Kirtan is the practice of call-and-response chanting. It is not a performance, but an invitation to join voices and hearts in sound. Through simple, repetitive chants, participants reconnect with joy, peace, and the natural stillness within.
No experience necessary — all are welcome.
Kirtan offers more than music — it is an opportunity to:
Release stress through sound and rhythm.
Feel a sense of belonging in community.
Reconnect with joy, peace, and the freedom of the present moment.
Cash donation based, no one is turned away.
Mukta Kirtan Leaders (l to r): Martha Williamson, Geoff Barkley, Zach Revene
Martha Williamson has been participating in kirtans since the early 1990s, beginning with Siddha Yoga centers in Maine. She now plays harmonium, drums, tamboura, and violin in kirtan groups throughout Charlottesville, Virginia.
Geoff Barkley has studied with Swami Vishnudevananda, Sufi Pir Vilayat Inayat Khan, and Zen Roshi David Radin. His yoga master is Swami Venkatesananda. Chanting has been a vital part of his life for over 50 years.
Zach Revene is originally from Richmond, Virginia and started his yoga journey in 2024. He plays mridangam percussion and continues to learn and explore devotional mantra music. He is drawn to the bakti of kirtan chanting as a way to connect with Spirit and community.