The music is treated, all too often, as though it were a minor aspect of what we do. It is, however, in fact, central to everything we do. -Swami Kriyananda

Changes in 2020

SUNDAY SERVICE MUSIC

It changed and changed and changed again...

• The first (snowy) Sunday of the pandemic, Prashad showed up and did it all solo
• We experimented with creating 4-person virtual choir videos
• We expanded into Village choir virtual videos
• We were eventually allowed to have a maximum of 2-3 singers in Temple
• In order to allow Village residents to attend service, as soon as possible we shifted to the amphitheater; being outdoors we could have up to five singers
• Smoke from wildfires drove us back indoors (returning to 2-3 singers only)
• Surge in COVID cases meant ending the year with NO live singing or chanting in the Temple once again

SPECIAL EVENTS

Everything went online...

• Oratorio - used never released 2017 Village performance

We added video of Jeannie (and also the Nani's) praying and otherwise greeting viewers of the Oratorio

• Spiritual Renewal Week concert

  • All pre-recorded
  • Taken from 50th anniversary performances; Sunday services; a video from Ananda Assisi; special recordings by small singing groups from Palo Alto and Camano Island; and recordings with Swamiji singing
  • Ended with "O Master," performed by our first worldwide virtual choir of 92 singers!

• "Go with love" video for Bajrang

• Vairagi & Aramati wedding

  • Nani's provided chanting in the Temple "live"
  • Virtual choir (6 songs; 14 singers from Camano, Portland, Village, Palo Alto, Israel)
  • Pre-recorded solos (Dambara; Cindy)

• Boston Centennial

  • Music provided by Nani's (from Village) and Dhuti (on East Coast) "live" via Zoom
  • Pre-recorded videos from Ananda Assisi and Ananda India

  

  Ananda Assisi performs "A New Tomorrow" & "Life Is a Dream"

  

  Singers from Ananda India perform "Joined in Prayer"