|
|
ARTICLES
Singing for Health and HappinessPosted: Thursday, January 14th, 2010  "He who sings frightens away his ills" - Cervantes People who sing with others experience a wide range of joys and benefits. Members of singing groups enjoy meeting new people, breathing better, and feeling more alert and emotionally uplifted. Singing provides a direct and immediate sense of happiness and takes your mind off the stresses of the day. And it’s an ageless enjoyment – you’re never too young or too old. If taking the word of group singers isn’t enough, many scientific studies validate the physical and emotional benefits of singing with others. Continuing studies show that group singers suffer less depression, make fewer doctor visits and take fewer medications than they did before joining a group. WELL-BEING AND EMOTIONAL HEALTH Group singing helps build confidence and self-esteem, and can increase the capacity for self-expression. Neurological functioning - Actively experiencing music has a powerful effect on improving concentration, alertness, memory, visual and listening skills, spatial orientation and physical coordination. Singing relieves stress and leads to better sleep. Belonging - The support system of being part of a group, and the commitment to the group that gets people out of the house and to practice every week are a big component of why choral singers tend to be happier than non-choral singers. The feelings of belonging to a group, and of being needed by the other members of the group, help combat loneliness. A happiness button? - Researchers at the University of Manchester have discovered that the sacculus, an organ in the inner ear that is connected to the part of the brain responsible for registering pleasure, responds to frequencies commonly found in music. This organ only responds to low frequency, high intensity sounds (which include singing), and it responds within a few seconds of hearing that kind of sound. This means you get immediate pleasure when you sing, regardless of what it sounds like to anyone else. PHYSICAL HEALTH Exercise and strength - Singing improves posture, increases lung capacity, tones abdominal, intercostal and facial muscles and the diaphragm, clears the sinuses and respiratory tubes, and stimulates circulation. It makes us breathe more deeply than many forms of strenuous exercise, so we take in more oxygen, improve aerobic capacity and experience a release of muscle tension. The immune system - Group singing boosts the immune system, helping to fight disease and prolong life expectancy. According to research by scientists at the University of Frankfurt in Germany, scientists tested the blood of people who sang in a professional choir before and after a 60-minute rehearsal of Mozart's Requiem. They found that concentrations of proteins in the immune system (which function as antibodies), and an anti-stress hormone increased significantly during the rehearsal. But when members of the choir listened to a recording of the Requiem without singing, they found these concentrations didn't increase significantly. The researchers concluded that singing not only strengthened the immune system but also notably improved the performer's mood. So, even though listening to music stirs our deepest emotions, active participation can increase energy and improve health. Vocal cords - Singing exercises the vocal cords and keeps them youthful, even in old age. The less age-battered your voice sounds, the younger you will feel and appear to others. Recovery and healing - Research involving international choirs identified several particular benefits of regular group singing, particularly specific examples of people who say it helped them recover from strokes or heart attacks. Pain relief - Singing releases pain-relieving endorphins. A great deal of research is being done into how music can relieve pain. Research published in the Journal of Music Therapy in 2004 suggested that group singing helped people to cope better with chronic pain. SOCIAL ENRICHMENT Social skills - Group singers benefit from increased poise, self-esteem and presentation skills, and more expressive communication. Friendships - Singing widens your circle of friends. Not only are you sharing a joyful experience with others, there’s a good chance you’ll go to the pub together afterwards. Success in life - Singing in a group such as a community chorus or a school or church choir, is strongly correlated with qualities that are associated with success throughout life. Greater civic involvement, discipline, and teamwork are just a few of the attributes fostered by singing with a choral ensemble. Childhood development - Children who sing are better participants in group activities, have better emotional expression, and exhibit better emotional management. Singing in childhood is likely to have an enormous influence on the choices individuals make later in life. LOCAL OPPORTUNITIES If you sing in the shower or sing along with the radio, why not stretch those boundaries a little and see where it takes you? Opportunities for group singing abound in British Columbia, with 75 different choral groups on Vancouver Island and the Southern Gulf Islands, and 90 in the Vancouver area. From choirs to classical ensembles, they vary widely in the style of music performed and the level of skill or commitment required of a member. Some require auditions and an ability to read music, but many do not. Some focus on excellence in performance and others simply promote the joy of singing with others and skill level is unimportant. You’ll find groups that have been singing and performing for decades, and others are being formed all the time. There are groups embracing all ages and both sexes as well as groups specific to men, women or children. Among the styles of music enjoyed in these groups are symphonic; a cappella; funk; rock ‘n roll; gospel; spiritual; rhythm and blues; classic; eclectic; Russian folk; religious, secular; African; madrigal; doo-wop; Motown; pop; world music; rounds and chants. Songs from many cultures are shared and learned, including contemporary and traditional, and some groups incorporate dance as well as song. If you’d like to find choral groups in your area, a good place to start is The BC Choral Federation. The federation promotes choral activity throughout BC and their members are singers, music educators, conductors and organizations passionate about the benefits of singing in groups. Their site has a comprehensive list of singing groups in BC and lots of information to help you find a choir that appeals to you. Another great resource is Ubuntu Choirs, a “growing community of choirs that believes that the joy of singing is a universal birthright, and that together, regardless of musical background, we can help improve the world by joining voices in song.” Have a look at the websites of the choirs that interest you, and then go listen to them perform! Find the groups that move you the most and go from there. You don’t have to be a great singer to be a joyful singer. This article has been viewed 1923 times. Comments |  
 |
 |
 |
Showing 0 to 5 of 5 comments.
Very valid, pithy, succicnt, and on point. WD.
Posted by: Mattie | July 22nd, 2011
Mark as Violation
Yes, correctly.
Posted by: dronEngendbex | June 29th, 2010
Mark as Violation
Letz Sing Community Choir is part of the UBUNTU network. Each week there are three choir sessions to choose from, two in the evening and one in the morning. WE are a non performing choir. All songs are taught in the oral tradition of call and response and we sing a diversity of melodies, harmonies , chants and rounds.
Every voice is welcome in this choir and there is a sliding fee scale for those who find the full payment difficult. See www.letzsing.com for more information.
Posted by: tina filippino | April 14th, 2010
Mark as Violation
Could you please send me some info, or where I can attend. You can also reach me by phone 250-661-0072.
Thank You
Sharon Schroeder
Posted by: Sharon Schroeder | February 21st, 2010
Mark as Violation
Our Evergreen Seniors in Courtenay have had a Gospel Singalong for the past 10 years. We emphasize that this is not a choir and a performance voice is not necessary--just the desire to sing the old hymns and gospel songs. We have grown from about 8 voices to an average of 35-40 including being accompanied by piano, harmonica, guitar, banjo and accordion. We use overheads with words only, so the reading of music is not necessary. We have discovered how singing lifts the spirit. It would be great if there were more groups on the Island. I would be happy to share how it works for us.
Posted by: Jeanette Harrison | January 14th, 2010
Mark as Violation