Wesley Johnston's Chanting Groups Page

Wesley Johnston's Chanting Groups Page Last updated July 11, 2006
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I Want to Chant! So you want to chant. Where can you find a chanting group? I am going to concentrate on the San Francisco Bay Area in northern California here. But I will also include some links to other chanting groups or other pages that have chanting groups for a particular part of the world.

What Do I Mean By "Chant"? I'm sure there are other definitions, but to me chanting is short songs, repeated over and over, usually done a capella . What is important is the physical and spiritual experience of the breathing and resonance and rhythm. The meaning of the words is less important -- and often not important at all. The words are more important as vehicles for the sound. Many times the chants are in foreign languages, and sometimes they are purely sounds -- in no language at all. So I am not going to be including choirs and a capella singing groups here. Their repertoire is longer songs, usually not repeated, except in having multiple verses. So you'll have to look elsewhere if that is what you are looking for.

All groups are open to all, unless otherwise noted.

Unless specifically noted as a group that I endorse, I do not evaluate any of these, since I am just picking up links off the web and do not have experience nor contact with the groups. I regularly (as my health allows and as conflicts between chant groups allow) take part in NOAH (Berkeley), Dances of Universal Peace (Walnut Creek), and Taizé Prayer Services (rotating in Concord-Pleasant Hill-Walnut Creek). So I can and do endorse those.
Note that if there is a web page with detailed information, I am not going to duplicate all of the information here but will provide a link to the web page that has the information.
If you find any of the links are defunct or if you want to tell me about a link to add, please let me know.

San Francisco Bay Area (California) Chanting Groups

PLEASE NOTE: I moved away from the San Francisco Bay Area in September 2003. So I am no longer keeping this page up to date, other than the NOAH Project schedule.

Albany

Dances of Universal Peace: Click here to see the current California page for the North American Network for the Dances of Universal Peace, which has the information on this group.

Berkeley

The Noah Project: 2-3 Sundays a month (check Doug von Koss' calendar for exact dates) from 7-9:45 PM at Finnish Hall, 1970 Chestnut (off University) (Map) (Men only, except 4-6 special gatherings each year)
I very much enjoy participating in THE NOAH PROJECT, founded by artistic director Doug von Koss. Here is Doug's description:
- "THE NOAH PROJECT is a group of men who gather consciously to artfully explore the beauty and sorrow of the human condition using song, chant, group movement, poetry and ritual in community. We take our name from a Rumi poem that says, 'Start a large foolish project, like Noah! It makes no difference what people think of you.'"
  Dates for July-December 2007, January 2008
  - July 22
  - August 5, 19
  - September 9, 23
  - October 7, 28
  - November 11, 25
  - December 2
  - December 23 (Men & Women)
  - January 6, 20 (20th is a Big Evening with Mt. Shasta and Redding groups)
Dances of Universal Peace: Durant House (First Congregational Church); 2330 Durant Ave. between Dana and Ellsworth; (510) 848-7024 -- Third Friday of each month, 7:30-9:30PM (Area Map and Facilities and Parking Map) -- http://www.duranthouse.org/current.html#ThirdFriday
Taizé Prayer Service:
- Durant House (First Congregational Church); 2330 Durant Ave. between Dana and Ellsworth; (510) 848-7024 -- First Friday of each month, 7:30-8:30PM (Area Map and Facilities and Parking Map) -- http://www.duranthouse.org/current.html#FirstFriday
- Newman Center at Cal Berkeley; 2700 Dwight Way; (510) 848-7812 -- Third Fridays, 8:00PM -- (Map ) http://music4moment.com/Stan/bodyspirit/

Castro Valley

Ammachi Ashram: 10200 Crow Canyon Road (practically in San Ramon); 510-537-9417 (Map) -- Bhajans and Arati as part of satsangs Wednesdays and Fridays 7:30-9:30 PM, Saturdays 6-9:30 PM

Concord

Dances of Universal Peace:
- 2nd Fridays at 7:30 PM at ReUnion Center, 140 Mayhew Way, Pleasant Hill (Map)
- 3rd Sundays at 7:30 PM at Mount Diablo Unitarian Universalist Church, 55 Eckley Lane, Walnut Creek. (Map)
  Directions for Sundays: Coming on 680, take the Ygnacio Valley Blvd. exit. Stay on Ygnacio Valley Blvd. going East into the main part of Walnut Creek. Cross N. Main St. and go under the overhead metal bridge and turn right at the next light (Walnut Blvd). The third stop sign will be where the road curves to the left. Take the first left immediately after the third stop sign. This is Eckley Lane. Go up the small hill on Eckley Lane. The church is at the top of the hill on your Left. There is a sign for the church and a big parking lot.
Taizé Prayer Service: First Sunday each month, 7-8PM, rotating locations in Concord, Pleasant Hill, Walnut Creek -- Click here for current schedule, or contact Christ the King Church (925) 682-2486.

El Cerrito

Sacred Circle Dance - Contact John Bear at (510) 528-4253

Emeryville

Siddha Yoga Ashram 1107 Stanford Ave; (510) 898-2700 (technically in Oakland) - Chants throughout the week, satsang Saturdays 7:30PM - 9:00PM - 1107 Stanford Ave. (Map and Directions)

Oakland

Siddha Yoga Ashram 1107 Stanford Ave; (510) 898-2700 (practically in Emeryville) - Chants throughout the week, satsang Saturdays 7:30PM - 9:00PM - 1107 Stanford Ave. (Map and Directions)
Taizé Prayer Service: First Presbyterian Church; 2619 Broadway -- (510) 444-3555 -- Wednesdays, 6:00PM -- http://music4moment.com/Stan/bodyspirit/

Palo Alto

Ananda: Fridays 7:30PM - 2171 El Camino Real; (650) 323-3363 (Location information and map link)
Dances of Universal Peace: Click here to see the current California page for the North American Network for the Dances of Universal Peace, which has the information on this group.

Pleasant Hill

Dances of Universal Peace:
- 2nd Fridays at 7:30 PM at ReUnion Center, 140 Mayhew Way, Pleasant Hill (Map)
- 3rd Sundays at 7:30 PM at Mount Diablo Unitarian Universalist Church, 55 Eckley Lane, Walnut Creek. (Map)
  Directions for Sundays: Coming on 680, take the Ygnacio Valley Blvd. exit. Stay on Ygnacio Valley Blvd. going East into the main part of Walnut Creek. Cross N. Main St. and go under the overhead metal bridge and turn right at the next light (Walnut Blvd). The third stop sign will be where the road curves to the left. Take the first left immediately after the third stop sign. This is Eckley Lane. Go up the small hill on Eckley Lane. The church is at the top of the hill on your Left. There is a sign for the church and a big parking lot.
Taizé Prayer Service: First Sunday each month, 7-8PM, rotating locations in Concord, Pleasant Hill, Walnut Creek -- Click here for current schedule, or contact Christ the King Church (925) 682-2486.

San Francisco

CANTATE VERITAS: In June 2001, Doug von Koss wrote "Also in the works is an ongoing, mid-week, twice a month, men & women chanting singing group in San Francisco modeled on the Noah Project called, CANTATE VERITAS. Anyone interested let me know. 30+ people expressed strong interest and signed up last Sunday. So.... Come sing with us when you can."
Dances of Universal Peace: Click here to see the current California page for the North American Network for the Dances of Universal Peace, which has the information on this group.

San Jose

Dances of Universal Peace: 2 Groups -- Click here to see the current California page for the North American Network for the Dances of Universal Peace, which has the information on this group.

Santa Cruz

Dances of Universal Peace: Click here to see the current California page for the North American Network for the Dances of Universal Peace, which has the information on this group.

San Ramon

Ammachi Ashram: 10200 Crow Canyon Road (technically in Castro Valley); 510-537-9417 (Map) -- Bhajans and Arati as part of satsangs Wednesdays and Fridays 7:30-9:30 PM, Saturdays 6-9:30 PM

Walnut Creek
- Dances of Universal Peace:
  - 2nd Fridays at 7:30 PM at ReUnion Center, 140 Mayhew Way, Pleasant Hill (Map)
  - 3rd Sundays at 7:30 PM at Mount Diablo Unitarian Universalist Church, 55 Eckley Lane, Walnut Creek. (Map)
    Directions for Sundays: Coming on 680, take the Ygnacio Valley Blvd. exit. Stay on Ygnacio Valley Blvd. going East into the main part of Walnut Creek. Cross N. Main St. and go under the overhead metal bridge and turn right at the next light (Walnut Blvd). The third stop sign will be where the road curves to the left. Take the first left immediately after the third stop sign. This is Eckley Lane. Go up the small hill on Eckley Lane. The church is at the top of the hill on your Left. There is a sign for the church and a big parking lot.
- Chanting Meditation by Candlelight: Third Sunday each month, 7-8PM, Unity Center of Walnut Creek, 1871 Geary Road, Walnut Creek (925) 937-2191. Please bring a white votive candle in a glass container. Silence will be observed as you enter the sanctuary. Small pen flashlights are recommended to read in the darkness. Click here for more information.
- Taizé Prayer Service: First Sunday each month, 7-8PM, rotating locations in Concord, Pleasant Hill, Walnut Creek -- Click here for current schedule, or contact Christ the King Church (925) 682-2486.

Chanting Groups Elsewhere in the World

World-wide groups

International Network for the Dances for Unviersal Peace
There is no central web site listing all Taizé Prayer Services. If you click here, you can send an e-mail message to request the location of a Taizé Prayer Service where you are or will be. (Click here for the Taizé web site home page.)
Sacred/Circle Dances (Click here for information on Sacred/Circle Dance.)

North America

North American Network for the Dances for Unviersal Peace: Canada, Mexico, United States (includes Hawaii and Alaska)

Click here to return to the main chanting links page.