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Michael O'Leary
Michael is a spirit singer, chant creator/leader and shamanic practitioner with a special interest in song-doctoring, the use of received-song for healing. Michael came to singing in mid-life, having been one of those people who didn't think they could sing, and now singing is (almost) his life, both as a song-leader and performer. He is a member of the acclaimed chant ensemble 'Robert Gass & On Wings of Song' and currently facilitates weekly song circles called SoulSong in Gloucester, MA as well as chant and spirit-song circles at community gatherings and yoga, spiritual and healing centers. He has also been a frequent performer at SoulStirring's Mystical Arts gatherings (www.soulstirring.org). The other half of his song life is as a singer of traditional Celtic songs and ballads, which he has performed at the Boston Celtic Music Festival, Irish Connections Festival, New England Folk Festival and other festivals and concert venues in New England. He especially loves to sing in the a cappella sean nos style. But whether it be traditional song or chant, Michael loves to connect with spirit in song and to lead others to do so as well. For Michael the whole of one's body/being is an instrument, a vessel to receive and release song, and he strives to bring others to that experience through chant, spirit song and sound play. His mentors on this path have been many: he has practiced spirit singing with the late Saruah Sarah Benson of the Earth Sound Light Center and Shawna Carol of the Way of Song Center, has studied song-leading with Nick Page, and has "workshopped" with, among others, Paul Winter, David Darling, Jill Purce, Jonathan Goldman and Robert Gass. He is a member of the Sound Healing Network (www.soundhealingnetwork.org) and is a graduate of the Foundation for Shamanic Studies (www.shamanism.org) three-year program in shamanism and shamanic healing. Words that forever inspire him: "Song is the soul." -Percy MacKaye
Contact Information:
Michael O'Leary
222 Arts & Wellness Center
222 Eastern Avenue
Gloucester, MA 01930
Phone: 978-283-0495
Email: miceal@verizon.net