Community Polyphony is a community choir in New Orleans rooted in polyphonic singing traditions from around the world.

Polyphony means many voices: multiple melodies happen at once, creating interdependence between voices. It is one of the oldest ways people have made music together, long predating Western harmony. This kind of singing creates a sound that is woven, rather than blended: textured, extra resonant, and with no single dominant part.

Polyphonic singing traditions are found across most of the world, and the songs we explore come from traditional and folk sources. Because these songs come from oral traditions, we learn primarily by ear, and sight reading is not required. We focus on listening, feeling, and becoming aware of how our voices interact and support each other.

This is not a performance-focused choir. It’s a space to learn, to practice, and to experience the kind of shared music-making that people once did together in daily life. Sessions are led by Lou Carrig, vocalist, ethnomusicologist, and director of the New Orleans–based polyphonic group Trendafilka.