Vocal studio Sing Bend is calling on Central Oregonians –shy and bold — to celebrate and share in the joy of singing with a newly forming Public Rock Choir. The group, a creation of Sing Bend instructor Deena Kamm, is designed to provide a fun, non-threatening environment for people of all ages and skill levels to participate. The first Public Rock Choir gathering will take place on June 1 from 6 to 8pm at Dudley’s Book Shop in downtown Bend.

“My hope is to provide a place where people can come and sing as big and as loud as they want without feeling on the spot,” said Kamm. “It’s not about being a great singer, it’s about joining our collective voices and singing our hearts out for fun and being part of a group music experience without feeling self-consciousor worried about who can hear you and who’s watching.”

Kamm has more than 25 years of experience as a professional singer in Los Angeles, California, where she sang for NBC, CBS, MTV, Clear Channel, Premier Radio Networks, radio stations and studios across the country. She now lives with her husband and son in Bend where she enjoys the outdoors, teaches voice lessons and performs as part of a musical duo called Lark. As a vocal coach, Kamm knows too well what holds people back from singing.

“So many people miss the opportunity to experience the joy of singing because it seems too scary to put themselves out there or they feel like they don’t know what to do,” said Kamm. “I want to offer them a chance to feel good doing something they might not have the courage to do alone. I want everyone to feel like they are part of one big beautiful voice. If you can talk, you can sing!”

While the group is called a choir, there won’t be any hymns involved. The Public Rock Choir will be singing songs from popular artists like Cold Play, Adele and Michael Jackson.

“We’re going to sing big songs with lots of voices because I want people to really feel it,” said Kamm.

Kamm’s vision is to grow the group to 100 people over time, expand to a larger space and meet weekly. As the project grows, she also hopes to create additional groups focused on different genres (for kids, seniors and others). The first Community Rock Choir session is free, but donations will be accepted. Returning members will pay a $15 fee to help cover costs. Monthly memberships will be offered at a discounted rate when the group expands.

Kamm established Sing Bend in 2014 in response to requests from friends seeking vocal lessons and confidence-building techniques for themselves and their kids. Today, the studio is thriving with a wide range of children and adults finding their voices through song.

Public Rock Choir
Sing Bend
singbend@gmail.com
541-728-3798.