The last time the School of Social Work Song Circle was able to sing together was a socially distanced gathering at a park in March, right as COVID began to change and limit so many aspects of our communal lives in 2020. The Song Circle formed more than two years ago as a regular way to come together not only in vocal harmony, but also to center students and staff alike in something transcendent. Founders made their goal explicit: “This is not a choir, and we are not rehearsing for a performance, there will be no audience. You do not need to be a musician or a singer, or read music to participate. If you have silenced yourself because you have been told your whole life that you “cannot sing” you are invited to come and challenge that lie. If you ARE a singer, and song is what holds your heart together, expect to find a space of rich harmony!”

As another long winter approaches, Song Circle organizers have worked to replicate a Zoom version of group meetings, despite the challenges of virtually singing together. While participants remain muted, individuals may offer songs to sing in unison or harmony, often encouraging a form of call and response. At the first Cloud gathering, pets and children joined along with students, staff and faculty in the sharing of both new and familiar song. One longstanding favorite, Blessed Motion composed by Annie Zylstra, invites members to sing a repeating line, or add various layering harmonies, until the group collectively senses the rendition is complete. This act of singing together in harmony – especially across computer screens – is a balance of freedom of expression and attunement to the others in the group.

For longtime members like Arielle Johnson, joining the Song Circle became one of the most meaningful experiences of her graduate career, and then losing in-person singing one of the biggest losses of the pandemic. “I was delighted when [founding member] MJ reached out to suggest creating a virtual song circle, which ended up being a lovely way to connect and sing together. While it was not the same as our in-person circle, it still meant a lot to me to share song, love, and gratitude with cherished community.”

New member Ashley Aguy felt the same sense of community translate across the virtual space. “As a new member of this SSW community, the Song Circle gave me an opportunity to experience my peers with my heart. As a Black Womxn, work places aren’t always safe for me; by experiencing the Song Circle space, I was able to see and feel the vulnerabilities and authenticity of my peers. This gave me hope.”

The founders see shared song as a restorative practice for those in a profession whose values of social justice, dignity, and human relationship have perhaps never been more fraught. “There is power in collective song. When we lift our voices together and find our own part in the harmony, it is a reflection of the greater harmony we seek…we sing to heal our souls, so that we can go out and be healers in the world.”