The Singing Network was established in October 2014 at Memorial University of Newfoundland (MUN), St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, by Professor Ki Adams and Dr. Andrea Rose along with an initial steering committee of Memorial University faculty members in music, education, and ethnomusicology.
The Singing Network is a MUN-based international network of individuals and organizations interested in singing and song: scholars, performing artists, educators, health and wellness practitioners, composers, conductors and students… as well as professional and community-based musicians organizations and associations. The network generates and produces a series of voice-singing-choral events ranging from workshops, seminars, master-classes, performances, dialogues, the formation of new ensembles, and the biennial International Symposium on Singing and Song.
With support from the Bruneau Centre for Excellence in Choral Music (BCECM) at Memorial University, seven core projects were offered in 2015 and 2016. In 2017, The Singing Network proposed a partnership between Memorial University, Choral Canada, and The Singing Network to host Podium, Choral Canada’s biennial national conference and festival, in St. John’s in 2018. PODIUM on the EDGE: Singing from Sea to Sea to Sea took place around Canada Day weekend (June 29-July 3, 2018). As an academic complement to Podium 2018, The Singing Network presented the second International Symposium on Singing and Song II at the School of Music, Memorial University of Newfoundland (June 27-29, 2018).
In 2017, The Singing Network also undertook a project to explore the establishment of a provincial choral federation in Newfoundland and Labrador. The mission of this professional organization will be to promote choral activities in our province by providing resources, learning opportunities, advocacy and communications to choral communities throughout Newfoundland and Labrador. The launch of Choral NL took place during PODIUM on the EDGE: Singing from Sea to Sea to Sea.
In 2019, The Singing Network partnered with the International Federation for Choral Music (IFCM) to present the EXchange!, a two-day symposium within the program of the World Choral EXPO in Lisbon, Portugal. The Singing Network also partnered with SING! The Center for Congregational Song to present Sing Together!, its first workshop on congregational singing
The projects of The Singing Network are designed to engage individuals and organizations from varied contexts and disciplines. Each of these projects involves collaboration and partnerships with local, national, and international colleagues. The International Symposia on Singing and Song, in addition to local, MUN-community based projects, serve to mobilize knowledge, expertise, and resources in support of musical, cultural social, health and wellbeing, and educational contexts.
Supported by an International Circle of Advisors, The Singing Network understands the powerful impact of singing in our communities and aims to stimulate and provide programs and experiences for the sustainable development and innovation of singing and use of the voice in all contexts. The Singing Network is committed to working with multi-disciplinary communities toward the realization and celebration of the potential of singing and song in our lives.
The Singing Network is supported by Memorial University School of Music and Faculty of Education, the Bruneau Centre for Excellence in Choral Music, and the MUN Office of Public Engagement.