Trinidad Song Circle: A Community in Harmony

One thing — among many — that makes Trinidad special is the weekly Song Circle on Sunday afternoons.

Free to anyone who enjoys singing, the group gathers to sing from two songbooks that include a vast number of classic folk songs from the Beatles and Judy Collins to Bob Dylan and Pete Seeger, accompanied by piano, ukulele and sometimes guitar played by song circle regulars.

The group’s leader, Penne O’Gara, believes singing together has value beyond the songs. “People have told me when they come to song circle that they’ve felt tired or sad, but when they leave, they feel so much better,” she said.

For Jackie Hogan, who has been playing piano with the group for 20 years, the Song Circle is “an absolute joy.” Gail Slaughter, who drives over from McKinleyville to sing, said, “the first time I came to the Song Circle, it felt like I was coming home.” And Lena Macy, another 20-year member, said, “We have such great camaraderie. I love to sing. It makes me happy.”

Singing together is one of the oldest ways humans have healed. Before we had medicine cabinets or therapy sessions, we had music — rhythms and harmonies that held communities together through grief and celebration.

Today, science is catching up to what humanity has always known: our bodies and minds are built for song.

Researchers have found that group singing can reduce anxiety, lift depression and increase feelings of belonging and joy. When we sing with others, our bodies release endorphins, natural pain relievers, along with serotonin and dopamine, which help improve mood and resilience. Stress levels drop as breathing deepens and slows. Even heartbeats begin to synchronize, creating a shared physiological rhythm, a literal heartbeat of community.

Healing does not always come in silence; sometimes it arrives as a chorus. A roomful of voices can become a sanctuary, a heartbeat, a balm.

Singing doesn’t just help us feel better emotionally, it strengthens us physically, too. The act of singing supports healthy posture and lung function and helps regulate the nervous system. For people recovering from illness or managing chronic pain, singing can offer relief that is gentle and accessible. In older adults, singing has been linked to improved memory, mental sharpness and quality of life.

But Trinidad’s Song Circle is about more than health benefits. It’s a place where voices that might feel quiet in daily life can find strength again. Here there is no audition or any requirement to “sound good.” The circle is built on generosity — everyone carries the song together.

People laugh, breathe and listen at the Song Circle, not striving for performance but for presence. In sharing melody, we remember what it feels like to belong. Each gathering becomes a testament: we are stronger when we sing together. Voices are bridges, and when we step into the circle, we cross them to each other. You don’t need to read music, only a willingness to join the sound already rising around you.

Each gathering becomes a sanctuary, a heartbeat of community. Young voices can find confidence while elders keep the tradition alive.

The Trinidad Song Circle meets from 2 to 4 p.m. Sundays in the Civic Room at the Trinidad Town Hall. All are welcome.

Michele Francesconi finds her harmony in Trinidad.