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Paul Barton

@paulsounds

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Musician, song leader, teacher, podcaster, writer, carpenter.

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This is going to be fun! 😍 On October 25th at the Tett Centre, Kingston Pop Choir is back for its 10th round, and we’re singing “The Fate of Ophelia” by Taylor Swift in rad 3-part harmony!!

~ Event Details ~
Sunday, October 25, 1 to 4 pm
Rehearsal Hall (2nd Floor)
The Tett Centre for Creativity & Learning
Cost: Pay What You Can!

Each month in 2026, Kingston Pop Choir is bringing together a room full of people to learn and sing a song - no auditions, no experience required, no long‑term commitment. Each session features local musical artists who lead the group in an arrangement of an original song or a beloved cover. These are one‑day choirs: playful, welcoming gatherings where folks come together to sing, connect, and create something bigger than themselves.

This month, we’re welcoming back Steph Drouin & Paul Barton! Steph and Paul are the founders of Kingston Pop Choir and longtime community singing facilitators. In a world where everything moves so fast, and neighbours no longer know each other’s names, they feel the most important contribution they could make is to re-weave place-based community. Getting people singing is their favourite way of bringing people together. And they couldn’t be more excited to be bringing Paul’s new choral arrangement of “The Fate of Ophelia” by Taylor Swift to this month’s meetup!

Don’t worry about preparing in advance. We’ll guide you through the process step by step. Lyric sheets will be provided. PWYC options available. No one turned away for lack of funds! All voices and ages are welcome. 🤗

Tag a friend who’d love this. Can’t wait to sing with you!

✨Link & info in bio!✨

Credits:
• Photo of Steph & Paul by Réjean Lemay
• Black & White Group Photo by @kotiakatia
• Image Design by Steph Drouin @therestlessinchoirer

#kingstonpopchoir #harmony #choir #vocals #communitymusic taken in Tett Centre for Creativity & Learning by @paulsounds

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a day ago

On September 27th, a sweet group of strangers came together for a special one-day choir to sing “Get Back Again” and “Ahead By A Century” by The Tragically Hip, with special guest artists Mike Compeau & Rob Lord of Road Apples! It was such an uplifting afternoon. Please enjoy this little snippet!

Our next Kingston Pop Choir session is on October 25th at the Tett Centre. Steph & Paul, founders of the pop-up choir, will be teaching “The Fate of Ophelia” by Taylor Swift! All voices are welcome. No previous singing experience is required. Ticket link in bio!

Song Credits:
✨ “Ahead By A Century” by @thetragicallyhip
✨ Arrangement & Direction by Mike Compeau and Rob Lord of Road Apples
✨ Recording by @mckenna.b_photographyy

#communitysinging #community #popchoir #allvoiceswelcome #kingstonontario taken in Tett Centre for Creativity & Learning by @paulsounds

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3 days ago

Sneak peak of fun to come with Mike and Rob this Sunday, 1 to 4 pm at the Tett Centre! It’s a special Tragically Hip edition of Kingston Pop Choir, supported by the City of Kingston Arts Fund and the Kingston Music Office. All voices welcome. No previous group singing experience required. Pay what you can!

Come let your hearts all out, Kingston. ❤️‍🔥

More info and tickets at the link in our bio. 🎸

#communitysinging #community #allvoiceswelcome #tragicallyhip #kingstonontario taken in Kingston, Ontario by @paulsounds

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23 days ago

Happy fall equinox, fierce folks! 🌻 Registration is open for our fall season of online song circles. Join Paul Barton and Steph Drouin every month on the Monday closest to the full moon to sing songs that will soothe and empower. The first gathering is next Monday, September 28th!

By gathering together in song, we care for ourselves, our wider community, and the earth. All songs are taught by ear. All voices are welcome, and no experience is required. Show up exactly as you are! 🙌

~ Event Details ~
Fierce & Tender Online Song Circle Series
Online via Zoom
Monday Evenings, Monthly Around the Full Moon, 7 to 8:15 pm ET
Sustaining Contribution: $60 for full series, or $15 per circle

🍁 Fall Dates:
September 28th
October 26th
November 23rd
December 21st

Sign up for one, or all four! Folks who register for the full series gain access to audio recordings, as a consolation in case you have to miss one. After registering, an email with Zoom links will be sent directly to your inbox. Hurrah, the magic of technology!

For more info & registration, check out the link in our bio. ✨

#songcircle #communitysinging #healingharmony #fullmoon #selfcare by @paulsounds

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a month ago

🌻 Kingston!! Registration for our fall season of everybody-welcome community song circles is now open!

Weekly song circles start October 6th on Tuesday evenings at Union Gallery. 🥳 And we’ll be hosting biweekly all-ages song circles at 99 York Street on Friday mornings starting October 16th.

Curious? Have questions? Send them our way or check out the links in our bio for more info! We want to help empower you to make singing with others a part of your everyday life!

#groupsinging #communitysinging #community #allvoiceswelcome #kingstonontario taken in Kingston, Ontario by @paulsounds

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Come “let your heart all out” at this special Tragically Hip community singing workshop with members of Kingston’s very own Road Apples, Sunday, September 27th, from 1 to 4 pm at the Tett Centre! All voices, ages and levels are welcome. 🙌

Each month in 2026, Kingston Pop Choir is bringing together a room full of people to learn and sing a song (or two!) - no auditions, no experience required, no long‑term commitment. Each session features a local musical artist who leads the group in an arrangement of an original song or a beloved cover. These are one‑day choirs: playful, welcoming gatherings where folks come together to sing, connect, and create something bigger than themselves.

This month, we’re welcoming Mike Compeau and Rob Lord as our special guests. They are two founding members of Road Apples, Canada’s original and premier tribute to The Tragically Hip. Since forming the band in Kingston in 1992, Mike and Rob have helped lead Road Apples through four decades of performances at theatres, festivals, and concert venues across Canada, earning a reputation for capturing the spirit and sound of The Hip’s legendary catalogue. They will be teaching us TWO songs by The Hip, including Ahead By A Century.

Don’t worry about preparing in advance. We’ll guide you through the process step by step. Lyric sheets will be provided. Pay-What-You-Can options are available. No one turned away for lack of funds!

More info and tickets at the link in our bio! Please reach out with any questions. 🌻

Credits & Thanks:
“Let your heart all out” is a lyric from The Hip’s song “The Dark Canuck,” which you can find on their 2002 album “In Violet Light.”

We are deeply grateful for financial support from the City of Kingston and the Kingston Arts Council through the City of Kingston Arts Fund. Thank you! We’d also like to thank the Kingston Music Office for providing extra funding to support this special Tragically Hip session. The Kingston Pop Choir would not be possible without this collective support. Thank you, thank you, thank you! @city.of.kingston @kingstonartscouncil @visitkingston.music

#kingstonpopchoir #harmony #belonging #foreverhip #community taken in Tett Centre for Creativity & Learning by @paulsounds

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2 months ago

✨ Sonja Moller-Hatfield did an incredible job of bringing to life Batya Levine’s “We Rise.” Her arrangement was powerful, and she also blew us away with the solo vocals she added on top. Wowza! The room was filled with a powerful, prayerful energy that brought some of us to tears.

Our next Kingston Pop Choir session is on September 27th at the Tett Centre. Mike Compeau and Rob Lord, two of the founding members of the Road Apples (Tragically Hip Tribute Band), will be teaching us a couple of their favourite songs by The Tragically Hip! All voices are welcome. No previous singing experience is required.

Song Credits:
✨ “We Rise” by Batya Levine @basbaslev
✨ Arrangement & Direction by Sonja Moller-Hatfield @stones.five
✨ Recording by Steph Drouin @therestlessinchoirer

#communitysinging #community #popchoir #allvoiceswelcome #kingstonontario taken in Next Church by @paulsounds

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2 months ago

On August 23rd, we had the joy of hosting Sonja Moller-Hatfield as the special guest for the 8th-ever session of the Kingston Pop Choir. Sonja taught us her arrangement of Stan Rogers’s “Barrett’s Privateers,” and before long, we felt like we were part of Barrett’s crew, sloshing our mugs of tea around on the deck of the Antelope! ;) Song is such an awesome medium for storytelling!

Our next Kingston Pop Choir session is on September 27th at The Tett. Mike Compeau and Rob Lord, two of the founding members of the Road Apples (Tragically Hip Tribute Band), will be teaching us a couple of their favourite songs by The Tragically Hip! All voices are welcome! No previous singing experience is required!

Song Credits:
• “Barrett’s Privateers” by Stan Rogers
• Arrangement & Direction by Sonja Moller-Hatfield @stones.five
• Recording by Steph Drouin @therestlessinchoirer

#communitysinging #community #popchoir #allvoiceswelcome #kingstonontario taken in Next Church by @paulsounds

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2 months ago

New episode of the podcast is up. Learn all about waste in Kingston from Gaby Dee @doc.g.dee

You might know her from @skeletonparkartsfest and @memorialmarket by @paulsounds

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2 months ago

New podcast for kingstonians interested in making the world a better place! Look for the "Creating Kingston Podcast" link in my bio. by @paulsounds

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Kingston Pop Choir is delighted to welcome Sonja Moller-Hatfield as this month’s special guest artist! Join Sonja and a welcoming crew of strangers in downtown Kingston to sing a classic Canadian sea shanty and a modern song of resistance. 💪 Everyone is welcome, Sunday, August 23rd, 1 to 4 pm at Next Church!

About this month’s songs… 🎶
(Yessiree, we’ll be singing TWO songs this month!)

“Barrett’s Privateers” by Stan Rogers is one of Sonja’s favourite Canadian folk songs. She is particularly interested in the power of storytelling through song and the rich traditions of Canadian folk music. Barrett’s Privateers captures the spirit of Canada’s maritime heritage through its vivid narrative, memorable chorus, and enduring place in Canada’s folk music tradition.

“We Rise” by Batya Levine reflects Sonja’s connection to the Jewish community and its enduring values of justice, compassion, and collective responsibility. Rooted in Jewish spiritual tradition, the song is both a gentle prayer and a call to action, reminding us that meaningful change happens when we care for one another and rise together in solidarity.

A little more about Sonja… ✨

Sonja (she/her) is a board-certified music therapist and multi-instrumentalist who sings and plays violin and guitar. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Music Therapy and is currently completing her Bachelor of Education at the University of Ottawa with a music teachable. Throughout her work as a music therapist, she has supported individuals on the autism spectrum, people living with acquired brain injuries, and older adults in memory care, using music to foster connection, expression, and community.

This is going to be such a great afternoon!

More info and tickets at the link in our bio! Feel free to reach out with any questions.

#kingstonpopchoir #harmony #vocals #communitymusic #seashanty taken in Next Church by @paulsounds

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3 months ago

It was such a treat to welcome Malobi as the special guest for the 7th-ever Kingston Pop Choir session! She taught us a really vibey R&B tune, Sure Thing by Miguel, and helped all of us feel so cool. Her leadership was warm and encouraging - she helped us feel the vibe of the music in our bodies. You can see the effects in the video! The afternoon was super fun and nourishing.

Our next Kingston Pop Choir session is on August 23rd at Next Church. All voices are welcome! No previous singing experience is required!

🎵 Song Credits:
• “Sure Thing” by Miguel
• Arrangement & Direction by Malobi @malobi.jpg
• Recording by Chizara Nwaogwugwu @chizara_n

💛 Stay connected with Malobi:
@sam.theband

#communitysinging #community #popchoir #allvoiceswelcome #kingstonontario taken in Tett Centre for Creativity & Learning by @paulsounds

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