Circle Singing is a community singing and sounding practice, spontaneous and evolving — like a drum circle for voices.

Based on practices developed by Bobby McFerrin and his collaborators, Circle Singing is a supportive, judgment-free space to play with your voice. Leaders create songs in the moment — patterns, percussive sounds, rhythms, harmonies, melodies, recognizable words, or invented language — and teach the parts orally to the rest of the group. The parts layer together into completely original compositions, each song a unique creation, never sung before, never to be sung again.

It's a very organic, playful, community singing experience. This is a free, open vocal jam where all voices are welcome!

Support Swallow Hill's Free Community Programming

To directly support the cost of having free community jam sessions hosted by professional musicians and leaders in the community, we ask that you consider contributing a donation of any amount.

No donation is too small, and please know that you do not have to donate anything to participate as we want everyone to be able to attend. Let’s jam!

Roy Willey

VOICE, AUDIO PRODUCTION

Roy Willey was born an improviser. He loved creating music from a young age, but it wasn’t until his late 40’s that he stumbled upon Circle Singing, a group improvisational singing practice that immediately felt like coming home. He quit his day job to study with some of the top names in the improv world, including Bobby McFerrin, Rhiannon, and Meredith Monk, while also studying the art of community building through song. He currently teaches introductory singing, improv singing, and live looping, and he leads Circle Singing and the Swallow Hill Community Chorus. As a Colorado native, you can find him hiking or gardening at home in the Lakewood neighborhood where he grew up.

First Concert: Van Halen — 1979, Balch Fieldhouse, Boulder

What song could you listen to all day long? Depends on the day. Van Morrison’s Into the Mystic is a safe bet.

Favorite hangout? Denver Botanic Gardens

What is your favorite thing about Swallow Hill, or your favorite Swallow Hill memory? It’s the very definition of a music community. I love that any time I walk into the building, I find people of every age group, learning everything from Ukulele, to Tabla, to Blues Harp.