The Comfort of Song
Nikki Jardin
50plus Magazine
Flameless tea lights in small bags lined the trail on a recent evening at Meinig Park in Sandy, OR. A warm breeze swayed the branches of tall cedars and pines.
Along the path, photographs were strung between branches, and small altars were nestled in the crooks of the trees and upon stumps. Evening birdsong was joined by the singing of 12 or so people, seated in a semi-circle under a gazebo. The melodic song was beautiful, completing the sense of sacredness to this Walk of Remembrance, a public ceremony to celebrate and remember loved ones who had passed.
The singers were volunteers from The Threshold Choir, a national organization whose groups sing “compassionate and peaceful songs for people in transitional moments.” They serve at public events and private occasions. For the latter, two or three members might gather bedside of someone nearing the end of their life.
“The Threshold singers, through song and presence, create a space where people can connect and feel supported and cared for,” says Laura Lirrete, director of bereavement services for Mt Hood Hospice. “Their warmth makes it possible to feel the feelings that arise with challenging times.”
The choir has more than 175 chapters internationally, with seven in Oregon, including Portland, Salem, Eugene, and Corvallis. One recent Sunday, the Salem chapter met to rehearse at the Keizer/Salem Area Senior Center. Folding chairs were arranged in a circle in a spacious room typically used for music and dancing.
The singers paged through choir books, seeking a good song to begin “Community Song Care,” a new series at the center. Having chosen a piece, a singer began, crooning the first line solo. Joined by the harmonies of the group, the room filled with warmth and intimacy.
During a break, members shared their love for the services offered by the Threshold Choir. Eva Kelley, a weekly bedside singer, found the work so rewarding she wanted to help expand it locally. Explaining the origins of Community Song Care, she said, “We wanted to hold space for anybody who has grief of any kind, whether the loss of a dear family member, a pet, or a loss of opportunity. There are a lot of different kinds of grief. It’s not something that’s built into our culture. . . I would love to see this blossom and thrive.”
Other group members spoke passionately about how meaningful the work is for them. Karyl Allen is visibly moved when talking about singing for people in hospice care. “I get as much out of it, maybe more. They give back whether they know it or not.”
Michael Black, one of the group’s few men, agrees. “It’s a privilege and always a tender experience. We’ll be singing for someone at whatever stage of the threshold they are in, but we have learned that they hear us. It is a solid blessing.”
Jan Taylor, the group’s director, says their work is not performative in any way. Rather, their role is to be more of a comforting presence than a focal point, which is apparent even during the rehearsal. The joined voices create soothing waves of melodic harmonies that make space for reflection and meditation; there are no soloists or standouts. “They all have this heart for using their voices in love,” Taylor says.
SALEM
Community Song Care invites the public to experience music by the Salem Threshold Singers at a free event every third Wednesday at 7pm (Nov 20 this month) at the Keizer Senior Center.
For details, visit salemthresholdsingers on Facebook or Instagram, or email salemthresholdsingers17@gmail.com.
PORTLAND
To request singers or to inquire about becoming
a singer with the Portland Threshold Singers, please email portlandthresholdsingers@gmail.com or call 971 217 6071.
To learn about joining the Salem Threshold Singers or other regional group, visit salemthresholdsingers17@gmail.com or thresholdchoir.org/locations/#NW.