Sunday, April 19, 2015

Musical Monday - Why Do We Keep Singing?

Image result for choir clip artIt has been "one of those days".  You feel like a 1000 pound brick and going to choir practice is the last thing you want to do.  I am really, getting up and having to drive and then stand around with all those other people and sing? But you do.  
I know no matter how yucky I feel, I go to practice and my mood is lifted and I really enjoy myself.  
1. It feels good – When you enjoy what you do, it feels good.  Now, you may not start out feeling good about singing but sure as anything, you will singing a song that hits that pleasure button or someone says something nice about you and/or your sound and those endorphins and other good feeling chemicals go coursing through you.

2. You hang out with others – You belong.  You belong to the choir.  You belong to the section or part.  You belong to the team.  Singing in a choir is a unique activity in that you must work together to create the right sounds but your individual contribution is very important.  The choir members have a similar reason for being there and you feel good just being with them.

3. Great exercise – Singing is an aerobic activity.  The breathing works your core.  The posture needed works your muscles.  You build your endurance.  All in all, you exercise the brain as well as your body.  When you finish you feel a great sense of accomplishment and a "good" tired.

4. You learn to listen - One of your first jobs as a singer is to learn to hear the sounds you need to replicate.  Once you hear them and process them, you are actually listening.  Truly knowing how to listen is a skill that takes energy.  That brain training is free and a part of the process.

5. Let it all hang out – Being able to sing lets us have a really healthy stress release.  Sometimes, it is actually the fact that we have to think about listening, making the right sounds, reading the music and interpretting the words that makes us move away from whatever is making us feel less than great.  We get to let out our feelings through the music.
Often times, you can really let loose in your singing as you have little chance to do in other venues.

At the bottom of it all is the music we get to produce.  Without the other singers, it just wouldn't be the same.  As a part of the group, we can produce something almost magical.  In the process we feel good and have a sense of accomplishment and enjoyment that can't be matched in any other way, in my view.  But of course, you won't know that for sure unless you have sung in a choir. Come on out to your favourite choir and see for yourself. 

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