Are you thinking about taking Group Voice Classes? Read more to get the answers you need as to why you should be group singing.
"Healthy mind, healthy body, healthy voice"
Free Your Voice Music Studio philosophy of freeing up the voice aligns with the mantra "healthy mind, healthy body, healthy voice." Whether you are singing with friends or singing with a small group of like-minded individuals, research studies continue to show both the physical and mental health benefits associated with group singing.
Physical Health Benefits
Have you ever noticed you or other singers sweat profusely while engaged in singing activities even though you or they may only be standing in one spot for the period of singing? That is because as singers we are all vocal athletes who use our entire body to perform.
Strengthening respiratory muscles
At some point in our lives, we have all heard the phrase: "sing with your diaphragm." Ostensibly, this was an indirect technique teachers taught to get a singer to breathe more deeply (appoggio) breath in opposed to a shallow (clavicular) breathe. In actuality, the primary muscle groups engaged while singing is not the diaphragm but are the abdominal and the intercostal muscles. With good breathing techniques during the course of singing these muscles are strengthened through active engagement.
Increasing Lung Capacity
While breathing the lungs function in conjunction with the respiratory muscles to circulate oxygen throughout the body. The breath management technique singers are taught in voice classes is relevant to how to use the respiratory system efficiently for singing. Breathing for singing tends to be more deeply while learning breath management techniques. For this reason, the lung capacity of a singer of the same height and stature tends to be larger than a non-singer of the same height and stature because they are trained to breathe utilizing more of their lungs capacity.
Developing Fine Motor Skills, reduce stuttering
Music Professor Grenville Hancox founded a choir called Skylark which is only for Parkinson's patients. He founded this choir to research if singing in a chorus would improve the symptoms of Parkinson's patients. For those who don't know, Parkinson's disease is a neurodegenerative disorder. As symptoms develop it makes normal movements more difficult, impaired posture and balance, rigid muscles, speech changes. In this research, he found that the quality of life of the choir members was enhanced by singing. In addition to increased lung capacity, and corrected posture he also so a significant improvement in their loudness and speech by performing in the choir. For more information on Professor Grenville Hancox study, Sing to beat Parkinson's click here.
To read more on the effects of Parkinson's disease, click here.
Mental Health Benefits
Reduce stress, depression, and anxiety levels
"Singing for health: an exploration of the issues," written by scholars Rosie Stacey, Katie Brittain, and Sandra Kerr explored theories backed by research studies they conducted that suggest music has profound effects on the emotions. More specifically, music and the role of singing with early years children and community groups of adults induces states of relaxation which are particularly useful as an antidote to depression, anxiety, and fatigue.
Strengthen Feelings of Community and Altruism
A research article presented by psychologist Nick Stewart and Adam Lonsdale indicates, "people who participate in a choir enjoy a greater feeling of togetherness and being part of a collective endeavor than others involved in different social activities.” Developing empathy and the sense of altruism. The purpose of this research study was to show the psychological benefits of singing in a group setting.
"I never feel more free and at peace than when I am singing."
Why take group voice classes?
One of the best skills you can learn as a singer is "ear training." Combined with private voice lessons, singing in small groups or large groups such as choirs gives you regular practice and helps you develop your ear at a quicker pace. You learn basic harmonization skills, how to match pitches, blend your tone, and gain more confidence in making sounds with your instrument. The social bonding that takes place with one another while singing in a group attributes to all of the positive physical and mental effectsa . So bring a friend to join in on the fun with you!
Personally, as a performing artist, my mind and spirit never feel more free and at peace than when I am singing. Like I mentioned before, we use our entire bodies to perform; which is why at Free Your Voice Music Studio, we stress the importance of health and wellness of the whole self.
New private voice students, if aren't already performing, are highly encouraged to either perform in a choir at school or a local community choir. If you are currently taking voice lessons within Free Your Voice Music Studio, then you are informed. At the music studio, we work towards developing the whole self while training singers to become efficient voice users and musicians.
Knowing that not all students within the studio aspire to perform professionally, in addition to private voice lessons, Free Your Voice Music Studio is now offering Group Voice Classes to continue to meet the needs of the Northern Virginia community while also contributing to the health and wellness of our society.
Classes are booked monthly at the start of the month for scheduling purposes. Each month will have a different lesson plan focus that will meet the needs and goals of the group while also building a multitude of skills to better assist them as singers.
Classes will consist of warm-up, healthy functional exercises, vocal hygiene education, song coaching, and cool-down exercises.
For more information, or to sign-up for group voice lessons, click book online.
I hope to see you in the studio!
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