Tag: Music

This program is being offered virtually through Zoom. In order to participate and receive the Zoom link, register by clicking the RSVP button above or by emailing programs@smithcenter.org.

You will receive the Zoom information no later than the morning of your program.

with Melanie Edwards

Musical Mending with Melanie Edwards

Singer, songwriter and musician, Melanie Edwards, recently launched Musical Mending Workshops which can be curated for any specific healing modality, be it collectively or individually. The workshops help with memory, cognition, expression, general wellbeing and are just plain fun for participants.

 

In addition, the classes focus on teaching techniques to manage grief, anxiety, depression and many more ailments by administering sonic techniques to relieve stress, help find inner peace and express authenticity. She often uses different instruments & singing skills to activate relaxation, calm the mind and nourish the soul. This is not about performing or being a professional singer, but rather a shared experience of collective sound healing in the present moment for the whole family.

 

Participants are free to join or simply observe in shared space, as well as bring their own mantras, words or poems to self-reflect and express via musical mending.

Suggested Donation: $10

About Melanie Edwards

Melanie Edwards

Melanie Edwards is an award-winning singer, songwriter, pianist, violinist, music practitioner and tv/film composer. She holds a master’s degree in music from The Savannah College of Art and Design and was awarded the Artistic Achievement Fellowship to secure her MFA in Musical Theater – Performing Arts at SCAD. Furthermore, she was a Morehead Scholar Nominee at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she secured a BA in broadcast journalism, furthering her news career as a Carolina Week Reporter and later becoming a weather anchor for local news in eastern North Carolina. Likewise, she was the NCSU’s Department of Nuclear Engineering Investigators’ Program Award Recipient in Nuclear Technology at North Carolina State University where she focused on nuclear engineering and physics. Additionally, she holds a BA in Spanish from Universidad de España, in Sevilla, Spain. Melanie is certified in Mental Health First Aid USA by the National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare and has 27 years experience as a performing artist and expressive, musical healer with several partner charities and organizations, such as: National Theatre DC and Smith Center for Healing and the Arts. She recently started a healing arts business providing “Musical Mending” workshops and services to nursing homes, assisted living quarters, hospices, hospitals and many underprivileged communities. In addition, she is the resident pianist for Clyde’s Restaurant and has performed at Gypsy Sally’s, The Henley Park Hotel, Beacon Bar and Grill and Peruvian Ambassador Castilla’s Residence in Washington, DC. She is also a regular performer at Rockwood Music Hall, in New York City.

https://www.melanieedwardslabs.com/

This program is being offered virtually through Zoom. In order to participate and receive the Zoom link, you must register here or by emailing carla@smithcenter.org

with Liz Lescault

InterPlay

Could you use more community, support and ease in your life?

In times of stress it is important to stay connected with loved ones, to be in a supportive community, to reach out and to share with others. It is also vital to build our inner connections and strengths that nurture self care, self love and self acceptance.

We will share, reflect and listen deeply to others. We will move, tell our personal stories, laugh, play and sometimes share deeper concerns. We will witness, honor, and celebrate whatever is shared.

During each session we will have time to be in conversation, gaining support and reassurance from others. We will also explore alternative ways of expressing our concerns and moving stress out of our bodies through easeful movement and playful interchange.

We will build opportunities for self expression and creative solutions in our daily lives.

Growing Connections will be offered on October 15 & 29 from 7:00 – 8:15pm ET. Participants are encouraged to attend both sessions.

About Liz Lescault

Liz Lescault, a visual artist and sculptor, has practiced and taught art for over 40 years. Liz is Coordinator of the DC InterPlay Metro Region and is a member of the DC InterPlay Board. Liz leads Open Gathering days for InterPlay DC and organizes and leads workshops regionally and nationally.

Liz melds her art, teaching and personal philosophy with InterPlay wisdom, tools and forms.

Formerly, Liz, was a hotline crisis counselor, for various suicide prevention lifelines and The Trevor Project providing help for LGBTQ youth in crisis.

Liz also led InterPlay for elders with chronic illness and cognitive disabilities at Iona Senior Center up to the Covid shutdown and is looking forward to leading online programs for Smith Center for Healing and the Arts.

https://www.lizlescault.com/home

This program is being offered virtually through Zoom. In order to participate and receive the Zoom link, you must register here or by emailing carla@smithcenter.org

with Liz Lescault

InterPlay

Could you use more community, support and ease in your life?

In times of stress it is important to stay connected with loved ones, to be in a supportive community, to reach out and to share with others. It is also vital to build our inner connections and strengths that nurture self care, self love and self acceptance.

We will share, reflect and listen deeply to others. We will move, tell our personal stories, laugh, play and sometimes share deeper concerns. We will witness, honor, and celebrate whatever is shared.

During each session we will have time to be in conversation, gaining support and reassurance from others. We will also explore alternative ways of expressing our concerns and moving stress out of our bodies through easeful movement and playful interchange.

We will build opportunities for self expression and creative solutions in our daily lives.

Growing Connections will be offered on October 15 & 29 from 7:00 – 8:15pm ET. Participants are encouraged to attend both sessions.

About Liz Lescault

Liz Lescault, a visual artist and sculptor, has practiced and taught art for over 40 years. Liz is Coordinator of the DC InterPlay Metro Region and is a member of the DC InterPlay Board. Liz leads Open Gathering days for InterPlay DC and organizes and leads workshops regionally and nationally.

Liz melds her art, teaching and personal philosophy with InterPlay wisdom, tools and forms.

Formerly, Liz, was a hotline crisis counselor, for various suicide prevention lifelines and The Trevor Project providing help for LGBTQ youth in crisis.

Liz also led InterPlay for elders with chronic illness and cognitive disabilities at Iona Senior Center up to the Covid shutdown and is looking forward to leading online programs for Smith Center for Healing and the Arts.

https://www.lizlescault.com/home

with the Smith Center Community

Join us for 108 Sun Salutations in memory of Laura Gobbi to benefit the Smith Center for Healing and the Arts (smithcenter.org). Laura studied yoga with Beth, the co-host of this event. Laura’s joy and gratitude shone through her every word and action in and out of class. She died of breast cancer about a month ago. In her obituary, Laura asked people who were moved to donate to the Smith Center. The sun salutations are one way we can celebrate Laura and the work the Smith Center does.

108 is an important number in many yoga traditions. While we will be leading 108 sun salutations, you can participate and do as many or as few as you like!

$10 to the Smith Center for Healing and the Arts

RSVP via Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/659827651298699/

Good Vibrations Tibetan Sound

With Jameson Freeman

founder of FABUM Inc. & Robert Lee, sound frequency specialist at Human Activation 

The ‘moment-making’ non-profit FABUM presents a Sound Bath with Crystal Ashram for an enchanting evening of restoration and inspiration. Come enjoy this uniquely designed sound and meditation program, as we allow the ancient frequencies of Tibetan singing bowls to wash over us and nourish mind, body and spirit.

Suggested Donation: $0

Our programs are open to the community and tailored to meet the needs of people affected by cancer. Classes and workshops are free or low cost on a pay-as-you-can basis, ensuring that our programs are accessible to everyone. All donations support future programming at Smith Center.

About Jameson Freeman 

Jameson is an advocate, artist, entrepreneur, yoga-meditation practitioner and student. He is founder of FABUM Inc., a nonprofit arts organization, and has helped develop two technology startups.

He has written, produced and directed several theatrical works and has performed in diverse productions and venues in Washington, DC, New York City and Philadelphia. He serves on the Board of Governors of the Arts Club of Washington, where he chairs the organization’s Drama and Programs Committees.

Inspired by BP’s oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, as part of the CETAB (Cleaner Environment Through Accountability in Bankruptcy) advocacy campaign, he lobbied Congress in 2010 to amend the U.S. Bankruptcy Code to prevent corporate environmental clean up costs (such as from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill) being passed on to U.S. tax payers.

He launched and stewards the Diplomats of Dance Society, which supports the cultural diplomacy of the internationally acclaimed Dana Tai Soon Burgess Dance Company. A classical ballet dancer growing up, Jameson and his husband, choreographer Dana Tai Soon Burgess, established a fund to nurture dance education at the University of New Mexico.

Jameson offers a free weekly restorative yoga class, as well as other meditation and awareness practice (from nature baths to events with Tibetan singing bowls) in the Washington, DC metro area.

He holds a 300-hour yoga teacher certification from the Swami Krishnananda Yoga Vidyapeeth Ashram in Mysore, India, and studied under Dr. Ashutosh Agarwal, disciple of Swami Krishnananda Saraswati, as well as under Hatha Yoga teacher and gold medalist Yogacharya Kadambari CP. He is currently enrolled in a two-year Karuna Training certification, a contemplative psychology program led by Archaya Melissa Moore, PhD., student of Chögyam Trungpa, Buddhist meditation master and founder of the Vajradhatu and Naropa University, as well as the Shambhala Training Method.

 

This program is postponed and will be rescheduled for a later date.

With Melanie Edwards

Join in harmony to relieve stress, find inner peace & express your authentic self with musical mending. Singer, songwriter and musician, Melanie Edwards, uses different instruments & singing techniques with therapeutic mantra chanting in a form of call and response to activate relaxation, calm the mind, and nourish the soul.

The unity of voices acts as a form of guided meditation, providing an outlet to purge bottled up emotions, thus opening the gates for healing vibrations.  This is not about performing or being a professional singer, but rather a shared experience of collective sound healing in the present moment.  Participants are free to join or simply observe in shared space, as well as bring their own mantras, words or poems to self-reflect and express via musical mending.

Suggested Donation: $20

Our programs are open to the community and tailored to meet the needs of people affected by cancer. Classes and workshops are free or low cost on a pay-as-you-can basis, ensuring that our programs are accessible to everyone. All donations support future programming at Smith Center.

About Melanie Edwards

Melanie Edwards is an award-winning singer, songwriter, pianist, violinist and essayist. She is best known for her hit single “Daniel’s Lane,” winner of several accolades including Ourstage’s “New Music Revolution Achievement Award,” thrice, and “Best Single” in her genre by “Mashable,” which catapulted her into The Deli’s “Top 100 Best Songwriters of NYC.”

Melanie’s popular single “Who’s Gonna Color in the Middle?” received “Best of World Music” three consecutive months. Her single “Sugar” won “Top Achievement Award in Best Singer-Songwriter,” and she was awarded “Best in Jazz” for her ballad “No More Drinking.”

Melanie ranked “Top 100 Best of Pop” on Ourstage in 2015, as well as “Best Singer Songwriter” for her single “The Circle” in the Online Music Awards.  Likewise, she won the Damien Rice Lyric Contest for her rendition of Rice’s “9 Crimes” (her version “9 Crimes Response”) as “Best Cover” for Artists Den. Melanie has also been nominated as “Best Singer/Songwriter + Best Original Songwriting” for The Independent Artist Network for the Music Arts.

Melanie was awarded a research grant for songwriting at Can Serrat International Artist Residency in Barcelona (twice), received grants for music and songwriting at Odysseys Artist Residency in Costa Rica, and enjoyed a two month scholarship for music at Arteles Creative Residency Program in Hameenkyro, Finland.