"And So It Goes" - Billy Joel | One-Day Choir

WHAT IS A ONE-DAY CHOIR?

Gaia Music Collective's One-Day Choir series is an opportunity to sing in a choir for one day only. A celebration of song and the connective power of singing in harmony. An opportunity to build community, make some new friends, and raise our powerfully diverse voices as one.

No auditions. No commitment. No need for perfection.

Just the joy of creating something bigger than ourselves with a room full of beautiful humans!

Whether you're a vocal ensemble veteran or have never sung in a group before, you are welcome here - all experience levels are valued in Gaia Music Collective!

OUR SONG THIS TIME AROUND

If you’ve seen the And So It Goes documentary, you know how much tenderness, vulnerability, and honesty resonates in Billy Joel’s music. This song, in particular, is such a special one. It’s about love that’s cautious but real, guarded but deeply sincere. About letting someone see you, even when you’re scared of what that might cost.

We can't wait to sing this one together. This is a song that rewards softness and tenderness to earn those fleeting big moments. Matt's arrangement of this one is simply divine (you can check out a sample of it here). We look forward to taking our take our time together on this one.

And these lyrics....

"In every heart there is a room
A sanctuary, safe and strong
To heal the wounds from lovers past
Until a new one comes along"

I mean, come on!! Hope to see you there.

LEARNING THE MUSIC

Sheet music and vocal recordings of each part will be available as learning resources before the event, and our collective goal is to practice the parts ahead of time so that we might come into the gathering with ! This way we can spend our time together really diving into the richness of music-making, rather than trying to teach the parts one by one. We don't need to know our parts by heart by any means (and you defffinitely don’t have to memorize it), but the stronger we are in our parts coming in, the more we'll be able to really dig into the fun stuff!

(If this style of learning isn't your cup of tea, we have other group singing events where you don't need to prepare at all! Check out our CircleSinging gatherings and House Shows.)

LED and FACILITATED BY:

This session will be facilitated by our amazing Founder and Lead Facilitator, Matt Goldstein.

Matt Goldstein (he/him) is an award-winning arranger, facilitator, improviser, songwriter, and educator who is known for his emotive vocal arrangements, soulful singing, heart-forward facilitation, and visionary leadership. After making waves in the a cappella scene as music director of The Vassar Devils and Hyannis Sound, he went on to found Gaia Music Collective, a collaborative music community that is achieving international recognition for its work in creating kind, connective, accessible spaces for musical play and expression. Along with designing and leading Gaia’s viral “One-Day Choir” series, Matt is passionate about leading circle singing, facilitating improvised jams, and cultivating exciting new projects in the vocal music sphere. He currently serves as Gaia’s Artistic Director and Lead Facilitator, while also performing as an improviser and singer-songwriter, directing at A Cappella Academy (a summer camp for talented young singers), leading Rock Voices (a community pop-rock choir), and teaching vocal improv intensives through his private teaching studio, Flow Labs.

PHYSICAL ACCESSIBILITY:

• The accessible entrance is at 243 Thompson St (around the corner from 55 Washington Square South).
• A buzzer inside that door allows entry; then there is an elevator that goes from street level (Level 1) to Level 3 (Meeting Room) and Level B (basement restrooms).
• There are accessible restrooms located in the basement (Level B) via the elevator.
• The venue acknowledges accessibility as a core value: its mission statement mentions envisioning a “physical space … fully accessible to everyone”.

CANCELLATION POLICY

We want as many people to be able to experience these gatherings as possible, and since capacity is limited, each spot is precious! If you RSVP but are no longer able to come, please let us know at least 24 hours before the event so that we may offer your spot to someone else. Tickets are non-transferable, as we need to be able to gather enough funds to rent the spaces and pay our lovely facilitator.

For more info, contact us at gaiamusiccollective@gmail.com.

MEDIA CONSENT

Because we want to share what we’re up to with people who can’t join us in person, there will be photographers and videographers present — by attending, you consent to being a part of that media, some of which may be posted online! Please email us with any questions or concerns at gaiamusiccollective@gmail.com.

🌱 🌿 🌳

RESPECT THE SPACE!

This is a beloved venue and we want to honor them! Please be considerate of the space.

About Judson Memorial Church
Founded in 1890 at the edge of Washington Square Park, Judson Memorial Church is a vibrant community rooted in the belief that faith and the arts can work hand in hand to advance social justice, creativity, and inclusion. Known for supporting artists, activists, and seekers of all kinds, Judson provides space for performance, worship, and community dialogue that uplifts diverse voices and challenges boundaries. Guided by progressive values and radical hospitality, Judson continues to serve as a sanctuary for expression, belonging, and the common good.

LOW-PRESSURE PARTICIPATION

Gaia Music Collective events are participatory, but low-pressure. You'll be invited to sing along and make music with us, but we encourage you to draw your own boundaries and engage at your own pace - we pride ourselves in creating a judgment-free community where you can express yourself however feels right!

LATE ARRIVALS

We ask that you arrive no later than 30 minutes after start time, after which we close the doors (lovingly) in order to preserve the intimacy and trust of the musical container we’re building. Thank you for understanding!

CANCELLATION POLICY

Tickets are refundable up to 24 hours before the event, after which we are no longer able to offer refunds. This policy helps us keep these events financially sustainable for both our community and our team. If you RSVP but are no longer able to come, please let us know so that we may offer your spot to someone else! We want as many people to be able to experience these gatherings as possible, and since capacity is limited, each spot is precious.

For more info, contact us at gaiamusiccollective@gmail.com.

MEDIA CONSENT

Because we want to share what we’re up to with people who can’t join us in person, there may be photographers and videographers present — by attending, you consent to being a part of that media, some of which may be posted online! If you have any questions or concerns, please email us at gaiamusiccollective@gmail.com.

NO ONE TURNED AWAY FOR LACK OF FUNDS

Gaia is funded by sliding scale ticket donations, with a “no one turned away for lack of funds” policy. It is of the utmost importance to us that these events remain affordable and accessible - we never want money to be a barrier to making music together. If a ticket scale is financially prohibitive to you, feel free to donate outside of the scale at whatever amount is sustainable for you, or to email us at gaiamusiccollective@gmail.com for volunteer opportunities or assistance!

COMMUNITY GUIDELINES

At Gaia Music Collective, we are dedicated to building a community where creativity, collaboration, and care thrive. The values listed here shape how we work together, how we engage with the world, and how we move toward upholding these principles.

OUR MISSION

Gaia Music Collective is an NYC-based creative community seeking to foster a more connected world through collective music-making. Founded in June of 2021 in a living room in Brooklyn, this project was born out of a desire to create accessible, inclusive, playful spaces for people to explore connection, expression, healing, and release through collaborative song - spaces where folks feel empowered to make music free of judgment or expectation, and to make new friends as our full, beautiful, authentic selves.

We believe that communal music-making is a fundamental human practice, and this project seeks to build spaces for folks to nurture their relationship to music, whether they're shower singers, professional musicians, or anything in between.

All are welcome in this community: all ages, races, genders, sexual orientations, classes, religions, abilities, national origins, languages, and musical experiences. All we ask is that you bring an open mind, a desire to connect, and a willingness to leave judgment of self and others at the door.

FAQ

Have any questions that haven't been answered here? Check out our Event FAQs!

🏡