Sharing Songs of Meaning

I began by asking the group if they were more interested in engaging in active music making as we often do, or if they were more inclined to spend some time listening to various pieces. The group came to the consensus that they most resonated with the idea of listening and sharing music today. We began by listening to 3 Little Birds by Bob Marley, while following along with lyric sheets. Group members were then given a piece of paper and a pencil to write down a song that was meaningful to them. This could be a song that was important to their family, a song with cultural meaning, or a song that they resonated with most in that moment. Once everyone had offered a song of importance, we began listening to each one. After collectively listening to each piece of music, we engaged in a verbal discussion about the message behind the lyrics, the emotion of the song, and any memories it brought forward. Group members connected over the messages of hope, motivation, inspiration, grief, family, and strength that were conveyed across the variety of songs we listened to. As we concluded, group members were encouraged to reflect upon the music they listen to throughout the week and bring in songs to next week's session that they may wish to share.