our goal at Boston-Area Singing Circles is to make singing accessible to all. This weekend is open to people of all relationships with their voices - even if you've never sung with a group before. We believe that singing is a birthright, and all our songleaders will be skilled at welcoming singers of all comfort levels.
We teach songs call-and-response style, without written music, and sing a-capella with the support of light percussion. We love improvisational singing as a practice of freeing our voices, and offer tiers of participation that invite people to find their brave edge - whether that's holding a part, finding a harmony, or stepping into the circle to solo. And we incorporate movement and somatic awareness to help us sing as an embodied practice.
Guidelines & Policies
Children: We love children, the energy they bring to our spaces, and exposing them to community music at a young age. Children are warmly encouraged to join our Friday and Sunday circles. For our Saturday afternoon session, our workshops may ask for greater focus and rigor, and so we ask all caregivers to be mindful of how their children engage with the space and take measures to prevent them from disrupting the group. Our Saturday evening session will be closed to children under 12. If you have any specific questions relating to your child's participation please reach out to us.
Youth: Youth ages 12 -18 are welcome to join any part of the weekend, at half cost.
Cancellation: Full refunds available until 3/17. Partial refunds available if cancelling afterwards, unless it is due to sickness or an unforeseen emergency.
Community Health: We are not requiring COVID-19 testing, or masking for this event. You are welcome to wear a mask if you choose. If you feel sick on the day-of, please stay home and we will offer you a full refund and look forward to singing with you another time.
Video & Photo: We will be taking photos and video throughout the weekend, which may be used on our website, or in graphics and flyers. If you do not wish for your face to be discernible in promotional content, make sure to note that during day-of check-in.
Communal Meals: All our meals will be lovingly prepared by community members, and will have vegan and gluten-free options. If you have other allergens please make sure to note them when you sign-up and we will do our best to accomodate.
Transportation & Accessibility
Hope Central Church (85 Seaverns Ave, Jamaica Plain) is a 4 minute walk from the Green Street stop on the Orange Line, and has its own free parking lot across the street. The Church is wheelchair accessible via a ramp and Power Stair Lift Chair, and has a wheelchair accessible bathroom. Please note during sign-up if you have any accessibility needs we should know about.
We recognize that gathering inside a church brings up different emotions for each of us. Our choice to gather in Hope Central Church is based both on the beauty and accessibility of their space, as well as their commitment to reparations and their queer-led and queer-affirming congregation.
Jamaica Pond is a 20 minute walk from the Green Street or Stony Brook stops on the Orange Line. There is free street parking available nearby. We will meet at the Pinebank Promontory, a beautiful open and secluded spot. The paths leading there are paved and wheelchair-accessible, and our gathering spot will be flat and grassy.
Farnsworth House Community Center (90 South St, Jamaica Plain) is our rain location for Sunday afternoon. It is an 8 minute walk from the Forest Hills station, and free street parking is available nearby.
Tickets
Ticket Options:
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Full Weekend: $150, sliding scale $100 - 250
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All-Day Saturday: $115, sliding scale $75 - 150
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Saturday Afternoon: $65, sliding scale $50 - 95
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Friday Evening: $30, sliding scale $20 - 50
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Sunday Afternoon*: $30, sliding scale $20 - 50
*Saturday evening is only open to those who attend Saturday afternoon, and Sunday afternoon is only open to those who attended on Friday or Saturday.
Financial Accessibility: All our tickets are offered on a sliding scale. If you are able to contribute more, it helps keep this offering accessible to others. If finances are a barrier towards attending, please reach out to us and we may be able to make accommodations.
Out-of-towners: While Boston Big Sing is a celebration of Boston's singing community, we welcome out-of-towners to join us, and encourage you to consider paying higher on the sliding scale to help keep costs accessible for our local community.
Children & Youth: Youth (12 - 18) can register for 50% off tickets (use discount code "YOUTH"). Children under the age of 12 can attend for free.
Volunteering: Looking to support the Big Sing Team this year? It truly takes a village. We have several volunteer roles from meal prep and flyering to moving furniture and running the welcome table. Volunteers sign up for a 2 hours shift either before or during the event, and receive a $30 discount on a ticket. Sign up to join the volunteer team here.
Tithing: At least 5% of our ticket sales will be donated to the Native Land Conservancy, a Wampanoag-led land stewardship organization. As we aspire to use song to inspire deeper connection to the land we are on, it is important to us to be in reciprocity with the people who have been stewarding and singing with this land for countless generations. There is an option at the end of our ticket form to give an extra donation, 100% of which will go towards NLC.
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