A SPRING SING

Spring is when all living things come out of hibernation .....and as singers, it's a lovely time of year to take the joy of song out in to the community.  You may spot us at community markets over the spring months or simply singing in a street where you're shopping, or even a village where you're living.

 For the Garden Lovers... our singers will be celebrating the PCYC Community Garden space at Broadmeadow with a sing in the garden on... Saturday 19th October....from 9am, all are welcome, and we'll have some songs that you can join in with if you wish.  
It's a gold coin donation entry for a morning of song and some garden delights, light refreshment will be available. 

AND, if you too are out of hibernation and have an urge to sing, why not come and join us on Thursdays?!  Singing with a group has magical powers!  Heart of Erin ladies celtic chorus in the morning, Novapop pop chorus in the evening.

New Year Musical Musings

Many Chorus groups are in recess for the holiday season and some members will, I know, be champing at the bit to get back for their weekly 'song fix'.  Others will be recouping their energies in anticipation of another big year ahead.  One thing's for sure, though, we'll all be looking forward to getting back into the swing of sing.

So when you're part of a chorus, you're part of a team.  And we're all in it together because we love to make music. But here's some food for thought to mull over while you're on your break:

• On this chorus journey, are you a participative passenger or are you a snoozer?  
•  The snoozer pops along for their weekly chorus, enjoys the fun and the fellowship of singing with the chorus members, leaves on a high, then forgets it all until the next session (where they've most likely forgotten everything they learned at the last one anyway)
• The participative passenger engages with the process along the journey.  Between sessions, they'll do some vocal exercises, work on the new material by both listening and singing the songs, they might even make notes to ask their director for clarification with some notes or phrasings at the next chorus.
• In your chorus, do you set yourself some little challenges?
• In life generally, we all have our fears.  It's no different in your chorus.  Some people fear having to perform.  Some people fear being heard, so sing very softly hiding behind the other voices.  But whatever your fears, taking dolly steps to overcoming them is the best way to build your confidence, helping you enjoy your chorus even more.   Try these tips;
• each week turn your volume up a tiny bit louder ...dolly steps are good enough to help you reach your destination
• each week practice lifting your eyes off the page ...reading your lyrics is merely a security blanket
• each week try adding a little more facial expression...sing with your eyes, add a smile, ....let it become a weekly habit and it will come naturally when you're in front of an audience   
• REMEMBER  that mistakes are the stepping stones that keep us on the right track...don't be afraid of making them, it's how we learn, correct, proceed. 

Make 2019 the year that you confidently GROW in your chorus.

Yes, You Can

How many of you reading this can remember when you first joined a chorus, fearing that someone would discover your guilty shame – that you can’t really sing...?  That you’re here because you’re just longing to do some singing -because you love it.  ? That if you sing softly enough, no one will hear you and you can stay a little longer. ?

   This self-defeating belief is more common than you can possibly imagine and chances are it was a seed that was sown in your childhood, took root, and became a sturdy tree.     

   Yet human beings are wired for music and for rhythm. Ongoing worldwide research continues to prove the value of making music for good mental, emotional, and physical health. Singing calms and exhilarates us, releases lots of feel-good chemicals in the body, stirs memories, gets the blood moving around our body, stimulates healthy breathing and good heart/lung health.  And nothing compares to the absolute joy of raising your voice with others to make music.

   So here’s a thought  or 3 ... 

• instead of judging someone who is singing in a not-so-pleasing voice, how about offering some encouragement [or help if you are an experienced singer!];  
•  instead of laughing at a child [or heaven forbid an adult] who is singing out of key, how about offering a kind word and a tip for improvement;   
• think about the fact that music  - like art – is relative ...  what pleases one ear or eye, may not please another, and just because a singer is famous or lauded by millions, doesn’t mean they are the benchmark for correctness.  After all,  if there was only ONE standard – imagine how much wonderful music the world would miss out on!  And how boring if the only thing we had to listen to was one genre, one style, one pitch/key!

   The world of music is a generous world.  It welcomes ALL who want to participate.  And like all disciplines, the more we do it, the better at it we get!

Here's an article I found through the week which reminds us to be gentle with those young hearts. http://www.gypsythugmom.com/quit-telling-your-kids-they-cant-sing/

Taking the Plunge

This week chorus members return to their groups as we start a new year.  That means new material!  And that's always exciting.  Challenging, definitely - but exciting as well.  Most members won't have done any singing since mid-December so inevitably there'll be a little 'rust in the pipes' ...but a good first sing should clear that out.
A new year is a time when many people make new-year-resolutions ....and things they've been procrastinating on finally get to the top of the list.  So I'm never surprised now when new members tell me "oh, I've been meaning to do this for years! why did I wait so long?!".  And I love seeing the joy that singing in a group brings to existing - and new members.  But particularly new members who are experiencing for the first - or at least for a very long - time, that magic buzz that just fills you up when you've finished a singing session.
Who needs drugs when you sing out loud with like-minded folks!
So if you've been thinking about it for awhile, maybe NOW is the time to take the plunge.....you won't regret it.