Special Music Events

April 1, 2011 - Singing Bowls concert - 7 p.m.

Enjoy the healing, meditative sounds of singing bowls during a special fundraising performance by Karl Black and Dan Ehrmantrout.

Enjoy the healing sounds of ancient singing bowls in a special performance by Karl Black and Dan Ehrmantrout sponsored by the Center for Spiritual Living - Olympia.

The sides and rims of singing bowls (also known as Himalayan bowls, rin gongs, medicine bowls, or Tibetan bowls) vibrate to produce sound. The complex harmonic overtones created by singing bowls have a profound relaxing and healing effect upon the body and mind.

Traditionally used throughout Asia as part of Bön and Tantric Buddhist sadhana, in modern times they are used for relaxation, healing, meditation and balancing the chakras.

The bowls have been available to the western world for only 30 years and Karl Black has been collecting them for more than a decade. His collection includes bowls from Tibet, India, Burma and other Middle East countries. Many are hundreds of years old.

Part of their set includes huge gongs tuned to different planets. Black continues to find other sound-producing treasures and they incorporate these into their concerts. Recently, he has added Burmese spinning
gongs weighing 28 pounds each.

For each performance, Black gathers them into sets to balance tonal qualities that resonate well together, choosing different combinations for each event. His ability to hear the many layers of sound resonating from
every bowl has grown over the years.

Ehrmantrout joined Black to play the bowls and together they have created new depths and qualities of sound. Both say the sounds of the bowls — and the meditative space they must be in to play them — have changed their lives. Black and Ehrmantrout have learned to tune themselves: to resonate with the bowls to create a different experience with each performance.

March 20, 2011 - Spring Equinox! CSL-Community Choir

They're back! Your fellow CSL members present a pleasing menu of fresh seasonal fare to get you ready for spring. Shake off the snow and feast your ears as your choir 'rocks the equinox.'

March 13, 2011 - Kirtan Chant with Leraine - 3 to 4:30 p.m.

Free your mind, open your heart!

Leraine Horstmanshoff will be part of the Sunday service on March 13. Leraine performed at CSL last spring and got rave reviews.

Then, enjoy her musical magic concert, hosted by CSL-Olympia at 3 p.m. at the Heart of Wellness in Tumwater.

Check out her website at lerainemusic.com

Where: Heart of Wellness, 205 Clark Place SE, Tumwater

Cost: $12 per person; $10 seniors, students; kids under 12 free.

Tickets: on sale at CSL, March 6 and 13; at the door; or email Camille Fastle at camilleangelaf@hotmail.com.

The Women's Circle is assisting in event planning and ticket sales.

February 6, 2011 - Kate Power & Steve Einhorn, Ukalaliens®

Kate Power and Steve Einhorn are folksingers, songwriters, artists, entertainers, writers, teachers, and publishers from the Pacific Northwest. First prize winners for "songs that make a difference" (Music2Life-2006) and the creative force behind the socially-conscious music center known as Artichoke Music in Portland for 25 years. In 2009, they created the "Ukalaliens Songbook" and in the past year have toured the US as community harmonizers with dozens of extra ukes-to-lend, converting thousands of non-musicians into playing and singing on ukuleles.

Original folk with traditional roots in Americana, Celtic and World music, the songwriting Kate and Steve deliver is the real deal in a push-button world. Double guitars, man and wife, banjos and ukuleles; two sublime voices and warm strings. Romantic, funny, authentic, beautiful. Good medicine with fresh songs and old stories in the mix.

January 9 , 2011 - The Olympia Peace Choir

The Olympia Peace Choir is an inclusive, intergenerational group dedicated to creating peace, justice and optimism in our own lives, communities, nations and the world beyond. We love to sing and believe in the power of song in community.

We sing from diverse cultures and traditions and are dedicated to practicing the principles of equality, peace, respect and cooperation. In all venues, we seek to create an atmosphere of joy and belonging.

October 31, 2010 - Back Porch Swing

Back Porch Swing plays a blend of swing, traditional, and original songs and tunes. Voices in tight harmony are complemented by the double fiddling of Nancy Hanna and Josie Solseng, the hot mandolin picking of Neal Woodall, the versatile guitar of Greg Starling and the bass and whistles of Riley McLaughlin.

The band has performed around the northwest since 1991 and has played at festivals including Northwest Folklife, the Juan De Fuca Festival and many other venues.