…. so it’s been a minute since I’ve written anything. I just wanted to document the experience that I had with The Gaia Music Collective last weekend. I had seen videos on social media of the different events that they have held in the past, and I thought that it would be fun to participate. 

I have NO singing experience at all other than singing in music class in elementary school or in church when I attended. I love to harmonize and I have experience with reading music so I was not nervous at all, even though I was walking into the unknown. Which is so not like me.

First of all, I want to say that Asher was an amazing host/conductor. He made everyone feel welcome, and he facilitated the event wonderfully. We were late getting there because of DTLA traffic (it just happened to be the same day and time as the Bernie/AOC rally happening a few miles away) so the room was almost completely full when we showed up. The event was held in the Pico Union Project, a beautiful building that was built in “1909 as the original location of Sinai Temple”. The space has high ceilings and amazing acoustics. All of the pews had been pushed to the outskirts of the room and people were gathered everywhere, circling Asher. Some people were in groups but others came solo. The group was a mix of novices like me and theater performers and everything in between. For the most part, everyone was warm and kind. About 5% of the participants, you could tell, were too good to interact with me. 

The event price is on a sliding scale, with a recommended $25 donation, but they won’t turn anyone away. Upon receipt of payment, I was sent the sheet music to print out and some sound files so that I could listen to the different parts and choose the part that best suited my singing voice. I found that I am between an Alto 1 and Alto 2, and I mostly sang the Alto 1 part.

We started out by singing all the way through the piece once, and then broke out into groups based on our singing voices. We gathered in small groups and practiced different sections of the song. We encouraged each other, complimented each other, and learned from one another. I had never felt more welcome in a room full of strangers. At the very end of the session, we sang through the song once, stationary, and then a second time while wandering the room. As I wandered and sang, I took a video (hopefully one that I can upload) and it was cool to hear the different singing parts as I wandered. You could feel the joy and calm in the room. 

Oh, and in between practice sessions, Asher would give the group prompts, questions to answer in our small groups so that we could interact with one another. Questions like “Where have you felt welcome? Where have you not felt welcome?” and “What are you becoming? What are you leaving behind? And what is staying with you?” It was really cool to hear the perspectives of strangers and actually have them listen to and encourage your answers and participation…., especially in LA, which is a city that tends to condemn its “transplants”. It was nice to be listened to.

Overall, I loved the experience and if/when I get the chance, I would do it again. 10/10. Would recommend.

ps. I keep my blog as a diary of my life. I don’t do it for likes or reads or anything. It’s for me. And if someone likes what I have to say and can gain some insight from it, great. And to the “social media expert” and “camera phone snob”, that’s ok, I know that I’m old. You’ll be my age sooner than you know it and someone will put you down for your lack of knowledge about something one day.