Members of the Canadian Orpheus Male Choir (COMC) know first-hand that participating in a choral singing group can do a world of good. But you don’t have to take our word for it…
According to Chorus America, “Greater civic involvement, discipline, and teamwork are just a few of the attributes fostered by singing with a choral ensemble.”
Scientific research has yielded evidence to back that up, and then some. Some of this research is described in All together now three evolutionary perks of singing (Dec. 2014), which asks, “So does singing in a group provide specific and tangible benefits, or is it merely a curious ability that provides entertainment through creative expression?” The answer is… Group singing provides many, very tangible benefits.
The world’s most famous and popular language is music. Psy
As society has grown increasingly reliant upon telecommunications, many people have noticed a decline in the sense of belonging that is often a hallmark of a deeply satisfying quality of life — something online friendships and communities simply cannot supply on a long-term basis. But choral singing is an activity that can contribute to a personal sense of fulfillment like no other.
Recently (Jan. 2015), Zosia Bielski interviewed author Emily White about her new book titled Count Me In: How I Stepped Off the Sidelines, Created Connection, and Built a Fuller, Richer, More Lived-in Life. In Bielski’s article, White explains, “… we need a public, community dimension to our lives as well.”
Choral singing offers such a dimension, in addition to other dividends.
According to a July 2014 review by Nathalie Atkinson, a film titled Alive Inside is the documentary story of Music & Memory, an organization that battles a broken healthcare system to show that music can help heal memory loss…
Singing with our eyes on the conductor ensures our memories are exercised regularly!
We enjoy singing together, and the pleasure our music brings to others is equally rewarding. Research from across the globe has shown that singing offers benefits to a person’s sense of well-being, not to mention social life… The BBC News reported on a scientific study in 2011 which suggested “music releases a chemical in the brain that has a key role in setting good moods.”
In the Huffington Post (Feb. 2015), Jill Suttie highlights five ways music improves our health, stating “In studies with adult choir singers, singing the same piece of music tended to synch up their breathing and heart rates, producing a group-wide calming effect.”
We certainly recommend it. The following articles will tell you more about the power of music… Better yet, join the COMC and find out for yourself.
Neath Port Talbot Hospital hopes to bring back memories with singing (2016)
Community choirs growing as members reap health benefits (2016)
Singer sees ‘beautiful spark’ in children she teaches at Regent Park School of Music (2016)
How Does Your Brain Follow the Music? (2015)
13 Amazing Things Science Discovered About Music in 2015
Feeling Isolated? Try Choral Singing (2015)
The Shower Habit That’s Scientifically Proven to Stop Stress (2015)
Music education is vital in today’s pressured world (2015)
A Canadian point of view (2014)
Choral Singing is the Best Medicine (2014)
Singing Changes Your Brain (2013)
Snoring ‘cured by singing exercise’ (2013)
Benefits of choral singing for social and mental wellbeing (2012)
The Benefits of Singing in the Choir (2010)
Hitting a High Note (2008)