Giving Your Voice A Holiday

Giving Your Voice A Holiday Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass under trees on a summer's day, listening to the murmur of the water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is by no means a waste of time - John Lubbock I love August in London - there's a softer, slower hum to city days. For those of who sing or lead choirs, there is time to rest our voices and/or refresh our vocal inspiration with a workshop, summer school or singing holiday.  I'm personally very glad of the time to dream up new choir repertoire for Autumn, work on creative projects, learn new things, have fun with friends and family or just take a nap! So here's a few reflections on the benefits of taking Vocal R&R. Vocal Rest Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes ... including you - Anne Lamott Our voices can become tired, fatigued or overused with the giveaway symptoms of a dry, husky tone and texture. Tips for rejuvenating a tired voice are Hydration - drinking plenty of water (warm or room temperature) and avoiding too many drying drinks such as fizzy drinks, alcohol, caffeine. Steaming - a relaxing vocal treat which helps open and clear passageways in our mouth, throat and nose - head under a towel over a bowl of boiling water with your favourite essential oils. Better still, take a trip to the steam room. Yawning & sighing - both relax the throat and boost our oxygen intake. Vocal Use - temporarily avoid vocally strenuous activities such as talking in a noisy bar, chatting for hours on the phone, teaching or presenting. Retreat - quiet days or silent retreats give us time to disconnect from the cacophony of voices in the social circus and  tune back into our inner voice. Sleep - its vital to unplug and reboot with a good sleep/ snooze/ nap. Resting is Courageous If you get tired, learn to rest, not to quit - Banksy  We are constantly changing beings who need to catch up with ourselves and feel into where we are growing and going next.  Our voices are a crucial instrument of expressing who we are in any given moment.  Sometimes we need to be courageous and say no to external demands in order to give ourselves time to rest. This is not the same as giving up - it is a necessary act of giving to ourselves which then enables us to give to others. Rest is Generous Take rest; a field that has rested gives a bountiful crop - Ovid  The capitalist mechanisation of humans - insisting that we continually produce and profit in order to prove ourselves - is a fatally flawed premise which results in false bounty.  Both people and planet pay a high price for for over-working, over-doing and over-consuming. The truth is that rest always brings a natural, sustainable return on investment. I find that I am always much more productive after a rest - be that time off or just a nap.  Resting enables us to tune up and tune into the melodies that arise on the breezes of inspiration.

Do join me in (hopefully) Sunny South London for an afternoon holiday at a Summer Sing on 17th August - more info here. Also look forward to seeing many choir friends at the Sing for Water London Pop Up rehearsals working towards our big mass choral sing for WaterAid at the Scoop on 15th September.  If you'd like to explore your voice either 121 or at a choir next term do drop me a line. Wishing you much R&R this August Photo - birthday R&R at Hitchin Lavender - it's good to be alive!

Singing Ourselves Sunny

Singing Ourselves Sunny Music is sunshine. Like sunshine, music is a powerful force that can instantly and almost chemically change your entire mood. Music gives us new energy and a stronger sense of purpose. - Michael Franti As the Solstice Sun has set on the first half of the year, I wanted to celebrate some of the projects I've been involved with recently.  A study by the New Economics Foundation found that making small improvements to our wellbeing can help decrease mental health issues and help us flourish. Here's how singing can boost the 5 Ways to Wellbeing and help us feel sunny. Connect  Singing together connect us with others Fun, laughter and good company - Singing with Soul project participant I had the honour of leading a six-week project with members of The Hive, a drop in service offering a hot meal and creative activities to members of the community at St John the Evangelist Upper Norwood.  We had a fabulous time learning participants choice of songs and working towards a fun performance with players from London Mozart Players as part of Crystal Palace Festival.  We know from research by organisations such as the Campaign to End Loneliness, that our social connectivity has more impact on our longevity than smoking or drinking.  Feedback repeatedly demonstrated that participants highly valued the sense of connection and togetherness in the project. Be Active   Singing is a gentle form of exercise It’s great that the patients have such a great option to come and enjoy themselves and also do their lungs some good! - Physiotherapist, St George's Hospital I've been working in hospital settings for 5 years now and have seen the positive impact singing can have for cardiac and respiratory patients.   Lung Songs at St George's Hospital has grown into a thriving, lively, supportive group of people who love singing together.  We warm up and get moving before gently flexing some lung and heart muscle with uplifting singing.  Take Notice Singing makes us more aware of ourselves and others, as we explore beautiful sounds together Over 2 million people per year care for others, which represents a saving of £132 billion a year to the economy.  The majority of these often unsung hero/ines of our communities will spend up to 50 hours per week caring.  Carers Benefit - £64.80 per week -works out as £1.85 ph for 35 hours per week.  As a result of caring 71% of carers suffer mental health issues and 61% physical health issues.  Every June at Croydon Carers Choir we mark #CarersWeek, to flag up that we need to take notice of Carers. Singing together is an creative respite activity that helps carers feel seen and heard. Keep Learning  Singing is great braingym Singing is a continuous adventure - I am so grateful to be learning on my feet in so many different settings. One of my next ventures is a new male voice choir, ManSong at the Landmark Arts Centre. Dominic Stichbury founded the monthly Men's Singing Workshop five years ago as part of his highly successful mission to #getmensinging and from these sessions has grown the idea of a weekly choir.   I've enjoyed guest leading some of the monthly sessions and am really looking forward to this new project. Give  Singing for/with others is a gift and can be used to fundraise and contribute to causes and community My Welcome Choir had a fabulous time in June getting out and about in our local community - we sang onstage and at local treasure trove Coconut Trading as part of Crystal Palace Festival and #SE19Lates.  We will also be joining up with two other local choirs to fundraise for Sing for Water on 11th July, before joining the big mass choral sing at Totally Thames in September.  Research shows that people who take part in arts activities and choirs are more likely to volunteer and give to charity, as building connectedness boosts our awareness of how we can contribute and make a difference in our world.

Singing is wonderful in so many ways, not just these five and I am continuously being surprised by the magic that happens when we raise our voices together.  I'm looking forward to what the next half of this year of song brings... If you'd like to explore your voice either 121 or in a choir do drop me a line. Wishing you a wonderful sunny Summer of song Photo: Mike Jones Crystal Palace Festival