Singing out loud.

One of my winter pastimes, when I am let off painting and decorating and gardening (when weather allows) is to go singing in a choir. This year since being home I have joined a second one too. I am not known in the family as a singer, I don't even sing in the shower so I didn't even think of my self as one either but a few years ago, when free of work, I just decided that I fancied a try. I had sung in Gang Shows with the scouts and auditioned for a part in a local production of 'Oliver' for which I achieved the dizzy accolade of second reserve boy! Does anybody else remember Ralph Reader? I have just looked him up and it seems that  he had a life long passion for the Scout Movement and produced Gang Shows from the mid 1930's to the mid 1970's, and even found time for a bit of 'spying' during the war years,

I found a choir that allowed you to just turn up and pay weekly rather than by the term as I knew that we would be on the boat for much of the year. This choir, Hull Community Voices, is a natural voice singing group and luckily takes all standards of singing. Few of the songs are in English and there is no music, everything is acapella. The  words are learned line by line with often no words written down and just picked up by repetition. I find it truly amazing that after about 30 mins there can be some beautiful four part harmonies that sound lovely. Some of the trainers just push you to just go for it after hearing the words and tune a couple of times. Being brave and trying it with no real preparation certainly means that you become more blase about making mistakes but certainly means that you have a great sense of achievement when it goes well.

http://hullcommunityvoices.org.uk/

This year when we came home from the boat Helen saw that another local choir (that I didn't know existed) were looking for male singers. This seems to be a bit of a problem to lots of choirs. A shortage of males means that a certain depth to the sound of mixed choirs is missing. In Hull Community Voices there are about 3 or 4 men regularly attend. My new choir is the Holderness Grange Choir. Holderness Grange is one of those 'Lifestyle' (retirement) places that is just round the corner so is very handy. I called them up and I was invited to go along before the next meeting for a chat. The chat turned in to an audition! She then asked what my prepared tune was!!! I umm'd and ah'd a little and then started out on 'We are Riding Along on the Crest of a Wave', a song I remembered from my Gang Show days. I could have still done the actions if they had wanted me to it was that well ingrained. Anyway they let me stay despite me saying that I would only be around until April. They told me that I would be singing the bass parts and would stand on the end. This choir have two series of concerts each year. Christmas and Summer. Once one has finished they start on learning for the next concerts. I had come in more than half way through the practices for the Christmas concerts. This choir have the words and music. I found this confusing at first as there were lines and lines of stuff, most of which I didn't need. I had come in too late to be taught the bass part so I had to pick it up where I could. John, who I stand next to, was easy to follow so it wasn't too bad and soon I was in the swing of it. Our last concert is tonight. I have to wear a black shirt and trousers and a cream tie and I must say we look quite smart.

It is no good looking for me as I'm not on this one. There are some of the choirs songs on You Tube if you are that interested. (not with my dulcet tones adding weight though).

It seems that singing is good for you in many ways. The controlled breathing is much the  same as the techniques used in yoga. This makes you relax and has benefits for the heart. There are obvious cardiovascular benefits of expanding your lung capacity as more oxygen in means that your heart doesn't have to work so hard. Being in a choir is much better than singing alone as you have to listen to the rest to make sure that you are in time. It will tone up any sagging facial muscles as you will be using them more. Emotionally it reduces stress, increases feelings of well being and gets you mixing socially with its benefits.

In South Yorkshire and North Derbyshire there is a tradition of carol singing in pubs from mid November. It seems that this came about in the puritan times when the rousing and joyful hymns and carols were banned from the churches. These are of course the songs that most like to singing. The voices migrated to the pubs where, after suitable lubrication they belted forth the banned tunes. This tradition is still going on and if you check on http://www.localcarols.org.uk/index.php you will be able to find out where they are singing now. There is often a brass band in attendance too making it a great reason to go and find them.

We are off to Holy Trinity Church in Hull for their Nine lessons and Carols service, but I'm pretty sure we will find a pint somewhere afterwards.