Sharing the Song

Alice Parker firmly believed that everyone is a singer and a song leader, and that "song is given to us to fulfill a basic human need." This book posthumously concludes Alice Parker's trilogy devoted to her philosophy of music, following The Anatomy of Melody and The Answering Voice. In this final volume, Parker distills a lifetime of wisdom into four concise chapters that guide readers through the art of communal singing. She begins by defining what a song truly is and what it means to be a song leader before exploring how melody, gesture, and imagination inspire authentic musical response. She then offers a step-by-step process for preparing and leading a sing, describing how singers can "become the song" through movement, listening, and shared intent. The book concludes with personal reflections and memories from Parker's own sings, tracing the joyful history of this tradition and its power to connect hearts through music. A culminating expression of her teaching and philosophy, this resource stands as Alice Parker's final empowering gift to all who yearn to sing.