OUR MIDWEEK MEDITATION: SING!
I love to hear a choir. I love to see the faces of real people devoting themselves to a piece of music. I like the teamwork. It makes me feel optimistic about the human race when I see them cooperating like that.
- Paul McCartney
Last week I witnessed a wonderful event.
My 12-year-old daughter, Anna has been in her school choir for a few years now, and was fortunate enough to be picked to sing at the Sydney Opera House as part of Sydney’s week long choral festival, showcasing students from New South Wales public schools.
The Australian Girls, National Boys & Gondwana Indigenous Childrens Choirs perform in a Qantas TV ad.
When the kids that formed the full choir came together last week for the performance, it was pure magic from the first moment. The sight of the concert hall filled with 700 children, and the sound of their voices filling the air around us, was quite extraordinary, as too were the other musical offerings of the night, with everything from big bands, wind and string orchestras on offer.
There’s no doubt that without singing – the sound of the human voice in all its varied glory – the world would be a poorer place; but why exactly do we sing? After all, we are the only land-based animal that indulges in the activity – apart from the odd singing dog that is!
Birds sing, of course, gibbons (apparently) sing, and the rest of the world’s singers – whales, dolphins, sea-lions and seals, are marine mammals. Research suggests that it’s a predator thing – singing is a sound that could attract enemies, so only those animals able to get away quickly – birds and the tree-based gibbons for instance – or those that have very few predators, such as the water-based singers, and humans, indulge in what might otherwise be the somewhat dangerous practice of letting predators know your location.
Birds’ songs may attract predators. Photo by RhiannonDaire on Flickr.
Who would have thought that the simple act of opening our mouths and allowing sound to come out, could be so fraught with meaning?
When you think about it, it is a rather extraordinary thing that the mechanism of using our lungs as an air supply, our larynx as a reed, and our head or chest as an amplifier, and the tongue as the mechanism for articulation, can produce everything from opera to rap.
Nobody knows exactly why humans started singing, or even when.
| Page 1 of 2 | next >> |
12 Responses to this article
-
Tracy October 24, 2012
Hi, I agree about the singing! Until about 3 years ago I never even thought about but was just trailing the internet one day and an article came up about a place called The Music Practice in Surry Hills, NSW that had a group called ‘The Tone Deaf Clinic’ run by a great woman called Gillian. We all spent 10 weeks learning how to sing and it has been a fabulous experience for me. I have belonged to several choirs now and love it!!
-
Candida October 24, 2012
Hi Tracy, thank you for your feedback – great to know so many people out there love to sing!
-
-
Claire Duffy October 24, 2012
You couldn’t be more right. I’ve spent over thirty of my fifty something years in choirs (and on boards that run them, and in governments that fund them) and one of the best things is that over that time choral singing has become SO widespread. At 18 I sang and it made me a dag. Now there are choirs and and A Capella groups all over the place, and it’s hip! Actually cool! To get involved in Sydney’s biggest and best choral organisation go here: http://www.sydneyphilharmonia.com.au/singwithus.html
-
Candida October 24, 2012
Sydney Philharmonia! OMG I’m jealous….
-
-
helenbea October 24, 2012
Heartily agree with all that you say. A childhood filled with music, singing around the piano with family and friends while my mother, an able classical pianist, played folk songs, popular songs from the past, from stage shows and movies. It was a time gone by.
My own career in teaching drew upon my musical training and family background in bringing that music into my classroom and the whole school.Starting a day with singing and some kind of outdoor physical activity, sets the kids up for the day. Clears the head and the whole energy system. Lesson breaks, same thing. Mind you, I can remember teaching with a guitar slung round the neck, singing the tables amongst other things, when I couldn’t access a piano.
Singing is a universal language, putting oxygen into the lungs and uplifting the spirits. We can grow our soul through the power of the voice…why else do we resonate to some voices and not others.
Participating in many combined choral events, festivals, eistedfoddau such as you mention, Candida, I totally understand your sense of awe at the sound. So often I was blown away by the sound of children’s voices singing in harmony as one. Thankyou for this piece. Good to know the power of choral music is still alive!
-
Candida October 24, 2012
What a great response, Helen – you were lucky to have such a musically blessed family around you, and yes singing is a universal language.
-
-
Amanda October 24, 2012
I’ve sung as a child and now as an adult sing in an absolutely fabulous choir.I’ve always loved to sing, I sing along to music and in the shower, it’s n essential expression of joy for me. It must raise endorphins because after singing I feel happier, calmer, less stressed. Through my choir I’ve met many interesting people from my community, I’ve performed amazing pieces by classical composers, and wonderful new music by young Australian composers, the sort of thing you never hear on the radio, but that really speaks about this country. I really think everyone can sing with some practice- join a choir, take it slow, let your voice blend with the other singers, I guarantee you will love it
-
Candida October 24, 2012
Hi Amanda…you are so right about choir singing. It’s a wonderful experience, thank you for commenting!
-
-
sue bell October 24, 2012
Singing is the greatest aerobic exercise you can do and it does not hurt your knees. When you sing you pump 40% more oxygen through your system. This increases the oxygen to the brain, helps you think, sets you going for the day and it is great for helping stop mild depression.
-
Van Essa October 25, 2012
I have recently joined the ukulele brigade and within all clubs, people are encouraged to sing. If you play then you must sing. It is such a joy! We have started performing and I can’t tell you how much I love the whole scene. Yes singing is wonderful but singing whilst playing is even more wonderful-erer.
-
Shiralee October 26, 2012
Several years ago feeling very depressed I went away on holiday for a week to Tamworth country music festival best thing I could have done. It is now a must each year. Great friends, great music what more could you ask for.
