Official Festival Photos

The members of "Windsong Light"
Front Row L to R: Holly, Jill, Sue, Karen, Ginger, Veronica.

Back Row L to R: Kathryn, Rose, Argerie, Kathleen, Karin, Kathryn.

Beach Party

The Sunday afternoon Beach Party was delightful. Weather perfect. Food kind of like dinner around the pool the night before but freshly grilled. On the way our shuttle driver asked if it would be okay if we stopped at her house in Normal Heights (!) so that she could pick up a hat. No problem. We admired her lemon tree (on the tree lawn) and artichoke and other plantings, plus her resident tortoise. She took us to a nearby hill overlooking the valley; then to see a eucalyptus tree. With our enthusiastic agreement, we then went to Hillcrest (the gay area) and then Balboa Park to see museums, etc., AND the huge pipe organ concert which only happens once a week. Then on to Mission Bay to enjoy spontaneous performances by the Grand Rapids and Sound Circle choruses, plus a drum circle joined by Ubaka Hill and our own Rose and Kathleen. Highlight for me was having time with composer Josefina Punceles de Benedetti talk about life in Venezuela now. A very scary place.

--Kathryn Kay

Sue's photos from Sister Singers Festival, San Diego 2006

Finally, Saturday, June 17 arrived and it was our turn to sing.

After a tech rehearsal we all wanted to forget, we bounded onto stage with the certainty that we would sing our hearts out to a very appreciative audience. And we did!

Karin is behind the piano to the left out of this picture, but otherwise - you can see most of us here under Karen's vigorous direction!

Braid the Raven Hair brought the house down. Jessica, from the Columbus chorus, was our kimono-clad long-hair, and subjected herself dutifully to the beauticians, Sue and Rose, while Holly sang on.

No one doubted that Kathleen was indeed the most Popular.

The audience applauded and cheered us. Lots of people told us later that we were funny and entertaining. You can hear a clip of our concert below.

Someone's tee-shirt summed up what we all felt.

And speaking of clothes, some choruses were very well coutured. Each member of the Central Pennsylvania Women's Chorus made her own stole. For their set, they walked on with drums, drumming in the spirit of sister song.

Grand Rapids was not only breathtakingly fantastic to look at, but they sounded great and had an unforgettable set featuring no less than 3 commissioned pieces. Read a report about their concert below.

Once our set was done, we still had a Mass Chorus performance to rehearse for. We performed on Sunday morning. A highlight was singing the world premiere of "Ode to Women" under the direction of the composer Josefina Benedetti.

Read Karin's story below about how she was beseeched to step in at the last minute to accompany "Song of the Dying Amazon." For compensation she asked for chocolate and got it!

Here are some of us enjoying one of many concerts. They were all great to hear. We made lots of friends to boot, and came away with some wonderful memories to tide us over until the next festival.

Last Day

I can't believe how few pictures I took, but I finally got a few yesterday. Tech rehearsal started at 9 am yesterday morning. We all were wearing our concert dress. As soon as I walked in, Midge found me and presented me with my payment for saving The Song of the Dying Amazon, a large bar of Ghiradelli Intense Dark Twilight Delight, with 72% Cacao! I thought the awesomeness of the occasion merited a photo.

Yes, it's blurry-- I had the camera on the wrong setting--oh well. At least you get an idea.

The fact that I was not singing in the Orange chorus with the rest of Windsong was an advantage from a photographic standpoint. Here is a panoramic of the ensemble. There were at least 100 singers. See if you can pick out the Windsingers! (Hint: click on the photo for a larger image.)

The performances went stunningly well, I thought, especially considering that many singers had never seen the music before Friday afternoon. I did get to sing with the Purple chorus. Afterwards, Ubaka and her San Diego drummers had most of us dancing in the aisles until lunch time.

Then it was off to the beach BBQ party! We had a BBQ pavillion, a drumming circle, brilliantly sunny weather with a coastal breeze, and much enjoyable socializing. Groups that had memorized their songs even sang them, much to the delight and pride of all of us. Here's a pic of the drumming circle:

Windsong Performance Amuses

Hi, Argerie here. Our concert was this afternoon, and many a singer from other choruses said later how funny they thought it was! Not a description I expected to hear, but you've got to admit there were lots of funny bits. I'm attaching our actual performance of Bloomer's Complaint here.

The rest of the concert was this:
Three Little Maids (with Jill, Veronica, and me as the unlikely maids)
Braid the Raven Hair (Holly's solo elicited very funny stage business from Sue and Rose. Also Jessica from the Columbus choir dressed in a kimono and submitted to having her hair done)
Bloomer's Complaint

Never Sit Down
And Ain't I a Woman (Holly's bit was very moving -- we have all been thrown down so low, etc.)
Mrs. Harold Righteousbomber (yes, I attempted an all-too convincing phobe)
Let Us Love In Peace
Popular (featuring the ever-popular Kathleen)
It Don't Mean a Thing (Rose sang like a Mean Thing and got encouraging hoots from the audience)

Windsong performance shots Saturday

I've Been Humbly Beseeched

I was at the BBQ dinner about an hour ago sitting on the ground outside with some Windsong friends. (There weren't any tables so I moved so someone else could have a chance to sit on the railing.) Someone said Midge Stocker, who is in charge of the mass chorus stuff, wanted to see me.

The Orange chorus song The Song of the Dying Amazon has a harp part which I played yesterday since the harpist didn't show up until after the rehearsal was over (!) Well, evidently she was there today. I missed it because I was with the Purple chorus, where I'm playing for one of their songs. The harpist is a folk musician who doesn't read music. Even with the conductor right in front of her, she couldn't seem to find the downbeat ever. Long story short, she got fired.

Midge found me, kneeled on the ground in front of me, and said, "I've come to humbly beseech you and ask your assistance on the Song of the Dying Amazon."

I said, "Well, I'll consider it if there's dark chocolate involved, preferably with at least 70% cocoa solids." Much to the cackling amusement of all within hearing! Oh, it was great. She said she'd see what she could do. This will make tomorrow mornings tech rehearsal logistics challenging, since I can't be at two places at once. She said she'd be happy even if all I can do is show up on stage. Of course I said yes.

Boxer Shorts as Concert Dress?

Rose interviews women from Lansing and Columbus about their concert dress and reflects with Ginger on the creativee possibilities for Windsong.

SSN Prepares World Premiere, Ode to Women

Ginger's First Time at SSN

Rose Gets into Drumming

Kathleen, Rose, & Ginger: Excited about the Festival

Kathryn Kay at Choralography Workshop

Wow--What a Full Day!

Karin here. I am having the best time so far. Had a very full day:

5:15 am. I didn't intend to get up quite this early, especially after a long day of flying yesterday and being awake 21 hours in a row, but couldn't sleep. A little after 6 I went across the campus to the Aztec Rec Center, a state of the art gym. I wanted to get a day pass and fit in a workout before breakfast, since I was booked solid from 8 am till 10 pm! Managed to fit in about 75 min. including weights.

8:15 am. I went to breakfast feeling virtuous. Found some Windsong people to sit with. Someone from another chorus was at our table (I didn't catch her name) telling us about a profound experience doing a concert with a group of women prisoners in the penitentiary.

9 am. Tech rehearsal with Columbus Women's Chorus. It was weird having a tech rehearsal when I had never rehearsed the pieces with them or ever worked with them before. Some of my music was different than what they were working with, so some ensemble issues were a little rough. We all expected this, so nobody was worried.

9:30 am. Finally got a chance to really rehearse with Columbus in the music building. They didn't actually have a director with them, so there was a little "directing by committee" going on, but the group was small enough that it worked. One of the pieces was a jazzy show tune from The Wiz, one was a lament called "Just a Housewife," and one was a gospel waltz. I added stuff when I felt so inspired, and after an hour, it felt like we had been working together for weeks.

10:30 am. Windsong's second rehearsal. We worked really hard. People are starting to incorporate more acting, interaction, and even a little choreography! It really helps to at least partially memorize. Some people were at the choreography workshop yesterday and already we are starting to incorporate what we learned. We're doing nine songs, seven of which have piano parts. I get to sing in the other two. I didn't know I would be singing until two Sundays ago so I'm a bit behind on the memorization, but at least now I can look up most of the time and just use the book as a reference point. We sounded so good, some of us are concerned we've peaked too early!

12:00 lunch

1:00 mass chorus rehearsal. Windsong is with the Orange chorus. The piece I'm accompanying is for the Purple chorus, and originally I was supposed to also act as rehearsal pianist for the Purples. I was kinda bummed since I want to sing with the mass chorus, not always be drafted to be stuck behind the piano. Fortunately, Chris Allen, pianist and director for the San Diego Women's Chorus, was already there and agreed to take over until my song was scheduled at 2:45, so I could go work with my group. I still ended up being rehearsal pianist, but at least I could sing along. At first I was tempted not to out myself as the pianist, (so I could just sing,) but I could see that the director would have an easier time with my help so I played after the first piece. They did a great job of sticking to the schedule (I was pleasantly surprised) and the singers picked up the songs quickly even though some were sightreading. At 2:45 I had to leave to work with the other group, but it worked out.

3:00. I changed into my black outfit in the bathroom (no time to go back to the dorm) because Columbus was singing in the 3:30 concert block.

3:30 pm. Afternoon concert block. This was awesome (see Argerie's post below, I agree with all!)

5:45 pm. dinner

6:30 pm. Phone date with my husband. Half an hour spent telling him about all the fun I've been having!

7:30 pm. Evening concert block. Loved it. Every group is so different. Some songs were funny, others thoughtful. I found something to connect with all.

9:45 pm. A quick (but not quite quick enough for the building staff) blogging session in the lobby, which I finished the next morning. Off to the dorm to bed where I had no problem falling asleep.

Friday night Concert Block

Bread and Roses Feminist Singers really stepped up during their set performing some more complicated pieces. Their first very funny offer was in the style of Sha Na Na – She’s Nobody’s Baby. They were amusingly shameless in their politics during We Want the Vote a diatribe against Washington D.C. citizen’s lack of representation. They commissioned this song from Ysaye Barnwell. The message of “Conscientious Objector” was a subtle poem by Edna St. Vincent Millay. They ended with their signature Bread and Roses.


Central Pennsylvania Womyn’s Chorus performed a set of spiritual pieces from chants to a whimsical Andrews sister style song … the myth of Eve in Genesis. Another Gwyneth Walker piece – So Many Angels – had a lot of the same features that Sit Down has: triplets against 2, altos singing la-la-la, and a bell-like ending building to a luscious chord. Director Giesala Collins is also conducting the Kay Gardner piece in the Orange Mass Chorus. Their Traditional Appalachian spiritual, Guide Me, was positively entrancing. It featured soloist Lee Melchior who led a choralography workshop and opened this concert with a flowing dance to a contemporary chant.

Artemis Singers: Chicago’s Lesbian Feminist Chorus from Chicago started with “Lesbian Nation” using a traditional tune also used by Robert Burn. The chorus showcased talented composers and arrangers in their midst. Karen Mooney – who wrote the Orange Mass Chorus’s “Gather” is a soprano in this chorus, which performed her “Listen.” It was followed nicely by a Peggy Seeger piece, “Song of Choice” enhanced by new verses offered by chorus members. The hilarious “Your Women’s Bookstore” is a place “where you may find someone acute” and “alluring.” Vying for most humorous song was also “The Pretty Lady” a parody of a Thomas Weelkes madrigal: “Oh Where’s the pretty lady that cam with me? I stole him from a big, big strapping boy.”

The Grand Rapids Women’s Chorus – WOW! As if consistently sensitive interpretations weren’t enough to earn a wild standing ovation, the GRWC performed no less than three commissions this evening. If you thought only men’s choruses have the wherewithal to manage commissions year after year, this chorus proves otherwise. The first, Memorial 1 by Ysaye Barnwell with words by Audre Lorde was completely heart-felt. The second, Diane Benjamin’s Miracle was a tender celebration of love. Sung by a small ensemble with gorgeous effect, you could hear some of the same angelic part-writing as in the Breast Cancer Oratorio. The third commission by Libby Larsen, words by Mary Oliver was The Summer Day, a warm and tight mélange of poetry and music. Two pieces in foreign language were playful and precisely performed. Guzophela was accompanied by a ceramic udu and Sansa Kroma, a call and response piece featured sensuous percussion, the West African Dundun, Middle Eastern Dumbek, Latin American Clave, Shaker. The excitement of the piece was heightened midway by a flawless and seemingly effortless key change. A wonderful way to end this first day of concerts.

Friday Afternoon Concert Block

Here’s a report from the first concert block at the Sister Singers Festival on Friday afternoon, June 16, 2006.

Juneau Pride Chorus traveled all the way from Alaska to be here – a chorus of mothers, daughters, sisters, lovers, and singers. Seven members dressed in colorful tops, 5 sopranos, one alto, and a pianist. The director just gave birth to twins.

Their set started with Love puts the Sweetness in Life – a funny piece with hip gyrations by Susan Warner (who was in the audience.) Clear Horizon was totally different – a round with nice clarion calls that conjured the landscape of Alaska. Very funny was Why Don’t You Sing in the chorus, that started with a litany of bitter verses about not getting solos, and being relegated to the stage with the assurance that “you might not be a star, but sing where you are – you’ll find lots of friends in the chorus.” In the attitude had switched with that refrain was the announcing the jubilant revelation that being in the chorus is better than being a soloist. Gravity Blues brought the house down with the chorus of “older women” singing “my skin has fallen and it can’t get up.

Columbus Women’s Chorus
Our own Karin was their guest accompanist! She played with them for the first time with them during their tech rehearsal and she transformed their performance. She was fantastic – doing jazzy and bluesy pop accompaniments for a group of nine women (out of 60) from our southerly neighbor of Columbus. They started with a very nice Ysaye Barnwell piece, Wanting Memories, with tough close harmonies. The verse starts with a lament “Since you’ve gone and left me there’s been so little beauty—I’ve seen it all through your eyes,” and ends with a reflection that it is better to learn to “see the beauty in the world through my own eyes.” A very poignant arrangements of Just a Housewife held in it a tiny glimmer of bitterness in its observation that about how “women’s lib says it’s OK to be what you choose” when really people don’t treat housewives with the same kind of respect as a professional. By contrast, their finale Womanspirit Rising was uplifting urging “ I am woman hear my voice, hear my music.”


Charlottseville Women’s Choir was a group of 12 in colorful garb who sang mostly a capella (the exception was “Colors of the Wind” by the same composer as Wicked, Stephen Scwartz.) They ended with “Faces” – a sobering contemplation on how the U.S. addresses the needs of the needy, opening with “We are the one who says we are one nation under God then let goodness and mercy pour from us,” and observing that “All the faces are so haunting, but they have nothing that we’re wanting.” Their bit included Ruth Huber’s Set Her Free (which we have sung!) Nana Was A Suffragette remembers a recently deceased fictional grandmother who used to say, “Vote for women in just the beginning, you haven’t seen anything yet.” Wait til they hear about all our historical women in our set!

Sistrum, from Lansing, Michigan made their high point a wow ending, Las Amarillas all in Spanish was filled jubilant yipping, hip slapping, clicking, and clapping in opposing rhythms. Before they got to that, they sang Peace Is reminding us that “life is the chance we take when we make this earth our home.” They sang a really interesting rendition of How Can I Keep from Singing, which inserted Amazing Grace in counterpoint with the verse written about the McCarthy era – cool. I Will Be Earth was introduced as from a poem that could be interpreted either as a very sexy love song or as a skit for a 6th grade ecology class. If you don’t remember this choir from their unusual repertoire, their matching blue oxford shirts all have Sistrum embroidered on it.

Our concert is tomorrow afternoon between 1:00 and 3:00. Stay tuned!

Message from Veronica

Message from Argerie

We're in San Diego for the Sister Singer's Network Festival!

We are SO psyched. Some of us Windsong sistuhs (Karen affectionately calls us, "Windsong Light") are trekking out West with most of our music in our heads and all of it in our little black notebooks (just in case.) We are looking forward to singing (with Windsong and with the Mass "Orange" chorus), listening to other Sister Singer choirs, attending workshops, and experiencing the magnificence of being with other Sister Singers.

Follow our experiences on this blog. We plan to have written commentaries to read, photos to smile at, and podcasts to listen to!

Stay tuned!
Argerie, Ginger, Holly, Jill, Karen, Karin, Kathleen, Kathryn K., Kathryn R., Rose, Sue, and Veronica

Welcome to the blog for Windsong: Cleveland's Feminist Chorus

Windsong is a women's chorus whose mission is to perform music that empowers women, effects social change, and builds community. Formed in 1979, Windsong performed at local women's events such as the Peace Bazaar and house conceerts, including one with Ruth Huber, an important name in women's choral groups. We've matured through performing with the Sisters Singers' Network and GALA and now have our own concerts twice a year.

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