Have you ever sung in a choir, or thought about singing in one?
Those who already sing in choirs will know about all the little secrets that I am about to share with you; those who haven’t yet joined a choir, please read on.
In an article published on Dec. 19, 2023, the British Northamptonshire Council stated the following:
“We all know that singing is fun—when our favourite song starts playing, many of us would agree that it’s impossible not to sing along, dance or at least tap our feet. Now, research has revealed that singing with others by joining a choir can have a positive impact on mental health and other health-related outcomes, regardless of age, gender or ability.”
Research conducted by Oxford University has demonstrated that making music exercises the brain and the body, and helps you improve breathing and posture. Listening to and participating in musical activity can help relieve pain, probably due to the release of special neurochemicals. Music may also help to sustain a healthy immune system by reducing the stress hormone cortisol and boosting the Immunoglobulin A antibody.
According to The Canadian Encyclopedia, “Canada’s choirs have contributed significantly to religious, educational, and concert activities within the country, and some have earned high reputations abroad.”
From the turn of the 20th century up until the 1950s, voluntary church choirs were centres of regular musical activity in many Canadian towns and cities.
Although church and school choirs remained the most numerous, other types of choirs became prominent in the mid-20th century including the female choir, the folk or nationally specific choir, the men’s choir, and the barbershop quartet.
Singing in a choir can introduce you to songs from different cultures, improve your ability to read music, develop great vocal technique, and learn performance skills. It is a great way to make friends and build relationships with people who are also interested in making music!
As you will see in the wonderful choir directory included with this issue of La Scena Musicale, there’s a wide variety of choirs to choose from across the country. Now is a perfect time to do some research, so that you will be able to join a choir when it resumes rehearsals in the autumn.
St. Lawrence Choir
Another idea is to investigate CAMMAC (cammac.ca), which runs a wonderful eight-week summer music camp. Each week has a variety of programs, which often includes choral singing.
My 101-year-old friend Miriam sang every Sunday and on holidays in her church choir, the Mountainside United Church (formerly known as the Dominion Douglas). The choir practised every Thursday evening and consisted of four paid soloists and some 25 volunteer singers.
Another friend, in her 30s, is singing Georgian music in a small a-capella choir of fewer than 10 people of all ages. They rehearse for two hours once a week. The singers do not have to read music and they are at different levels of skill and experience. She sang in the St. Lawrence Choir for many years. Singing in this choir is the highlight of her week, she says, adding it “brings me great joy.”
Although I sang in a choir while I lived in Ottawa, I haven’t yet joined a choir since moving to Montreal. Now, I am in the process of investigating various choirs in this city, and thinking about which one I might like to join. The variety and sheer number of choirs is very tantalizing. How lucky we are!
