SOMA

SOMA is a community music initiative that celebrates the joy of collective singing. Created by Diana Castro, a Portuguese singer and songwriter, who brings her experience and passion for music to create unique arrangements and lead the sessions with enthusiasm and sensitivity.

This initiative stems from the desire to create a space where anyone, regardless of their musical experience, can join others to sing, share, and connect. There are no auditions, long-term commitments, or need to read sheet music. Anyone can sing in a choir.

SOMA began in Lisbon with two meetings that anyone could sign up for. The spots for the two meetings sold out so quickly and there was so much interest from the public that it was felt necessary to not limit the experience to Lisbon alone, but to travel throughout Portugal and reach more people.

A SOMA reunion begins with icebreaker activities so that everyone quickly feels relaxed, and then the song chosen for the meeting is explored and rehearsed—with an arrangement guided by experienced facilitators and directed by Diana Castro. At the end, everyone sings the song together in harmony, in a moment of unique connection. At SOMA, it is the audience that takes center stage: the audience itself is “the artist” - thus being able to experience the contagious energy of the stage and breaking down the barrier that normally exists between the show and the audience.