Folk Songs for Summer!

Free Online Gathering

A singing workshop to welcome the spirit of Summer through the lively folk song traditions of Italy & Ireland.

Tuesday, May 20th

10:30am PDT / 6:30pm BST

75 Minutes

Do you feel the call to learn European ancestral songs?

Join us for this FREE & festive gathering where we have gathered a bright bunch of teachers sharing folk song traditions from 2 regions of Europe.

This gathering is a sneak peek into our upcoming & well-loved 9-week course called Songs of Mother Europe.

Returning for its 8th season & with brand new teachers from several regions across Europe, Songs of Mother Europe is a rich gathering of 9+ guest teachers and includes access to an online community space of vibrant human beings.

Register
Here

What to Expect

Our gathering will take you on a journey from the energetic rhythms of Irish lilting to the soulful work songs of southern Italy.

Irish lilting is a lively form of traditional vocal music, often used as a chorus or verse in songs. On the Aran Islands, in the past, people took turns lilting to accompany dancers at céilí gatherings when musical instruments were unavailable. With its vibrant rhythms and danceable melodies, this unique “mouth music” continues to be a joyful and enduring aspect of Irish cultural heritage.

In addition to Irish lilting, we’ll delve into traditional work songs from southern Italy—melodies rooted in peasant life and the rhythms of the summer season. These ancient songs invite vocal freedom and emotional expression, offering a powerful way to connect deeply with oneself and others through sound.

Will you join us?
ALL VOICES WELCOME!
REGISTER FOR OUR FREE GATHERING
You're registered! Check your email inbox for a welcome message for our gathering on May 20th.
(If it’s not there, be sure to check your promotions or spam folder!)
Will you join us?
ALL VOICES WELCOME!
REGISTER FOR OUR FREE GATHERING
You're registered! Check your email inbox for a welcome message for our gathering on May 20th.
(If it’s not there, be sure to check your promotions or spam folder!)

Whether you have European heritage or not, you’re welcome to come explore and experiment with singing these old songs!

What’s Included

We know that singing has the power to enliven our spirits and be a balm for our human challenges.

Our prayer is that this call will do just that.

  • 75-minute live online call with 3 guest teachers from the upcoming 9-week course, "Songs of Mother Europe"
  • Cultural context and vocal techniques for simple European songs celebrating the summer season
  • Automatic entry into a giveaway when you attend LIVE for a free registration in "Songs of Mother Europe" ($325+ VALUE!)
Register
Here

Our Guest Teachers

SOUTHERN ITALY

Nìula - Francesco Rina & Maria Sgro

Francesco Rina and Maria Sgrò met in Rome in 2023 during workshops on traditional oral singing from Southern Italy, led by singer and multi-instrumentalist Davide Ambrogio.

With backgrounds in theatre, they came together to form Nìula—a duo that offers modern reinterpretations of the traditional oral music of Southern Italy and the wider Mediterranean basin.

Drawing from a repertoire of polyvocal songs, they compose original music that bridges the ancient and the contemporary, guiding audiences through ritual, festive, intimate, and cathartic soundscapes.

They lead concerts and singing workshops across Italy for both amateurs and professionals, focusing on the connective power of sound, the awareness of breath, and the rediscovery of each person’s unique voice

IRELAND

Lasairfhíona Ní Chonaola

Lasairfhíona (pronounced Lah-sah-reena) is a singer/songwriter deeply rooted in the sean-nós singing style of Inis Oírr, one of the Aran Islands.

Her innovative approach to Irish music and her new slant on traditional singing have been celebrated in her previous albums An Raicín Álainn, Flame of Wine and One Penny Portion. The result of her work is a magical mosaic of sound, as refreshing and as unpredictable as a showery day inside in Aran.

A graduate in Celtic Studies from Trinity College Dublin, a broad range of contemporary music has influenced her singing. Lasairfhíona has the rare ability to sing songs from an ancient Gaelic tradition while being equally at home with contemporary songs.

She sang and acted in the award winning movie The Banshees of Inisherin, by the acclaimed director and writer Martin McDonagh.

‘‘A pure breath of everything that is beautiful about Ireland.”

– BBC Folk & Acoustic Reviews

Meet Your Hostess

Hanna Leigh

FOUNDERESS, WEAVING REMEMBRANCE

Greetings, I'm Hanna Leigh

Hi! My name is Hanna Leigh, (IG: @hannaleighsong) and I am a Singer-Songwriter, Voice Doula, Weaver, and Devotee of this precious, living Earth. I was raised in California (Chumash territory) though in recent years have spent extensive time residing on ancestral lands in the Celtic isles. My people migrated to the U.S. several generations ago from England, Scotland, Norway, Germany and the Netherlands.

This organization, Weaving Remembrance, was birthed through my own passion to to reclaim ancestral wisdom and connect with the indigenous spirit of the “Great Sacred Motherland of Europe” – a term I first heard from activist Lyla June.

It is an honor to sit with wisdom keepers, song carriers and storytellers from around Europe, and we invite you to come along for the journey!

Frequently Asked Questions

This offering is happening online through Zoom, with teachers joining us from different countires.

Yes. The live call will be recorded, and a recording will be shared with all who have pre-registered. Only those who come to the live call on May 20th will be entered into the giveaway. 

The giveaway winner will be announced at the end of the live call on May 20th and also in writing when the recording is sent to those who have pre-registered.