Maybe It's Enough

A little ditty about the many reasons and moments to sing.

Why Not Sing?

Inspired by gentle vocal warm ups with a shruti box (a common practice for myself as well as my friend Heather Houston when she warms up her choirs.) I sang this alone on my looper for the first time, as an improv and gift for my own Living Room Choir members, during pandemic isolation times. Please feel free to play with the layers and use it as an opportunity to stretch, warm up, and greet each other. It's easier to end it in person; I usually end taking out layer by layer until the last phrase heard is "It's the best."

It's The Best (blend Live Looper And Recorded)

This short but luscious 4-part, dense harmony piece by Annie Zylstra is a true joy to sing. Note that Annie delineates the parts differently than we do in the Wholehearted Chorus. The high line is the Air/ Soprano line, middle-high is the Tenor/ Water line, middle low is the Fire/ Alto line and low is the Fire/ Bass line.

The Way is Clear by Annie Zylstra

This beautiful chant from Nigeria is sung in the Yoruba language. A favorite to sing with my Shruti box layering in harmonies as we go. 

Arrangement by Heather Houston
To learn the individual parts to this song, please visit my Public Song Library:
https://heatherhoustonmusic.com/sisters-in-harmony-song-library/

This song is in the public domain.

Meaning: 
God's good work will never be destroyed. I like to think of it as the Creator's beautiful work lives on for eternity.

Lyrics:

Ise oluwa
Kole baje oh
Ise oluwa
Kole baje oh
Kole baje oh
Kole baje oh
Ise oluwa
Kole baje oh

Ise Oluwa - All Parts - Key of B flat

Rain Song by Mark Growden - All Parts

Original song by Maggie Wheeler, arrangement by Lisa G. Littlebird.

Get It Right by Maggie Wheeler - All Parts

Lift me up!

courage is not the absence of fear
it is the feeling of this fear
being afraid and standing up anyway

COURAGE

This African-American spiritual is a soulful beacon. Sung and shared here by Melanie DeMore, she never teaches harmonies to this. After sharing the melody with a group she simply says "harmonize" and everyone knows just what to do. Enjoy.

For lyrics and more information, please visit:
https://thebirdsings.com/shine-on-me/

Shine On Me, sung by Melanie DeMore

This song moved through me, for you, for all of us on Easter 2020. What you are hearing is the song in raw form, unrehearsed, first time I ever sang it, recorded on my iPhone. I have no time or need or desire to perfect anything. May it be an invitation for you, as it was for me, to pause in the perfection of the present moment. 

You can find the practice tracks on my website. www.heatherhoustonmusic.com

Lyrics

Right here now, in this present moment,
right here now, I am singing
Right here now in this present moment,
right here now, I am breathing

Pause with the exhale, let go surrender

All is well, I am held in the arms of Love
​​​​​​​All is well, I am held by the One

Right here now, this is holy ground
Right here now, this is sacred sound

© Heather Houston
04/2020
All rights reserved

It's The Best (blend Live Looper And Recorded)

Kaitie Ty Warren

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