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Universal Peace Choir

The Universal Peace Choir is an enjoyable, healing experience for singers themselves and for the people they sing for. The Peace Choir sings rounds, chants and songs which suit the pastoral needs of hospice care. Choir membership is open to the wider community. In order to meet the varied needs of hospice clients, the Peace Choir learns two sets of songs, one joyful and one reverential. The Peace Choir has a partnership with Namaste Hospice of Denver to provide vocal music at the bedside in small groups of two or three. Singers who wish to take participate in the partnership with Namaste Hospice are required to complete twenty hours of hospice training. The choir also responds to direct invitations to provide music outside of the Namaste network.

The Choir is led by David Burrows, who is trained in providing music for the ill and/or dying. Around the country, similar types of choirs have sprung up in the last few years. The Peace Choir meets on fourth Thursdays from 7:30 to 9pm

Reflection on the Peace Choir, from Co-Founder Lisa Lowe

Since I was a young girl, I have used music of all kinds, and singing
specifically to console, amuse and uplift others and myself. This has
mostly been in the privacy of my own home, shower, or car; although I
have belonged to a few different choir groups, including JUC choir in
the 1990’s. I haven’t always felt comfortable in these groups however,
due to having a bit of “poor singing-self-esteem”, and being afraid of
making a mistake. However, 3 years ago when my daughter and her family
were living in Paonia Colorado, she invited me to attend choir practice
with her. I attended with the intention of listening only. When I
arrived at the community center in the middle of town, I was welcomed
by 15 or so women and men, and ushered into their singing circle. My
daughter had shared some of the songs and chants with me, so I was
familiar with the words and melody, at least generally. What I
discovered within minutes of joining the circle was that there was no
set format, when one person would start a song, everyone would then
join in and it would go on until the energy seemed to dissipate on its
own. Melodies gave way to spontaneous harmonies, some of which sounded
ok, some of which did not (and everyone would just smile and keep
singing), and some of which magically transported us all into a state
of well, ecstasy, if you want to know the truth! Immediately it became
a safe place for me to belt out a tune, experiment with adding harmony,
without the fear of doing it wrong and feeling foolish. The music was
all a cappela, by the way, and mostly traditional, spiritual, religious
or indigenous songs or chants from all parts of the world.
I was fortunate enough to have several opportunities over the next
season to sing with the Paonia Freedom choir, and hoped that I could
somehow find someone to help me create something similar closer to
home. ENTER my friend David Burrows, an experienced and talented
musician, with a deep understanding of the connection between singing,
music and the healing of the human spirit! He was the perfect
candidate, and willing to take on the task! (I’ll let him tell you more
of his background in relation to this, as I hardly even know the depth
of his studies and exposures to beautiful, spirit-based music from all
of his travels!) David has created the Universal Peace Choir, which enjoys this mutual love of singing for the pure joy of uplifting our spirits.