Singing the Rite to Belong

Helen Phelan is Professor of Arts Practice at the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance, University of Limerick. A singer and ritual studies scholar, she is an Irish Research Council recipient for her work on singing and sustained social integration with new migrant communities in Ireland over the last two decades. Her singing interests span medieval chant to contemporary ritual vocal song while her publications are primarily in the areas of ritual studies, music education philosophy and arts practice research.

the breath of this work ensures its significance to ritual studies, ethnography, philosophy, religion, vocal pedagogy and cultural studies. I commend this work for its originality in focus and opening a dialogue for the need for greater inclusion in modern Ireland.

• Introduction Becoming a Ritual Singer Singing and Belonging Book Structure Laus Perennis Religious Rituals Chapter One Borrowed Belonging: Singing and "Resounding" in the Wrong Ritual Space Introduction Migration and the New Irish The Limerick Experience The Russian Orthodox Community in the Augustinian Church, Limerick The New Revelation Pentecostal Church in St. Michael's Church of Ireland, Limerick Resonance as a Key Element of Sung Belonging Spheres of Resonance A Pilgrim People Pilgrimage and Music Sonic authority Conclusion Chapter Two Repertoires of Belonging: Embodying "Bothness" through Musical Repertoires Introduction St. John's Catholic Cathedral and St. Augustine's Church, Limerick Embodying "Bothness" Somatics as a Key Element of Sung Belonging Singing and Ideology Gregorian Chant and the Modern Liturgical Movement A Modern and Medieval "Enchantment" The Pastoral Turn The Irish Story Conclusion II Educational Rituals Chapter Three Finding Your Own Voice: Mythologizing and Ritualizing Belonging at the Irish World Academy Introduction The Irish World Academy The Quest for "Imbas" The Ritual Pit Performance as a Key Element of Sung Belonging Performing the Academy Conclusion Chapter Four Singing Belonging in the Ritual Lab Introduction Entering the Ritual Lab Ritual Leaps of Faith Ritual Lab and Singing Ritual Criticism, Memory and Ethical Soundings Temporality as a Key Element of Sung Belonging Ritual, Time and Space Conclusion III Civic and Community-Based Rituals Chapter FiveSinging Hospitality in Community-based Ritual Introduction Anáil Dé / The Breath of God Tacitness as a Key Element of Sung Belonging Comhcheol Women's Community Choir World Carnival Conclusion Chapter Six Singing the Rite to Belong: Baptismal Rituals and the Irish Citizenship Referendum Introduction Backdrop to the Citizenship Referendum The Limerick Story Baptizing, Singing and Belonging Somatic Community Sonic Community Conclusion Conclusion The Power of Singing Singing the Rite to Belong The Weakness of Singing the Rite to Belong