Kingston Pop Choir: Barrett’s Privateers by Stan Rogers & We Rise by Batya Levine

~ What is the Kingston Pop Choir? ~
Each month in 2026, we're bringing together a room full of people to learn and sing a song (or two!) - no auditions, no experience required, no long-term commitment. Each session features a local musical artist who will lead the group in an arrangement of an original song or a popular cover. These are one-day choirs: playful, welcoming gatherings where folks come together to sing, connect, and create something bigger than themselves.
Kingston Pop Choir sessions are open to all! Accessibility information is included below. If there is anything we can do to make this experience more accessible for you, please let us know.

~ Special Guest for August: Sonja Moller Hatfield ~
Sonja (she/her) is a board-certified music therapist and multi-instrumentalist who sings and plays violin and guitar. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Music Therapy and is currently completing her Bachelor of Education at the University of Ottawa with a music teachable. Throughout her work as a music therapist, she has supported individuals on the autism spectrum, people living with acquired brain injuries, and older adults in memory care, using music to foster connection, expression, and community.

~ The Songs: Barrett’s Privateers by Stan Rogers & We Rise by Batya Levine ~
For August's session, Sonja has chosen two songs that hold special meaning to her.
"Barrett's Privateers" by Stan Rogers is one of Sonja's favourite Canadian folk songs. She is particularly interested in the power of storytelling through song and the rich traditions of Canadian folk music. Barrett's Privateers captures the spirit of Canada's maritime heritage through its vivid narrative, memorable chorus, and enduring place in Canada’s folk music tradition.
Listen to "Barrett's Privateers" here:

"We Rise" by Batya Levine reflects her connection to the Jewish community and its enduring values of justice, compassion, and collective responsibility. Rooted in Jewish spiritual tradition, the song is both a gentle prayer and a call to action, reminding us that meaningful change happens when we care for one another and rise together in solidarity.
Listen to "We Rise" here:


~ Meet Your Hosts: Steph Drouin and Paul Barton ~
Steph Drouin (she/her) is a singer, songwriter, song leader, and Expressive Arts Therapist. She is the dreamer and fire behind Kingston Pop Choir. For a decade, she has been leading groups of people of all abilities into easeful, joyful, and healing singing experiences. She is the founder of Fiercely OK, an organisation that uses singing and the arts to nurture wellness and community. Informed by a lifelong relationship with anxiety, she is passionate about creating spaces where you can feel safe to show up exactly as you are. She is super excited to be co-creating this joyful community singing experience!
Born and raised in Kingston, Paul Barton (he/him) is a multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter passionate about creating an inclusive musical culture. He has produced music for films, played jazz professionally, recorded 12 solo albums, played in pit orchestras, and taught guitar at Queens University. But his favourite musical thing to do is show regular humans how easy it is to create beauty. Along with Steph Drouin, that's what he does in Fiercely OK song circles.
Steph and Paul have been facilitating community song circles together for over 8 years. In a world where everything moves so fast, and neighbours no longer know each other’s names, they feel the most important contribution they could make is to re-weave place-based community. Getting people singing is their favourite way of bringing people together.
Get ready! As a team of gifted space holders and song weavers, Steph & Paul will not only create an accessible and uplifting musical experience for you, but also an environment that is welcoming of your fierce and tender human self.

~ What to Expect ~
We will start the event with a short warm-up song, maybe some stretches, and a fun singing exercise to get us listening and creating harmony. Then we'll dive into learning a 3-part arrangement of this month's song. Don't worry about preparing in advance. We'll guide you through the process step by step.

~ The Venue ~
This event is in the main gathering space at Next Church.
The space is wheelchair accessible. The accessible entrance is located at the back of the venue, off of Ordnance Street. There are also 3 parking spaces at the back of the building reserved for folks with accessibility needs or equipment. Please note that all parking spaces are shared with other renters in the building. If an accessible parking spot would reduce barriers to your participation, please let us know in advance so we can reserve a parking spot for you. Street parking is also available in the area.
There is a bathroom at the rear of the building, near the kitchen and gym, that can be accessed by wheelchair (i.e., it offers sufficient clearance to move around in a wheelchair). Unfortunately, this bathroom is not yet equipped with grab bars. Hopefully, this will change soon as Next Church completes steps two and three of their three-step accessibility project.
All bathrooms at Next Church are gender-neutral.
While we are working to anticipate your needs, we warmly invite you, if and when you feel safe enough, to let us know how we can best support you to show up. Together, as a community, we will grow.

~ A Few Other Notes on Accessibility ~
- There will be a mix of sitting and standing options, including chairs and cosy floor space. You'll be encouraged to honour your body.
- Lyric sheets will be made available. We will use a mic/amplifier as needed to ensure facilitators are heard.
- An emotional support person will be identified and available at each session, and quiet spaces for retreat will be clearly identified.
- An Access Kit will be available, including stones from Lake Ontario for holding and grounding, sunglasses, earplugs, colouring pages and crayons, N95 masks, granola bars and cups for water.

~ No one turned away for lack of funds. ~
Kingston Pop Choir is committed to being accessible to everyone, regardless of financial ability. The suggested contribution is $20, with a sliding scale of $10-30. However, when you reserve your spot, you can enter a price that's right for you, even if it's zero. The beauty of community is that, where some can give less, others can give more, and it all works out.
If contributing financially isn’t accessible right now, but you have energy or skills to share, we’d love to hear from you (email [email protected]). We have a couple of volunteer spots available at each monthly gathering.

~ Children ~
Young people who can stay engaged or entertain themselves quietly during the 3‑hour event are welcome. Pre‑crawling babies are also welcome. Children under age 13 must be accompanied by an adult. There is no fee for children under 7. For children ages 7-12, the suggested contribution is $10 per pop choir event. For youth ages 13-17, the suggested contribution is $15.
If bringing a young, energetic human would help you attend, please reach out — we’re happy to find a way forward together. Parents with young ones are welcome to step in and out of the space as needed or leave at the break.

~ Photo/Video Consent ~
Heads up! We plan to capture a few videos and photos to share the power of what we are creating with the wider community. Don't worry - we won't be zooming in on individuals (except the Special Guests). Our goal is to capture the group experience. If you don't want to be on camera, please let us know in your registration form and/or check in with our camera volunteer. We'll make sure your wishes are respected. This is important to us!

~ Late Arrivals ~
To preserve the musical intimacy of the event, we ask that you arrive no later than 30 minutes after the start time. Thank you so much!

~ Wellness and Mask Policies ~
We ask that participants complete their own wellness self-assessment before attending the Kingston Pop Choir. Please attend only if you are feeling well and have not recently been sick or been in contact with someone who was sick. If you are unsure whether you should attend, please reach out to Steph - we will navigate the way forward together.
If you must cancel your attendance at the last minute due to illness, you will be offered a credit which can be applied towards a future event. So please do stay home to keep yourself and others well. 💕
Masks are optional and most likely will not be worn by most participants. We invite you to do what is most comfortable for you. We will have a handful of N95 masks available in our Comfort Kit. Please bring your own if you're able.

~ Drug- and Alcohol-Free Space ~
To help us create a safe, grounded environment, this is a drug‑ and alcohol‑free space. Please don’t bring or use any awareness‑altering substances during the event. Medically‑necessary or light personal use at home beforehand is completely okay - we simply ask that everyone arrive able to be present with the group.

~ Cancellation Policy ~
Tickets are refundable up to 24 hours before the event. Please note that booking fees are non‑refundable. Because space is limited, each spot is precious. If your plans change and you’re no longer able to attend, please cancel your ticket or let us know as soon as you can so we can offer your spot to someone else. Thank you!

~ Payment Options ~
Credit Card:
You’re welcome to pay by credit card through Humanitix. Please note that booking fees apply. Humanitix donates any profits from booking fees to charity.
Kingston Pop Choir absorbs payment processing fees.
Cash:
Select your tickets as usual, then enter the discount code CASH to reduce your total to $0. Bring your cash payment with you to the event.
E‑Transfer:
Choose your tickets normally and apply the discount code ETRANSFER to bring your total to $0. Send your e‑transfer to [email protected] (no password required) either before completing your registration or immediately afterwards.
Your spot is confirmed once payment has been received. Thank you!

~ Big THANKS! ~
This event is produced in partnership with Fiercely OK, who is generously lending their online hosting platforms and mailing list support to help make Kingston Pop Choir possible. We are also deeply grateful for financial support from the City of Kingston and the Kingston Arts Council through the City of Kingston Arts Fund, as well as the Kingston Music Office. This event truly wouldn’t be possible without this collective support. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Any questions?
Please reach out via phone to 437-344-5543 or by email to [email protected]. We're here to help!