Oh Happy Day! Gospel & African Harmony Singing with Fran André, and Emily Roblyn

Name: Oh Happy Day! Gospel & African Harmony Singing with Fran André, and Emily Roblyn
Start: 2025-10-18T10:30:00+01:00
End: 2025-10-18T16:30:00+01:00
Location: Moor Imagination Collective

Schedule

Sat Oct 18 2025 at 10:30 am to 04:30 pm

UTC+01:00

Location

Moor Imagination Collective | Buckfastleigh, EN

Oh Happy Day!
Gospel and African Harmony Singing Day with Black History with Fran André and Emily Roblyn
Join Fran and Emily for a day of joyful and soulful harmony songs from countries of the continent of Africa, and music of the African-American diaspora including Gospel and the Spirituals. An acknowledgement here that Africa is a huge continent with many different countries all with a unique musical style and cultural traditions. Songs taught will mainly be from South, West and East African countries.
To support Black History Month, aspects of black history as related to Devon and the UK will be shared, including the wider history of colonisation. Fran and Emily will speak about, and model, the importance of fully honouring the songs and the lineages that each of the songs taught belong to.
All are welcome! As the Zimbabwean proverb goes 'if you can walk you can dance, if you can talk you can sing'. Singing is our birthright, and no previous experience is needed to come and experience this day.
Songs will be either in unison (everyone singing one part), or 2-3-4 part harmony.
Fran and Emily are seasoned song leaders with a lot of experience in creating spaces where everyone feels welcome. They will teach all the songs by ear, and you are welcome to swap parts as and when you feel to find the right part for your voice.
We will break for lunch - please bring your own lunch with you.
Teas / coffees will be provided throughout the day.
Biographies
Fran André has a passion for teaching music of the African diaspora, and alongside this, raising awareness of the increased need for the full cultural honouring of music from other cultures. She is a woman of mixed heritage with ancestral roots in Mauritius, going back to East & West Africa and India. Fran is a bringer of truly joyful song medicine and her singing leading contains both a blend of uplifting energy and a reflective tone. She has previously created and led Soul of the City Gospel Choir in Exeter, Jubilation Choir, Friday Morning Singing!, Dartington Monday Fun Choir, and has led various day singing workshops over the years. You can read more about her journey here.
Emily Roblyn is a Canadian born singer, song leader and composer who has made her home in Devon where she performs, and runs choirs and singing retreats. She is a member of the Natural Voice Network and has been running choirs for over 22 years. Her first self-published song book, “Songs of Courage and Grace”, is in its second printing and many of her beautiful, original, harmony songs are favourites in singing communities across the UK and beyond.
Emily’s experience in and love of embodied presence, collaborative vocal improvisation (CVI), mindfulness and nature connection is at the core of her work both as a songwriter and facilitator, and her warmth, enthusiasm and heart connection shines through in all her teaching.
TICKETS ARE NON-REFUNDABLE - This is due to the high level of admin involved. If you are no longer able to make the date, please arrange to sell your ticket on to someone else.