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Singing is one of the most important and meaningful of all human activities and what we must not forget – is one of the only instruments that is free and totally mobile! 

Whatever setting you are working in – a classroom, camp, faith community or peace and justice group. Singing empowers people, strengthens the bonds in community, and creates hope and change.

Have you ever been to a gig or concert where the artist sings a familiar song and everyone spontaneously starts to sing along? After a moment of surprise, you realise that everything suddenly feels different! The space has become a gathering of friends, a warm, cozy and peaceful place in harmony. That for me is what singing together is all about. 

I get that safe sense of “WAW” and realness of my reality in that very special conscious moment of bliss.

Don’t forget, you don’t have to be a rock star or on a stage to create experiences like that, I guess you just have to love to make music and share your voice with people.

Over the past few months with Covid-19 Pandemic, we have noticed a lot more community singing via online platforms like zoom and Skype. Choirs, bands and harmonious performances sung and performed together at home. It shows that out of all of the arts, Music and Singing is our preferred idea of bringing community and friendship “back home”. By doing this together as a community we helped each other through the lockdown period and created uplifting energy mostly through voice.

Communal singing can be created and often organically grown in any environment that is open to it;

Here are a few examples..

• Around a Campfire
• In the moonlight
• Spiritual or Religious Ceremonies
• As a band
• As a choir
• At a sports match
• Concerts, gigs, shows, stand up comedy performances
• Friendship gatherings
• Family gatherings
• Celebrations
• On public transport
• In unexpected wide open spaces
• Remembrance ceremonies

And many more places! Personally, I think In any situation – I think it should be more of a thing!

We should totally become more open to voicing and singing together for its ultimate essence of healing and prosperous outcome for us humans.

Singing within a group is great for identifying your voice and sound, relaxation and therapy. One learns to open and adjust tension blocked areas physically and emotionally and often it is more likely to be fully expressed when someone is listening or expressing with you.

I recommend all my students of all ages and people reading this who are or who are not interested in singing (sounds crazy hey!) to try it more!

Ideas of enforcing this gift more in your life could be:

-Create a school or community band

-Create a friendship choir

-Invite the idea of singing to your fitness, yoga or hobby group instructor

-Sing with your children and family

-Don’t say no to Friday Karaoke, sing as a group!

-Get involved with meditation and Kirtan spiritual ceremonies

The important step forward would be identifying security and learning not to be afraid of singing to people and with people. Make friendships and goals within your community and most of all – express!

I am excited to announce I have some super great collaborations for communal singing in Jersey CI and online. Also I am processing upcoming campaigns for bringing this practice back to schools and education.

Power to the people – Watch this space! 

Your voice needs nurturing as much as your feet and limbs. Have you ever felt like you need to sit down and rest your feet after a 10 mile walk? Well, even if your throat doesn’t feel achy or in pain most muscles need the same care and attention when overused…

Whenever you sing, your vocal cords are subject to muscle tension as well as air pressure. They have to withstand the breath that you apply on them to make them vibrate and produce a sound. Whilst singing and talking, the surfaces of your vocal cords vibrate against each other 100 to 1,000 times per second. With that in mind, considering how much we use our voice, that is pretty good work!

Day to day we spend our time talking, talking loudly, whispering (try to avoid this) and laughing.
Specific job roles such as teachers, singers, and call centre employees definitely have heavy vocal demands.
Often as a teacher I feel vocal fatigue after a full day of teaching when both singing and speaking with energy.
This can vary on days when teaching more children than adults. Some days can be more tiring than others depending on my surroundings, the weather and of course my health.

The importance of Vocal rest is that it gives your delicate vocal cords time to regenerate and heal. Even the most talented, best-trained voices need rest as part of general preventative care. Your voice will stay healthier when allowed opportunities to recover, rehydrate, and relax.

For me, it is a time to get inspired by new music and training my ears.
Often as singers, stylistic awareness may get drowned out as a result of ourselves concentrating too much on singing along to the music.
So instead, I choose to tap in and listen deeper into the music and identify the different instruments, the backing vocals, the rhythm, the bass and the different samples or sounds that are added.
While in rest mode, it is better to simply imagine the pitch and melody we would normally sing and concentrate on the foundation of music that is supporting us.

Resting before exams, auditions, shows or any major event 🤚🏽 Why?

Well, practicing frantically before a big event or audition is definitely a no no! The last thing you want, is to get to a point you feel great then on the big day ..you have no voice!
If you need to practise more, I would also recommend less tiresome exercises on the cords. One would be, “humm”-ing the song you are learning instead of singing it. This puts less pressure and energy on the cords and you are benefitting from still practising!
Try to break up your practicing into sections of say 4 x 15 minutes throughout the day. This way it gives you time to rest in-between being vocal.

Here is a super great exercise for relaxing throat tension;
The secret is Yawning! … and it feels good!! Try this;

1 ▸ Put your finger on your throat at the top of your larynx and swallow.

(Notice the upward motion of the larynx).

2 ▸ Now keeping your finger at the top of your larynx, relax and begin a yawn.

(Notice the downward motion of the larynx. This motion opens the throat and releases tension).

3 ▸ Yawn again at the back of your throat without opening your mouth fully. Repeat a few times letting the throat muscles slip downward as you begin to yawn.

4 ▸ Repeat the yawn and then exhale by sighing “ah” starting at a comfortably high note in your range and float downward – sounding like a sigh.

This is called a “yawn/sigh” and a great way to warm up.

Note: It is the sensation that occurs at the beginning of a yawn that releases tension in the throat. Practice releasing tension in your throat with this yawn/sigh motion several times to release throat tension.

Other ways to decrease tension in the throat include getting a massage that focuses on your neck and throat muscles, energy work on the chakras, doing yoga to decrease overall tension, and daily neck and shoulder stretches.

Tension in your voice can result from stress or the inability to “speak up” for what you want or need. Psychological tension can result in physical constriction and tension in this area. Talking and expressing with a trusted friend or therapist can be helpful.

So, when you are feeling tired, remember to give your voice some care and healing, it will be worth it 🗣✨

I have been talking a lot recently with my students about the importance of sharing singing and your voice with others.
This could be in vocal groups, choirs, sacred spaces, around campfires and where and whenever you can comfortably!

But Why❓
Singing in a choir is seriously good for your ear training, pitch control and harmonies as well as making friendships with people who are passionate about singing alike to you!

Being in a band as a vocalist can help tremendously with your songwriting skills and rhythm. A band environment can give you many opportunities with work, networking and also gives you a gateway into backing vocals – should you need to cover all parts whilst recording your music.

Sacred spaces with friends or people in your community are great places to express your voice and learn from one another. Church for some people, is a place to sing and feel rejoiced within your voice. For others, healing groups and expressive ceremonies.

Personally, I reaped so many positive musical experiences and learning from being part of a choir from a very young age and a band (as a BV) whilst studying in the UK.

I have also experienced great healing and therapy through my voice having taken part in Kirtan healing meditation in Indonesia and around the world.
As time progresses with a Kirtan ceremony, you enter a meditative and blissful state. Some people get up and dance along to the music as they chant and sing, others clap, or some people just close their eyes and chant. It is a very personal experience, but you still feel connected as you sing with everyone in the room. This is a great way to use your body and voice and feel empowered by the vibrations and sound within you and around you.

I was specifically moved by what I witnessed in Vietnam – Ho Chi Minh City’s Tao Dan Park 🇻🇳 6 years ago..

There was a small coffee shop, which is informally known as the ‘Bird Café’. The café is a meeting place for people to bring their beloved birds to learn how to Sing and make friends!
The activity has been popular since 1954, according to many old bird lovers in the City.

From dawn, men and women arrive at the Park on their scooters, canvas-covered cages strapped to the back.
While some owners play their songbirds CDs of classical music and other birdsong, bringing them together in the flesh is apparently the best way to speed up the learning process. This gets the birds used to singing around other people and learning new songs and melodies.

Most birds start singing within three months, but one man says it takes about two years for them to become fully trained.
Birdsong Competitions are organised by clubs around the city, with cash prizes and trophies for the best singers.
But as the clock hits 8am, the cages are slowly packed up, their drivers taking the birds home and preparing for their daily lives of work.
They’ll be back tomorrow morning though, keen for their birds to continue their singing lessons.

Being at this place really taught me that nature is a pure example of why we must mix and integrate with others to deepen our learning. Allowing inspiration to flow and vibrations to awaken the talent and energy we have within us ✨

CHECK OUT the Bird Cafe here 👇🏼https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7msXebvNEo