What if I told you that there is a magic cure for everything that ails you? Nope, certainly not winning the lottery, and not following a Mediterranean diet or participating in a yoga class; not even being in love. Well, there isn’t really a magic cure – but some recent studies show that singing in a choir comes close.
Scientific background
According to this University of Oxford article by Jacques Launay, a postdoctoral researcher in Experimental Psychology at the University of Oxford, “… whether you’re more into chamber music, the Beatles or Frozen singalongs, finding the right choir could prove the perfect way to improve your health, well-being, and social life.”
Side effects
All the side effects of being in a choir are positive: singing promotes group bonding, which is critical in these times of increasing isolation; singing helps your brain to age better – singers are less likely to get dementia; singing boosts your immune system; and can help your breathing, posture, and even contribute some pain relief. More than simply listening to music or even warbling away by yourself in your morning shower, singing in a group can increase your sense of happiness and well-being.
After the work, the magic happens
But really, the best part is when after practicing, taking a piece apart and working through complicated rhythms or dissonances and harmonies, we construct those moments when words disappear and our voices combine and connect and transcend who we are, and hang shining in the air even if just for a split second.
Choir on my mind
So each Tuesday evening from September through May (and once a month on a Saturday), no matter how tired I am or how discouraging my to-do list or Paris’s grey skies, I’ll head to our Ensemble Lumina rehearsal, knowing that by the time I leave, not only will I feel happier, breathe more easily, and feel a deepening connection with our other singers, I will have been lifted out of my humdrum day and my soul will be dancing.
Facebook Comments