MOTHERSONG CHORUS

Uncover Your Voice in Warm Community

Unlock vocal courage

Find Belonging

Awaken JOY!

Join us for vocal empowerment and discovery in community with Mothersong Chorus. Mothersong is a non-auditioned community choir for women and non-binary folks. We welcome singers at all levels of confidence and ability to join us weekly for singing-as-self-care in our warmly supportive community. No prior singing experience required. Find out how good it feels to let go and SING! Register now for Fall Season!

Mothersong meets in two cohorts who come together at the season’s close for a concert for family and friends.

Our season runs September 5th through January 20th. (You’ll see the complete schedule should you choose to register.)

Mothersong San Francisco meets Thursday evenings, 6 – 7:30 PM at Golden Bridges School, 503 Cambridge St., San Francisco

Mothersong Pacifica meets Tuesday evenings, 6 – 7:30 PM, Pacifica, private residence in Sharp Park. (Google Oceana High School for approximate driving distance.)

REGISTER HERE

Come make vocal magic and lose yourself in the FLOW

You know that feeling where you’re tapped out and drained? When you’re too busy and you just can’t seem to find time for the things you really enjoy?

Well, I want to share with you a doorway to the opposite of that feeling – a path to greater connection, aliveness and presence.

That doorway is singing!

You might be shy. You might feel like you don’t have any particular talent for singing.

But singing might still be a powerful practice for you!

Why?

Because when we sing, we lift up more than just our voices. We lift ourselves up too.

If you’re shy about singing, please know this – this gathering is come as you are. No matter where you’re at with singing, our nurturing circle will help you feel safe to dive in and explore.

REGISTER HERE

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What You’ll Experience

The Music – Learn about twenty beautiful songs in two and three part harmony – songs to strengthen, uplift, and inspire.

The Practices – Master embodiment and mindset practices to develop your singing voice, overcome stage fright, and step into your soul’s fullest expression.

The Community – Find belonging in a supportive circle of amazing women and nonbinary folks you’ll love getting to know.

Possibility for Individualized Support – Learn in the context of the full group, or some one on one sessions with Noe to address specific issues related to voice and expression.

The Performance – Our season closes with a celebratory concert for family and friends. (The most loving, supportive “audience” you can imagine!)

What We Sing

This season’s repertoire includes

Hypnotic sacred rounds and chants
Easy to learn parts songs in two or three part harmony – uplifting anthems that call to the best in us.
Gorgeous world folk songs.
Songs so beautiful, you won’t believe how easy they are to learn.
Note re: cultural respect. As a white bodied song leader, I take responsibility for avoiding cultural appropriation in the circles I tend.
Currently, in this setting, I avoid teaching traditional songs in the public domain that come from BIPOC cultures, where correct attribution and right compensation can be difficult. Instead, I prioritize songs by known BIPOC composers, so that I can ask permission and, if possible, arrange for compensation.

REGISTER HERE

Hear the Music

We sing songs like this one, Be Like a Bird, by Victor Hugo and Arthur Frackenpohl)

Teaching Style

I teach singing in the oral tradition. This means that we don’t use sheet music, so there’s absolutely no sight reading required.

Literally all you need to be able to do is to listen and sing back what you hear.

Here’s how it works – as a song leader, I sing a line, the group sings it back to me. That’s it!

Starting with small sections, just one short line at a time, we gradually build up to the point where we can sing satisfyingly complex arrangements with ease.

If you need extra support with learning the songs, I’ve got you covered! Your participation in Mothersong grants you access to a trove of practice recordings for all the songs we sing, so you can take the music home with you and practice as much as you need.

COVID Policy

For outdoor gatherings, masks are optional and we invite you to position yourself as feels safe to you.

For indoor gatherings, we offer the following safety protocol to help minimize the possible transmission of COVID and other illnesses.

We ask that you…

Join us in following the “Bird Cat Dog” system for interacting physically with others. This fun system allows each of us to self-identify how comfortable we are with physical proximity, so that we can honor one another’s needs around distancing.
Check in with yourself on the day of each meeting. Are you well? Are you experiencing any symptoms not related to a pre-existing condition? Do you have any known COVID exposures?
In the case of a known COVID exposure, please be sure to do a COVID test on yourself before joining us, and/or refrain from joining us until you know you’re in the clear.
If you feel iffy, even with a negative COVID test, please stay home.
Masks are optional. If you do decide to wear a mask, we recommend this one, preferred by choruses for protection, comfort, and vocal clarity. (If you have a different mask you prefer, that’s fine too!)

In addition, we guarantee the following

Adequate space and ventilation in our weekly meeting spaces, where we will ensure adequate ventilation and high quality air purifiers running
Reasonable sized group to avoid crowding. Number of in person participants limited to no more than 18, not including children, for the San Francisco cohort, and no more than 12 for the Pacifica cohort. The only exception to this may be Thursday, January 18th, when both cohorts come together to practice in one space. Because of our slightly larger than usual group size, masks are encouraged for this meeting.

Important: All of the above guidelines are subject to change with any changes in CDC guidelines.

All that said, you do participate at your own risk and you will be asked to sign a waiver to this effect. Thanks for your understanding.

REGISTER HERE

Our Meeting Locations

Large

Well Ventilated

Air Purifiers Running

Your Registration Includes

VOCAL INSTRUCTION

A full season’s worth of energizing weekly vocal instruction, plus our final concert and celebration!

COMMUNITY

Participation in a vibrant musical sangha of women & nonbinary folks on a shared journey of vocal liberation.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Access to high quality practice recordings as well as complete lyrics to make learning easy.

MINDSET PRACTICES

Learn practices to strengthen vocal delivery and reduce performance anxiety, drawing on Noe’s expertise as a certified hypnotherapist and spiritual counselor.

What We Ask of You

To provide the most nourishing, powerful experience for all participants in this group, we ask all those who join this group to commit to the following

To respect and abide by the rules of our COVID protocol. (Thank you!)

To commit to regular attendance. (Required of in person participants only.) By “regular attendance,” we mean prioritizing this group over optional activities that overlap with our meeting time. This helps ensure that we’ll have enough people to carry the parts. In the event that you need to miss for circumstances beyond your control, (it does happen sometimes!) we ask that you make up the missed meeting later by reviewing the video recording, which will be made available the day after the event.)

Listen to the practice recordings. You should plan to dedicate at least a half hour each week to singing along with these recordings. (Can be done while going about your day – driving, washing dishes, etc.)

Sing Daily – Beyond attending each weekly meeting, we ask that you sing regularly, ideally every day, to continue to nurture and develop your voice. Like listening to the practice recordings, you can weave singing in wherever it fits for you.

Bring your authenticity, and show up in the loving fullness of yourself. Together, we can maintain Mothersong as a refuge where all can feel safe, seen and supported.

REGISTER HERE

Frequently Asked Questions

Q – Can I bring my child?

A – Yes, children of all genders are welcome, provided they are of an age to either join in the singing or do quiet self-directed activities nearby. (No screens, please.) Please note that our COVID policy applies to children too. If your child is sick, please keep them home.

Q – Do I have to be a “good singer?”

A – You do not need to be a confident singer, or an experienced one. This is a “come as you are” group. All voices welcome!

Q – Do I need to know how to read music?

A – Sight reading is not required. All songs are taught by ear.

Anything else you’d like to know? If so, please don’t hesitate to email me at noe@noevenable.com.

REGISTER HERE

Kind Words

Singing in Mothersong Chorus is a powerful experience! I feel the wonder of becoming whole, every time.

Hilde, San Mateo

Mothersong was an incredibly powerful experience that nourished, challenged, engaged and inspired my mind, body and soul. My vulnerability turned into curiosity and eventually strength. Mothersong is a gift that I continue to treasure. Thank you, for creating, guiding and holding this supportive and inclusive community with your open heart. The words and way you bring people together is remarkable.

Christy, San Francisco

During my time with Mothersong, I deeply appreciated the inclusive and accepting atmosphere fostered by Noe. As someone with a recently changed voice and appearance, I had concerns about fitting in, but Noe’s reassurance and genuine support made me feel not only welcome but celebrated. The choir provided an incredible space for me to learn, grow, and connect with a diverse group of amazing people through the power of music and shared experiences. It was a truly transformative and uplifting journey that I will cherish forever.

Seneca, San Francisco

My experience of Mothersong this season was one of deep healing. I entered the first meeting feeling very tender with personal grief from having lost a loved one, and ended the season with a deeper connection to the other participants, myself, and my ancestors.

Jessica, San Francisco

I love the songs Noe chooses to teach. Heartfelt and “tuned” to our times. Learning harmonies by ear can be challenging, but Noe’s skill with layering and recording harmonies – on the fly – makes learning a lot of fun. It’s a joy to hear our voices in harmony.

Francesca, San Francisco

I appreciate The songs and their message, the gentle and safe space to try and fail, the diverse and wise community, learning music by ear, and Noe! Noe’s song leading is Empowering, uplifting, healing, gentle and oh, her voice is so beautiful. I recommend this group to Everyone I know! But especially anyone who needs to be held.

Deepa, San Francisco

Financial Exchange

First off, if you’re new to the group, we warmly welcome you to try it for free. You’ll see that option when you go to register.

After that, if you decide to commit, the cost works out to approximately $25 per 90 minute meeting, payable either up front or in installments.

What this covers:

In addition to Noe’s teaching time, your financial support covers venue rentals, insurance, song licensing, arranging the songs, producing high quality practice recordings, lyrics, promotion, and all the online systems that help me serve you.

While the sustainability of this group depends on most people paying the above rate, we do have a limited number of scholarships available.

You may apply for a scholarship here.

Thank you so much for supporting this group, and letting this group support you! It takes a village!

REGISTER HERE

About the Director

Noe Venable is a songleader with fifteen years experience. In New York, she was music director for the Brooklyn Waldorf School. She also led the Mother Daughter Chorus, a choral experience for mothers together with their adolescent daughteres.

Since moving back to the Bay Area in 2015, her main offerings have been Noe’s Garden Magical Music Class for young children and Mothersong Chorus for women and nonbinary folks, which to date have brought heart centered music making to more than a thousand families.

Also a singer-songwriter, Noe has released eight critically acclaimed albums of original folk music for grown ups and an additional eight albums for children and has toured the US in support of Ani Di Franco, They Might Be Giants and many other well known artists, and has cultivated a worldwide following of like minded folk drawn to nature, spirituality, and the creative path.

Noe holds an MTS from Harvard Divinity School. She is also a certified practitioner of Depth Hypnosis and Applied Shamanism as taught by Dr. Isa Gucciardi, and is also an ordained interfaith minister of the Buddhist Foundation of the Sacred Stream.