David Markland [Flickr]

Ebony Fay, director of the SoulFire Community Choir.

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — Ebony Fay is SoulFire Community Choir's Founder and Outreach Coordinator. An international vocalist who just finished a long stint in Japan, she returned to Los Angeles intent on establishing a musical community Downtown.

Alanna Lin: In this busy day and age where there’s Facebook, Youtube, and Twitter, why should someone join a choir?

Ebony Fay: While technology has brought us a lot of connectivity, it hasn't bought us enough relativity. Aaron Sorkin said that social networking is to real social situations what reality TV shows are to reality. It's this hyper thing where people don’t have to expose themselves to real relationships. People can become really disjointed, showing only fragments of their personality.

A choir is a different situation, where people are invited to just really bring all of themselves to the group. The idea of up close contact where you can get a hug, eye contact, a smile, a laugh--it's much more than being in a bubble or vacuum (online).

AL: Can everyone sing?

EF: (laughing) Everyone can emit sounds from their body. The Bible says, “Make a joyful noise.” It didn’t say it had to be pretty, you know?

With singing you’re creating vibrations in your body. It kicks in your endorphins, your seratonin. It heals on levels of spirit, mind, and body that nothing else can. When you add that to the synergy of instruments and people coming together, you experience a spiritual oneness that cannot be matched on any level.

AL: Who would you like to have join your group?

EF: I want people who can come weekly, who can bring their love and light and attitude. They just have to want to be in a room with people.

AL: When and where is your new choir going to be singing?

EF: Tuesday, December 21st in Pershing Square for the Downtown on Ice Holiday Singalong. It’s a clear first target. There’s going to be some gospel, choral, group based, easy call-and-response.

We’re going to put on a program of one-hour's worth of gospel, popular and holiday tunes. We're trying to represent the diversity and vitality of the downtown community. It's gonna be fun.

Soul Fire Community Choir rehearsals are open to the public. They take place Tuesday evenings from 7-8:15pm, at the Los Angeles Theater Center (5th and Spring) with additional Saturdays scheduled for December in the lead up to the performance. For more information contact Ebony Fay at soulfire.dtla@gmail.com.