About
Songwave's Founder
Megan Keene, the founder of Songwave, has an extensive background in music and choir directing.
with over 5 years co-directing the Sound Connection choir, 3 years of facilitating community arts and healthcare programs as well as being in three bands, totaling over 15 years of experience in the musical community.
Megan loves nothing more than to sing and inspire others to sing.
She believes music is the key to health and happiness. Studies have proven that nothing makes the entire brain light up like music does. It builds micro communities, aids in mental health, and physical ailments, such as strengthening the aging voice, improving speech, breath, posture and self esteem.
Megan's journey into music began at a young age, just singing along to her favorite radio tunes, recording herself on a tape player, you may remember the kind, in the 80's, it had a microphone you could plug into it, a fun and great way to record your progress. She felt a bit like a real star at times!
Singing with her Aunt and Uncle while they played guitar was also a favorite thing of hers to do.
From that came school choir, and that continued on into high school, where her love of music, and singing continued to grow.
Once Megan graduated, she was searching for a musical outlet, and that's when she joined her first community choir, EveryVoice Singers in Errington B.C
It started out being a hobby she could do with her mom, but Megan soon began to see she was growing, and her confidence was improving, and she was a natural at hearing harmony and memorizing parts. Soon, other members in her section were looking to her for guidance, and a strong voice to lean on.
Megan soon became a member of the board of directors, helping in any way she could to keep the choir running, and welcoming new members to the choir.
About two years in to her joining the choir, a group of choir members had formed a side project, a garage band if you will, and asked her to come sing with them. After much self doubt, she decided to take a leap and join, not knowing how she would contribute to a band, but she did. It was a match made in heaven and she's never looked back. 16+ years has passed and Megan still plays with and is close friends with some of the original members of that garage band, now called Butterside Down.
In 2012, another dear friend Megan made in EveryVoice Singers, Sharon Tomczyk, had formed a band called Counting Time, and Megan was asked to join and lend her harmonizing skills to the band. About a year into her membership with Counting Time, Megan was a part of the amazing process of recording an album with the band.
Soon after, Sharon asked Megan to partner up with her to form their very own choir. They called it Sound Connection and it is still going strong five years later. It has been the most rewarding experience for Megan, and she is truly "home" there. It has made such a difference for people in their lives. Sound Connection creates a safe place for members to find their voice, a choir for any level of singer.
In 2015 Megan was accepted into the world known, Community Choir Leadership Training program in Victoria directed by Siobham Robinsong and Denis Donnely. Siobham and Denis have been spreading the joy of community choirs all over the world with their amazing leadership Training and have been at it for about 20 years.
Megan left with a new sense of self and understanding, that her purpose here is to be a song leader, nothing brings her more joy than facilitating this joy for others to experience as well.
Megan's most recent projects aside from the choir, are as lead singer in a new dance band called Groundswell. A coming together of friends and seasoned musicians that has formed a fun, upbeat band of great music loving people. For Megan it's another leap into something she wasn't sure she could do. Being a lead singer comes with a lot pressure and responsibility, but it has been an amazing experience for her, with more opportunity to touch people through music.
Groundswell has recently opened up their rehearsal space to the public, and have called it Ground Zero Acoustic Lounge, or lovingly called GZAL for short. Doug Pickard (Drummer) and Megan have teamed up to create a welcoming environment for the musical community to again, come together to celebrate their love of music. GZAL hosts Jam nights, open Mic Nights, concerts featuring local musicians, various workshops, and a teaching space for Megan to expand her Songwave projects as well.
follow Songwave, Groundswell and GZAL on facebook and stay up to date with all the exciting events!
with over 5 years co-directing the Sound Connection choir, 3 years of facilitating community arts and healthcare programs as well as being in three bands, totaling over 15 years of experience in the musical community.
Megan loves nothing more than to sing and inspire others to sing.
She believes music is the key to health and happiness. Studies have proven that nothing makes the entire brain light up like music does. It builds micro communities, aids in mental health, and physical ailments, such as strengthening the aging voice, improving speech, breath, posture and self esteem.
Megan's journey into music began at a young age, just singing along to her favorite radio tunes, recording herself on a tape player, you may remember the kind, in the 80's, it had a microphone you could plug into it, a fun and great way to record your progress. She felt a bit like a real star at times!
Singing with her Aunt and Uncle while they played guitar was also a favorite thing of hers to do.
From that came school choir, and that continued on into high school, where her love of music, and singing continued to grow.
Once Megan graduated, she was searching for a musical outlet, and that's when she joined her first community choir, EveryVoice Singers in Errington B.C
It started out being a hobby she could do with her mom, but Megan soon began to see she was growing, and her confidence was improving, and she was a natural at hearing harmony and memorizing parts. Soon, other members in her section were looking to her for guidance, and a strong voice to lean on.
Megan soon became a member of the board of directors, helping in any way she could to keep the choir running, and welcoming new members to the choir.
About two years in to her joining the choir, a group of choir members had formed a side project, a garage band if you will, and asked her to come sing with them. After much self doubt, she decided to take a leap and join, not knowing how she would contribute to a band, but she did. It was a match made in heaven and she's never looked back. 16+ years has passed and Megan still plays with and is close friends with some of the original members of that garage band, now called Butterside Down.
In 2012, another dear friend Megan made in EveryVoice Singers, Sharon Tomczyk, had formed a band called Counting Time, and Megan was asked to join and lend her harmonizing skills to the band. About a year into her membership with Counting Time, Megan was a part of the amazing process of recording an album with the band.
Soon after, Sharon asked Megan to partner up with her to form their very own choir. They called it Sound Connection and it is still going strong five years later. It has been the most rewarding experience for Megan, and she is truly "home" there. It has made such a difference for people in their lives. Sound Connection creates a safe place for members to find their voice, a choir for any level of singer.
In 2015 Megan was accepted into the world known, Community Choir Leadership Training program in Victoria directed by Siobham Robinsong and Denis Donnely. Siobham and Denis have been spreading the joy of community choirs all over the world with their amazing leadership Training and have been at it for about 20 years.
Megan left with a new sense of self and understanding, that her purpose here is to be a song leader, nothing brings her more joy than facilitating this joy for others to experience as well.
Megan's most recent projects aside from the choir, are as lead singer in a new dance band called Groundswell. A coming together of friends and seasoned musicians that has formed a fun, upbeat band of great music loving people. For Megan it's another leap into something she wasn't sure she could do. Being a lead singer comes with a lot pressure and responsibility, but it has been an amazing experience for her, with more opportunity to touch people through music.
Groundswell has recently opened up their rehearsal space to the public, and have called it Ground Zero Acoustic Lounge, or lovingly called GZAL for short. Doug Pickard (Drummer) and Megan have teamed up to create a welcoming environment for the musical community to again, come together to celebrate their love of music. GZAL hosts Jam nights, open Mic Nights, concerts featuring local musicians, various workshops, and a teaching space for Megan to expand her Songwave projects as well.
follow Songwave, Groundswell and GZAL on facebook and stay up to date with all the exciting events!
https://groundswell.band/
http://www.gzalounge.com/