The SingOnline.org Song Circle
Why is this drop-in online song circle different from all other online song circles? Because, unlike on Zoom, you can see and hear everyone singing every word with you, and everyone can see and hear you — live!
Next Circle: After 2 1/2 years of wonderful singing together — live! — online, our circle is on indefinite hiatus. Sign up for our email list (scroll down to the bottom of this page) if you want to receive an update on any song circle news. Thank you to all who have sung with us so far, you all are blessings!
Free Zoom-based Info Sessions
Marv holds *optional* 20-minute Info Sessions (demo and Q&A) on Zoom. Click a time (all times Pacific) to register:
[Check back here for Info Sessions; you can also email Marv with questions or to set up a 1:1 onboarding session. Note that an Info Session is not required if you’d like to sing with us.]
Song Circle FAQ
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Led by Marv Zauderer, who teaches easy-to-learn songs in the oral tradition — line-by-line, call-and-echo, no need to read music! — this community song circle gives you the opportunity to see (via Zoom) and hear (via free software - Jamulus) everyone in the circle, and gives everyone the opportunity to see and hear you, too — live, without any delay!
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You can join us at any time! Because every song is taught line-by-line, you never have to have been to a previous circle. Come to one, some, or all!
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No, just a computer (not a tablet or phone), an Ethernet cable ($5-$15) to go between your computer’s and WiFi router’s Ethernet ports, and headphones that plug into your computer. If your computer doesn’t have an Ethernet port, you’ll need (~$17) a connector that plugs into your computer’s USB port. And then you’ll likely have much faster Internet to use all the time!
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We sing a diverse blend of mostly contemporary community-singing songs, like this one, this one, and this one, with some old favorites, too, like this one. All songs are selected for their ability to rejuvenate, soothe, and inspire. You can see a full list of all songs we’ve sung in my circles here.
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You just have to be able to carry a tune! That’s it! No auditions, no need to read music, no previous singing experience necessary, you just need a desire to sing songs in harmony with wonderful people. We have beginning singers, experienced singers, and everyone in between, and we have people who are new to the circle every time! And all of the songs we sing are easy and quick to learn.
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People within 1000 miles of San Francisco, with a wide variety of singing backgrounds, including just singing in the shower or car! We extend a special welcome to members of the BIPOC and LGBTQ+ communities, and all others who have been so frequently marginalized in our society. All voices are welcome at our circle.
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Unfortunately not….yet. We find low-latency Jamulus-based singing works best for people who are within about 1,000 miles of our Jamulus server, which is located in San Francisco. (It has to do with how long it takes the speed of light to travel, which is what’s happening when you’re sending your voice up to our server and hearing the “mix” of everyone’s voices come back to you from our server.) However, we’re looking at the possibility of having servers in Salt Lake City and Las Vegas, so if you’re within 1,000 miles of one of those (just Google, for example, “distance from Salt Lake City to (your city))” — email Marv to let him know you’re interested.
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Yep, occasional rockstar guest songleaders! Like the amazing Maggie Wheeler, co-Director of Golden Bridge Choir, who joined us on October 18, 2020, and Grammy-nominated Arnaé Batson of The SSING Network, the Hearts Afire Community Choir, and the Voices Raised - LA Vocal Collective, who joined us on March 21, 2021.
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“It’s the first time I’ve sung in harmony in a group in almost a year!”
— C.N.
“It is so wonderful to hear everyone singing at the same time!”
— M.D.
“SingOnline is an ingenious -- and welcome! --- adaptation to our confined circumstances. Singing with others in harmony is a soul-feeding experience I've relied on my whole life. I've missed it more than anything else these last 10 months, so thank you thank you thank you. Can't wait until the next one :-)”
— J.H.K. -
We always welcome new singers, and because every song is taught line-by-line, you never need to have attended a previous circle.
If you’re new to our group and you’d like to join a circle, you’ll need to have a brief Zoom/Jamulus 1:1 onboarding with Marv in advance of your first circle to ensure everything’s working — so please allow enough time in advance to get set up and onboarded; Marv doesn’t do onboarding sessions the day of the Circle.
Just email Marv, he’ll answer any questions you may have, he’ll give you step-by-step instructions on what to do, and will set up an onboarding session with you if you’re interested.
All voices welcome, no previous experience necessary — join us!
SingOnline.org Song Circle Beneficiaries*
* The Song Circle originates from unceded Coast Miwok land and we acknowledge we benefit from their displacement. To contribute to the healing of the continuing harms of the colonization of indigenous people, including through rematriating land, a portion of the proceeds are also donated to a local Coast Miwok organization.
5/21/23: When We All Vote. Created by Michelle Obama, When We All Vote brings together individuals, institutions, brands, and organizations to register new voters across the country and advance civic education for the entire family and voters of every age to build an informed and engaged electorate for today and generations to come.
4/23/23: The Trevor Project, providing 24/7 crisis support services to LGBTQ young people through text, chat, and phone.
3/19/23: The Brightside Project. After the train derailment, sustaining long-term needs for the children of East Palestine, Ohio and surrounding Columbiana County communities.
2/26/23: The Turkish Red Crescent. The Turkish Red Crescent has more than 240 staff and hundreds of volunteers in the disaster region providing mobile kitchen and catering services to the region, according to a press release. They are also sending over tents, blankets and beds.
1/15/23: ExtraFood. 35% of all food is wasted, and food waste is a main cause of the climate crisis. Yet so many are struggling with hunger. ExtraFood rescues excess fresh food from any North Bay business, school, or garden and immediately delivers it to vulnerable people.
12/18/22: No circle this month — Winter Break!
11/20/22: The Center for Human Rights in Iran, an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit organization working to protect and promote human rights in Iran, and The Fiona Community Response Fund, addressing the immediate humanitarian needs and long-term power-building work to advance an equitable recovery in Puerto Rico from Hurricane Fiona.
10/16/22: The Center for Human Rights in Iran. An independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit organization working to protect and promote human rights in Iran.
9/25/22: The Mississippi Rapid Response Coalition, which is battling the clean water crisis in Jackson, MS.
8/21/22: The Center for Antiracist Research. Led by Dr. Ibram X. Kendi, author of How to Be an Anti-Racist, the center convenes researchers and practitioners from various disciplines to figure out novel and practical ways to understand, explain, and solve seemingly intractable problems of racial inequity and injustice.
7/17/22: Keep Our Clinics. Helping to sustain small, independent, community-based medical clinics that serve three out of every five people who have an abortion.
6/26/22: Ukrainian Safe Haven (see below).
5/15/22: Ukrainian Safe Haven (see below).
4/24/22: Ukrainian Safe Haven. (via KarunaVirus.org) Brian and Sharon Holowaychuks converted their resort property into a refugee home. The resort sits on a 33-hectare property surrounded by trees, wildlife, and an ocean waterfront. The couple bought it last year and originally planned to convert it into an art gallery and events center. But Brian, whose grandparents came from Ukraine, said those plans are on hold. With the help of volunteers, they are restoring much of the original layout. They hope to host 100 people in all. Nineteen people are already booked to arrive in two to three weeks.
3/20/22: Save The Children - Ukraine. Save the Children has been operating in Ukraine since 2014, delivering essential humanitarian aid to children and their families. Our donation will help provide children and families with immediate aid, such as food, water, hygiene kits, psychosocial support and cash assistance.
2/20/22: Instrumental, a project of the Glenn Gould Foundation. Instrumental is a website for youth created to showcase the mental health benefits of engaging with music. Interactive and creative, it provides educational content and self-care tools vetted by mental health professionals.
1/16/22: Braver Angels' music program. Braver Angels is a national citizens' movement to bring liberals, conservatives and others together at the grassroots level -- not to find centrist compromise, but to find one another as citizens.
12/19/21: Song Circle is on holiday because of our Golden Bridge Choir online performance today. Stay tuned for news about 2022!
11/21/21: Fridays For Future — in honor of Greta Thunberg’s leadership at the recent Climate Summit. This youth-led organization leads a global movement that started when 15-year-old Greta began a weekly school strike for climate more than 150 weeks ago.
10/17/21: COVAX, which has so far shipped over 340 million COVID-19 vaccines to 144 participating countries.
8/22/21: (delayed this month because of vacation): COVAX, which has so far shipped over 150 million COVID-19 vaccines to 137 participating countries.
7/19/21: No Circle this month - Summer break!
6/27/21: COVAX, co-led by the WHO, UNICEF, Gavi, and CEPI, coordinating the COVAX Facility, a global risk-sharing mechanism for pooled procurement and equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines.
5/16/21: United Way India COVID-19 Relief Fund - providing immediate assistance in the form of medical equipment for hospitals, including oxygen supplies, ventilators, beds, Bipap Machines and more. The fund will also supply hygiene and food kits for communities to prevent further spread of the virus.
4/18/21: Fridays For Future — in honor of Earth Day this week. This youth-led organization leads a global movement that started when 15-year-old Greta Thunberg began a school strike for climate.
3/21/21: The Quiet Voice Fund — supporting organizations responding to the 1900% increase in anti-Asian crime over the past year.
2/21/21: 826 National — In honor of 826 National Board Member and Inauguration Poet Amanda Gorman. 826 National is the largest youth writing network in the country.
1/17/21: Braver Angels — Braver Angels is a national citizens' movement to bring liberals, conservatives and others together at the grassroots level -- not to find centrist compromise, but to find one another as citizens.
12/20/20: Fair Fight — Fair Fight, founded by Stacey Abrams, is a national voting rights organization rooted in Georgia.
11/15/20: Somebody’s Beloved Fund — The artist MILCK created the Somebody’s Beloved project, including the fund, to accompany the release of her song “Somebody’s Beloved” (ft. Bipolar Sunshine). Inspired by Tamika Palmer, and her daughter Breonna Taylor, the song honors those we have lost to racial injustice. The fund directly benefits 10 grass-roots organizations bulding power around Black Health, Feminism, Black-Asian Solidarity, AAPI Support, LGBTQ Rights, Criminal Justice Reform, and Mental Health.
10/18/20: When We All Vote — Created by Michelle Obama, When We All Vote brings together individuals, institutions, brands, and organizations to register new voters across the country and advance civic education for the entire family and voters of every age to build an informed and engaged electorate for today and generations to come.