The Vocal Circle — From “I” to “We”
Music and Human Connection
The Vocal Circle (VC) is an experiential journey of music and human connection. The voice and the body are transformed into multidimensional instruments and mediums for us to express ourselves, communicate, and create together.
We do not come to sing the same thing. We come to discover what we can create together.
Through collective play, active listening, group creation, and improvisation, we liberate our voice, body, and expression. We experiment and explore sounds, rhythms, and melodies; we attune to one another and discover the music that can be born spontaneously and in the moment from the group.
No prior musical or vocal experience is necessary. You do not need to know how to read music, nor do you need to believe that you “know how to sing.” All you need is the willingness to listen, to experiment, and to experience the joy of music.
The Vocal Circle is open to everyone, regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, or age.
Why experience this?
To liberate…
- your voice – by understanding its anatomy and the mechanism of phonation, in a safe and supportive environment
- your body – through rhythmic group games and body music techniques
- your emotions and personal expression
To develop…
- your musicality
- your expressive imagination
- your creativity
- your communication skills
To explore…
- sounds
- rhythms
- scales – from the Balkans, the Mediterranean, Latin America, the Middle East, and Africa
- different colors and qualities of the voice
To connect…
- with your voice
- with your body
- with the group
- with artistic communities
The Creator and Facilitator
Vocal Circle – from “I” to “We”
This specific approach has been developed by Angeliki Toumpanaki since 2013. It is grounded in the internationally recognized practice of Circle Singing, as she learned it from Bobby McFerrin, alongside similar techniques of collective musical expression and social music practice, through her apprenticeships with Rhiannon, Bob Stollof, Keith Terry, and Música do Círculo (International Body Music Festival – Canada). She uses this practice as a medium for music education, collective and inclusive creation, and human communication.
This specific approach has been developed by Angeliki Toumpanaki since 2013. It is grounded in the internationally recognized practice of Circle Singing, as she learned it from Bobby McFerrin, alongside similar techniques of collective musical expression and social music practice, through her apprenticeships with Rhiannon, Bob Stollof, Keith Terry, and Música do Círculo (International Body Music Festival – Canada). She uses this practice as a medium for music education, collective and inclusive creation, and human communication.
She teaches vocal technique, vocal improvisation, voice physiology, and creative practices of collective musical expression through workshops, masterclasses, and lectures at universities, educational institutions, and international conferences. For the past ten years, she has been teaching and guiding young vocalists, musicians, and creators in developing their personal artistic identity, preparing for higher music studies, and shaping their professional careers.
She is a member of the Hellenic Voice Teachers Association and the Jazz Solidarity Network, with the aim of supporting the Greek jazz and improvisational music scene.
Alongside her artistic career, she conducts research on the relationship between the voice, health, and well-being. She designed and coordinated the pioneering social program of the National Theatre of Greece for individuals with Long COVID, utilizing the voice and singing as tools for respiratory rehabilitation.
Since 2017, she has been a member of the Interdisciplinary Voice Team “Voice Mentoring,” aimed at designing treatment plans and rehabilitating patients with voice disorders.
2026 – 2027 | Annual Vocal Circle
A consistent group meets, explores voice and body through improvisation, and develops collective musical creation over time.
🎥 Watch the video and join the circle yourself!
18:00–21:00 (Registration at 17:30)
Fridays at PLAYGROUND for the arts, Voutsara 4–6, Athens
Participation: €20 / session & €50 monthly
Book your spot early – spaces are limited!
[Registration form]
Fridays at PLAYGROUND for the arts, Voutsara 4–6, Athens
Participation: €20 / session & €50 monthly
Book your spot early – spaces are limited!
[Registration form]
More information at aggelikitoubanaki.com
and by phone at +30 6949718187
and by phone at +30 6949718187
DROP-IN SESSIONS | Come experience the circle!
Two open sessions for anyone who wants to try this experience up close.
Friday, October 23, 2026
Friday, October 30, 2026
18:00–21:00 (Arrival and registration from 17:30)
Friday, October 30, 2026
18:00–21:00 (Arrival and registration from 17:30)
Participation: €20 / session
📍 PLAYGROUND for the arts, Voutsara 4–6, Athens
📍 PLAYGROUND for the arts, Voutsara 4–6, Athens
MEETING CALENDAR 2026 – 2027
October 2026: 16 (old school), 23 (open day), 30 (open day)
November 2026: 6, 13, 21
December 2026: 4, 11, 18
November 2026: 6, 13, 21
December 2026: 4, 11, 18
January 2027: 15, 22, 29
February 2027: 5, 12, 19
March 2027: 5, 19, 26
February 2027: 5, 12, 19
March 2027: 5, 19, 26
April 2027: 9, 16, 23
May 2027: 14, 21, 28
May 2027: 14, 21, 28
June 2027: 4, 11, 18, 25
👉 SAVE THE DATE: 1st Vocal Circle Camp in Greece | July 18, 2027 – July 25, 2027
The unique educational experience of the summer.
The unique educational experience of the summer.
👉 In the Annual Vocal Circle, we invite…
Distinguished artists (musicians, vocalists, choreographers, body percussionists), who will share their knowledge and inspiration with us, enriching our collective experience.
During the 2025–2026 period, we invited:
🌸 Zahara (Annette Philip) — Founder & Artistic Director of the Grammy-nominated Berklee Indian Ensemble
🌸 Nana Simopoulos — Internationally recognized composer & multi-instrumentalist
🌸 Simone Mongelli — Musician, ethnomusicologist, Body Music Performer, percussion and Body Music teacher, and creator of the Bodyterranean group
🌸 Martha Mavroeidi — Distinguished musician, ethnomusicologist, singer, composer, and conductor of vocal ensembles
🌸 Natasha Martin — Tap dancer, Body Music Performer, dance anthropologist, ethnochoreologist, and member of PLAYGROUND for the arts since its inception.
🌸 Nana Simopoulos — Internationally recognized composer & multi-instrumentalist
🌸 Simone Mongelli — Musician, ethnomusicologist, Body Music Performer, percussion and Body Music teacher, and creator of the Bodyterranean group
🌸 Martha Mavroeidi — Distinguished musician, ethnomusicologist, singer, composer, and conductor of vocal ensembles
🌸 Natasha Martin — Tap dancer, Body Music Performer, dance anthropologist, ethnochoreologist, and member of PLAYGROUND for the arts since its inception.
👉 The Vocal Circle (VC) takes to the city
Throughout the year, outreach activities, concerts, and Open Vocal Circles are held in collaboration with invited distinguished artists and in partnership with musical, artistic, and social groups.
During the 2025–2026 period, the following outreach activities, concerts, open vocal circles, and collaborations took place:
- At the Kypseli Municipal Market: “Voices & Gaitas” (traditional Greek bagpipes), as part of the Xmas Book Fest, in collaboration with Polyphony Melissa of the Melissa Network (Migrant Women’s Network), and the Gaita Players Group of Giorgos Makris (KEPEM – Center for Asia Minor Studies).
- At the National Theatre, Tsiller Building Events Hall, as part of the “Antechamber IV | Interdisciplinary Cross-Artistic Dialogues centered on the Language of the Month” cycle, with a thematic focus on ritual.
- First-time participation in the International Day of Body Music 2026 – February 1, 2026.
- Vocal Circle among visual art creations. Public Tobacco Factory of the Hellenic Parliament (Lenorman 218), as part of the exhibition: “Behind the Shop Window: Women of Work and Life” – March 6–31, 2026.
- Participation in the project “PARLIAMENT – A Landscape of Social Choreography”, a pioneering artwork and social experiment by Austrian choreographer and visual artist Michael Kliën, which took place at the Benaki Museum.