Tonight at 6:30 p.m. at Armory Park Center, 220 S. Fifth Ave., Global Chant will be commemorating their 15th anniversary with Chant Fest.
Chant Fest is a part of World Chant Day, which is a celebration created by Global Chant’s founder, UA psychologist Dr. Victor Shamas.
This year, the lineup will include chanters from the Tucson Women’s chorus and representatives from local Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh and Sufi chant communities.
Per a press release:
“This is not just a birthday party for Global Chant,” says Shamas. “Chant Fest is a celebration of our community’s love of chanting.” Shamas defines chanting as the repetition of a simple refrain such as a prayer or mantra. “When you add melody, rhythm, and harmony to prayers, you create an experience that is beautiful and compelling.”
Through Global Chant, thousands of Tucsonans have been introduced to the delights of sacred chanting. The group’s Wednesday night chant circle at Grace St. Paul’s Episcopal Church (2331 E. Adams) attracts upwards of 150 people, including musicians, dancers, and drummers. “Our weekly gatherings are much livelier and more exciting than one might expect,” Shamas observes. “This is nothing like the stereotype of monks chanting in a dark room somewhere.”
The event is free, but donations are welcome. For more info, call 838-4194.
This article appears in May 12-18, 2011.
Chanting…yeah right!? New Age garbage hiding with the flimsy at best “chanting” theme. Held at a Episcopal Church. God help us! No real Christian, true followers of Jesus Christ would be a 100 miles of that place. Mantras…there’s the tip off right there! Only false religions such as Shirley McClaine wackos who think they are gods like the Mormons, the Sikhs, Hindus who worship cows while they starve to death, and the Buddhists…please not even worthy of a comment. No self-respecting Orthodox Jew who reads the Torah would even think of such an outright sham! Hence the Dr. Sham(as)! I bind this perversity and cast it into the pit of hell from where it came in Jesus”s name!