ChantFest Victoria
A Musical Celebration of Spirit
Chant Leaders
Carol Ann Sokoloff
Carol Ann Sokoloff is a writer, singer and songwriter, who is a long time student of Sufism (a Shaikha of the Int. Sufi Movement), leader of Sufi Dancing and Dances of Universal Peace. She is the author of several books including poetry and children's titles as well as New Sufi Songs and Dances, an exploration of Sufi teachings through music and circle dance. Carol, who also uses the Sufi name Nirtan, meaning 'the dance of the soul', has recorded companion CD's of the music featured in the book. She leads a monthly dance circle, the first Tuesday of each month at the Quaker Meeting House in Victoria. She is also an instructor in Middle Eastern dance, and sees dance as a celebration of all life and spirit. At Chantfest she will teach chants from Sufi and other spiritual traditions and lead participants in meditative circle dances, using song, sound, breath, movement, rhythm and intention for a magical and joyous coming together in harmony and peace. No experience or partner is necessary.
Rabbi Hanna Tiferet Siegel
Hanna Tiferet is a poet and a mystic through whom song and inspiration flow. She weaves together prayerful melodies and thoughtful teachings in a web of spirit and celebration. A creative liturgist, Hanna has been blessed with the gift of writing new melodies for ancient Hebrew prayers and has recorded seven CD's. She was the first woman to receive the title of "Eshet Hazon/Miyaledet Neshama" (Woman of Vision/Midwife of the Soul) at a ceremony designed for her in 1982. She received ordination both as a rabbinic pastor (1982) and rabbi (2003) from Reb Zalman Schachter Shalomi. She co-founded Congregation Or Shalom in Vancouver, BC (1978-1987) and most recently served as co-spiritual leader for Congregation B'nai Or of Boston, MA (1999-2006). Hanna has travelled extensively throughout the United States and Canada, teaching and leading workshops as an artist-in-residence. She currently lives on Hornby Island with her partner, Rabbi Daniel Siegel.
Nancy Watters
Chant master Nancy Watters is founding director of the Sacred World Song Project, a growing network of people from many spiritual paths who practice the ancient art of devotional, communal chant. She spent over a decade studying chant first-hand with Buddhists, Christians, Hindus, Indigenous peoples, Jews and Sufis, and is an ardent Bahá’í, who recognizes the common spiritual foundation of all faiths.
Drawing on community choir training and an M.A. in counselling, she trains people to use musical energy for healing, personal transformation and community building. Her presentations feature beautiful, melodic, world chants in nine languages, accompanied by sonic tapestries created with Tibetan singing bowls, native and African drums, ektara and other world instruments.
She travels widely giving chantshops, concerts and private sound healing sessions. Appearances have included Vancouver’s Sacred Music Festival and ChantFest.
Recently she established the Victoria Community Chant Circle, which meets every Friday night for joyful, ecstatic, healing chant from around the world.
Her CD, Joyful Tidings of Light, is a collection of her most popular original chants. Free music downloads are available at her virtual chant circle.
Daeva N. Guest
Daeva N. Guest and Nancy Watters are teaming up for Chantfest Victoria. Daeva will provide vocal harmonies and accompaniment on harmonium. She is a Nanaimo chant leader, “authentic voice” facilitator and performance artist who has been exploring the relationship between healing, creative expression, spirituality and social change since 1988. During a health crisis in 2003, Daeva discovered the healing power of sacred voice and studied sound healing with international specialists Jill Purce, Chloe Goodchild, Shawna Carol and Silvia Nakkach. Daeva offers community chant nights, private voice coaching, innovative “Rising Spirit” community happenings, and weekly sound healing ensemble classes called “Sounds Alive”. 250.740.0946 www.harbourliving.ca/events/chant-nanaimo
Niel Golden
Niel Golden will be accompanying Nancy Watters in her afternoon workshop, and various chant leaders during the Evening Chant Celebration. Niel is a talented percussionist specializing in the subtle yet powerful, tuned, paired, hand drums called tabla, which he has studied since the 1980’s in Canada and India. Niel is a skilful and versatile performer, accompanying Indian classical music's vocal, instrumental and dance styles as well as playing tabla solos. He has performed internationally with many ensembles, and is a member of the Vancouver Inter-Cultural Orchestra. The orchestra performed as part of the 2000, 2001 & 2002 West Coast Sacred Music festival finales and for the Dalai Lama at the Celebration of Peace concert in 2004. He has also been part of "Mystic Journey" evenings in Victoria which feature improvised, world music along with the poems of Rumi and Hafiz. Niel has recently formed a new world music trio with Ken Hall and Enrique Rivas known as SAFFRON. www.neilgolden.com
Butch Dick
Songhees Elder, Butch Dick is a Coast Salish master carver and artist. His paintings and carving are known around the world. Butch is a storyteller, a drummer and a singer as well as an educator. Butch taught First Nations art and culture for 20 years in the Greater Victoria school district. With John Elliott from the Tsartlip First Nation, Butch will lead the Welcome to the Land as part of the Opening Ceremony. Their workshop will include traditional songs and drumming.
Francis Pollet (TBC)
Fran Pollet has been a music co-ordinator for Prayer in the Style of Taizé, a monthly ecumenical prayer service that has provided spiritual refreshment to Victoria folks for the past 11 years. She is currently Director of Music at First Metropolitan United, a position in which she has been delighted to create rich music offerings in a variety of styles, sometimes incorporating dance and movement. She is also on the national executive of the United Church Association of Musicians, and is a long-time conductor and founder of Linden Singers.
The Taize Community chant uses short, scriptural texts set to a simple music. With the music repetitions and layering with other instruments, the individual is able to enter into a time of prayer and reflection, sustained by the music.
John Elliott (TBC)