Singing In The Community

Choirs are a fun way to connect with new people through music, whilst gaining knowledge in musicianship and musical terminology. Singing in assemblies and attending choirs allowed me to naturally develop my pitching at a young age. It also provides the opportunity to harness enthusiasm and turn it into something creative. These community events cater to different people in different ways; Whether it be socially, academically or emotionally. Throughout October to February, I contacted and attended choirs and local workshops in my local areas.

Poulton People’s Choir are a community choir (SATB) based in Lancashire. They are a socially inclusive choir who welcome adults of all ages to take part in the joy of music and singing. They are aware of the many benefits of singing which are physical, mental, emotional, spiritual and social. There are no fees involved in taking part. However, they do accept donations of whatever you can afford following a rehearsal which is is used to pay for room hire fees, photocopying and general administration. A rich diversity of people from the local community are involved and attend rehearsals every week.

(Photograph of me singing with Poulton People's Choir)

Tony Brindle Wills, the founder and conductor of Poulton People’s Choir said, “The main reason for bringing the choir together was to get people from the local community who had never been given the chance to sing in a choir to have a go. For anybody, any ability. We quickly went from from 40 to 150 people. Since then we’ve performed at large charity benefits, parks, festivals, churches, pubs, clubs, radio shows and weddings’.

Not only has this experience boosted their social profile and provided performance opportunities, but it has also served as an educational experience when considering technique and terminology. Tony said, “When they first started, they couldn't read the music. They didn't have a clue what was going on but after attending for about a year, they've developed skills to now follow and understand the music.

As well as choirs, there are other community events such as vocal workshops and masterclasses. The Unity Music Arts Trust (UMAT) is a small, non profit organisation formed in March 2018. Our aims are to promote creative talent, equality, arts culture, employment and training. The founder and creative director Stephen Pierre is passionate about promoting live music, aspiring talent and encouraging community engagement. In 2018, Stephen hosted 16 Live Music events and 14 free vocal workshops teaching people how to look after their voices and improve vocal techniques. I attended a free workshop with Mr Stephen Pierre. It served as a fantastic opportunity to develop my knowledge and meet like-minded people who love to sing and learn. I was with a group mixed with professionals and beginners wanting to scratch that singing itch. Upon arrival, free bottles of water and fisherman's friends were provided to clear the sinuses. He went to the next level providing all the resources needed to ensure we were most comfortable before singing. It was great to be given the opportunity to gain free advice from an advanced professional with an extensive amount of experience in the industry. If you are ever in the Blackpool area at the time of any future events then I highly recommend going.

(Photograph of myself with Stephen Pierre)

My opinion is that singing goes to the very heart of our humanity, our sense of community and our souls. You express your soul when you sing and when you get together with other singers, a number of people are expressing their souls in perfect harmony. I believe this is serves as an emblem for what we need in this world, when so much of it is at odds with itself. To express symbolically what it’s like when humans are in harmony, I profoundly believe it's a lesson for all time. Musical excellence is of course at the heart of it, but even if a choir is not the greatest in the world, but the fact that they are meeting together has a social and communal value. “A church or school without a choir is like a body without a soul.” (John Rutter, 2017) You leave your troubles at the door and you walk away refreshed and renewed. It is a value that goes beyond music itself.