We Can All Make Music!
The
Vocal Nosh philosophy
Vocal Nosh is
the name of a community singing (and eating) practice developed by Fay White. It's the semi-formal
organisation of a community behaviour we've been doing since at least the Stone
Age. Unfortunately, in these days of electronic home entertainment, it's a
behaviour that has become more and more unusual.
People bring
food and their voices to a special place to eat and sing together.
There are now
scores of Vocal Noshes happening all across Victoria, a rapidly growing network of
individuals willing to pass on their experiences, and an increasing interest
from community-based agencies like Neighbourhood Houses and Community Health
Centres in supporting singing circles (foodless Vocal Noshes).
The values that
underlie these gatherings are:
- Singing
'with', not 'to'. We come together to experience
the immediate joy and fulfilment of singing with each other, not to
practice for a future public event.
- Creative
participation. We can all sing AND we can all
write songs.
- Safe
places. Together, we make a physical and emotional space
where we all feel welcome, free, fearless and secure.
- Working
together. We come together in co-operation and
celebration, not competition and judgement. There are no losers.
- Respect
and inclusiveness. We can all be involved and we can
all make a creative contribution. Difference is expected and valorised; it
is an advantage, not a problem.
- Care
and encouragement. No one is left out or ignored;
all feedback is constructive. There's no such thing as a 'wrong' note.
- Active
learning. We learn to sing together by doing it. We can
all get better, and have fun while we're at it.
- Nourishment.
Of the spirit with music and of the body with food.
- Health.
The connections between singing together and individual and community
wellbeing are fostered and proclaimed.
- Empowerment.
Having a voice is the first step towards having a say.
- Initiative.
Through these processes we can all learn to step forward when the time is
right for us.
- Meaningful
relationships between art and people. Art is
not just the stuff that 'real' Artists make/do. It is also the results of
the creativity that we all have within us. Having the chance to exercise
our creativity lets us become fully human.
- Community.
These practices joyfully overflow into the rest of our lives.
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