Founder: Kate Munger

My earliest memories are of my mother singing lullabies every night to my brothers and sisters on her way to my bedside. The songs she sang were rounds and, while she sang them by herself, I could feel the comforting, repetitive nature of these simple songs. Her voice and her joy in singing were very profound influences on me.

When I was 8 I went to Girl Scout Camp and had one of those wonderful moments during a campfire when we were all singing and everything about the world was wonderful, connected and sweet. I’ve been trying to recreate that moment for the rest of my life. And I’ve been successful a lot of the time. I feel that knowing the same songs (like very few other things in life) makes us feel part of the same tribe.

I’ve sung in choirs since high school, and singing has been one of the most important threads that run through my life. In (about) 1975, I started (very tentatively) leading monthly rounds singing circles. Gradually that expanded, I began to write rounds, make friends with other rounds writers and lead larger groups. After 25 years, I had enough contacts and confidence to begin to think about this more specific project, the Threshold Choir.

I have lived in Inverness along the shores of Tomales Bay for 35 years, been married for 32 of them, and raising our son for 24 of them. My husband and I took 14 years to build the house we live in, on land that each of us found on our own when we were teens in the 1960’s. Stewardship of this piece of property, living in such a beautiful valley and raising such a wonderful son delight us every day.

--Kate Munger, Founder