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.

Lifting the Spirit

All year 'round I talk to my singers about the positive benefits of Singing.  The research   

demonstrating how good it is for us -
 physically - heart health, lung health, energising us - and how good it is for us
mentally - keeping the 'blues' at bay, connecting with others in the group gives us a sense of belonging
- but at this time of year particularly, I want to remind my singers about the spiritual benefits associated with singing.  This time of year is difficult for so many people - struggling with loneliness, family splits, the pressures society imposes in trying to create the 'perfect Christmas'.  Sharing the joy of song with others gives US even more benefits. 
Knowing that we can lift the heart of others simply by giving away a song, lifts our own heart as well.  The joy of giving to others is the true gift of Christmas - and that cannot be measured in dollar value.  Sharing a song, from your heart to theirs, is a most powerful gift - probably far more than you will ever know in some cases.
So lift your voices singers ....give the gift of a song, freely and with the pure joy of singing .... to share the true Spirit of Christmas.

THIS DECEMBER my 3 community chorus groups:  Heart of Erin, Hot Gospel, and the New Leaf Singers, will be "Busking for Bucks" on the 13th December in the Newcastle area - we'll be handing 'round a bucket for donations and passing these on to Lifeline. 

Making Song Making Magic

Research from around the world continues to prove the beneficial effect of singing – especially in a group.  Some examples:  

• “In previous studies experts claimed that joining a choir could improve symptoms of Parkinson’s, depression and lung disease.

•   Swedish research has suggested that it not only increases oxygen levels in the blood but triggers the release of “happy” hormones such as Oxycontin, which is thought to help lower stress levels and blood pressure.

•   A year long study on people with mental health problems, carried out by  the Sidney De Haan Research Centre for Arts and Health, Canterbury, has also shown that some 60 per cent of participants had less mental distress when retested a year after joining, with some people no longer fulfilling diagnostic criteria for clinical depression”

An article I read recently about continuing ongoing research, reported that singing in a choir even had the edge over team sports partly because in a choir, members synchronise their breathing.  There is also some speculation that singing in a group gives us something that we have lost as a society.  Perhaps that sense of social interaction, being part of a community?

No matter which way you look at it – or listen – there’s just no denying that making song has magic properties which benefits everyone.

Healthy Lungs, Healthy Heart, and Feeling Good.

Just been reading a new Health article on the BBC News page -  I've added the link at the bottom of this post for those who'd like to read it in detail.
Essentially the article relates how singing can help sufferers of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease - a disease which the World Health Organisation {WHO} expects to be the 3rd highest cause of death in the world in the next 15 years.
There is no cure for this disease but the benefits of singing can help slow down the effects.  The reason IS that singing requires the individual to breath correctly.
A number of singers in my community chorus groups over the past couple of years have told me how their regular vocal workouts have strengthened their lungs - a fact which has also pleased their Doctor/s too!
Correct breathing is also one reason why people feel "high" at the end of a chorus rehearsal.  Because breathing deeply and in a controlled manner helps to strengthen the muscles around the lungs and throat - it also oxygenates the blood, leading to that feeling of 'being alive'. 
We've know for generations that swimming is good exercise for asthmatics to build up the lungs.   Singing is good for the same reason - plus more.

So if you're making any New Year Resolutions on December 31st ....better put Join a Chorus at the top of the list.  Plan to make 2014 a year where you engage with your voice and with your community.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

gathering together for some community singing

A Song from the Heart

Ongoing research into the benefits of Singing continue to show that we haven't yet reached full knowledge of the power of the voice.

This week, an article from the University of Exeter - Medical School, revealed the results of a research trial into snoring.  The research found that a 3 month program of daily singing exercises reduced the frequency and the severity of snoring and contributed to improved quality of sleep. This is because singers use daily vocal exercises to strengthen the throat muscles and it's believed that weak muscles in the soft palate and upper throat contribute to snoring.   {The full article is available here:}
http://medicine.exeter.ac.uk/news/title_314452_en.html

Medical research from around the world increasingly shows that singing and music have a significant role to play in physical and mental health.  It also has a powerful influence on humans emotional health as well.

Frequently I hear from chorus members or students that they just FEEL better when they sing.  And of course, the physical reason is often that the body releases the 'feel good' chemicals when we sing .... but science doesn't always have ALL the answers.  Sometimes a song revives memories - joyful, sad, playful, hurtful - of times or of people that have passed through our lives.  And science can't explain why sharing a song with someone is like a hug.  Or why singing out loud with our eyes closed can give us a sense of spiritual awareness.

If you haven't discovered it yourself yet, you don't know what you're missing.  Find a group and start singing!
Here's a clip from my Wednesday morning group "Heart of Erin" ....they're a very small group of lovely ladies who sing Celtic music.  This one is a song called "Pilgrim" by Enya.   I hope it gives your heart a lift.

Many Voices, One Heart

This week a little piece of research crossed my inbox which I found fascinating, and worth sharing.

Researchers of the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden used pulse monitors to study the heart rates of high school choir members as they joined their voices. Their findings  - published in Frontiers in Neuroscience - confirm that choir music has calming effects on the heart — especially when sung in unison. 

As the choir began to sing, their heart rates slowed.  But what was more exciting was that they found the singers heart rates became synchronised – they fell into a shared rhythm, guided by the song’s tempo. This suggests greater implications for the shared musical experience and communal spirituality.

If you haven’t experienced singing in a group, maybe it’s time you overcome your inertia – or fears – and do it!  

If you’re already singing in a group – why not bring a friend along and share the joy and the experience with them too?  They’ll thank you for it.

Nurturing Song

If you're in Newcastle and you're a young mum, you might be interested in being part of a 'young mums' chorus.

Singing is a wonderful stress relief and great time out for mums.  Singing to your baby is a very effective way to soothe an upset bub.  Singing to your children instills an appreciation of musical sounds and fosters the joy of song from a very early age.

I was surprised therefore, to read some research recently which indicated that young mums today largely DON'T sing to their children.  They've forgotten the nursery rhymes - or never heard them from their own parents - and perhaps don't live close to grandparents who can teach them.  Because I coach community chorus groups for adults, I know the joy when they find their way to - or back to - singing, and the many benefits of singing in a group.

It inspired me to put a call out for expressions of interest to form a young mums chorus - to be run on a mid week, mid-morning and that mums can bring the bubs along to as well instead of having to find childcare.  If you or someone you know is interested, just email me and let me know.