Local Choir: Sing Out Loud
The English-speaking community comes into its own in the winter months. Everything quietens down and work becomes less intense for a huge part of the crowd who work in tourism. Residents (long-term or permanent) say ciao-ciao to the summer-time back-to-back visitors until the scorching weather returns next year and now have the time to look for other activities.
One such activity to bring everyone is the new local choir – Sing Out Loud – which meets every Tuesday night. Headed by the formidable Nicky Liles, a handful of budding singers gather at Comunidad Inspira where voice exercises get everyone limbered up ready for an enthusiastic and somewhat cathartic sing out loud session covering songs ranging from 1960s classics to pop anthems and everything in between.
Of course the Christmas Carols have made it to the song sheet and the group are planning at least a couple, of performances for Christmas.
Health Benefits to Singing
Talking to Nicky about the choir, I asked why is it that singing makes us feel so good and what brings people so together?
There are so many health benefits with singing, it gives a sense of much happiness and well-being. People feel much more positive after singing in a group than they do on their own. We tend to lock ourselves away, but if we come out of that and join others who are doing the same thing, the release of positive neurochemicals is massive.
This is true, Opera North lists 10 reasons why singing is good for you. At the top of their list is “Singing makes you feel better… There’s an increasing amount of evidence that singing releases endorphins, serotonin and dopamine – the ‘happy’ chemicals that boost your mood and make you feel good about yourself. Scientists believe that’s one of the reasons why people report being on a high during choir sessions and continuing to feel positive, uplifted and motivated afterwards.”
The whole act of filling your lungs and breathing properly, not only enhances lung function it also helps beat anxiety and stress. There are also benefits for those suffering from chronic pain – these instances of joy while singing offer a shift away from enduring pain to something more positive and happy.
Local Choir and the Community
For Nicky one of the biggest things is bringing people together. “People need people, and being part of a community makes you part of what’s going on and less forgotten… Being part of a group is essential for our survival, we are animals. It challenges you in all sorts of ways and singing is a great way to bring us all together.”
Opera North back this up in their article; “Singing with other people, whether in the flesh or on screen, can help build connections and feelings of togetherness. Recent research has also shown that the sense of ‘self-other merging’ we experience by synchronising our voices with others is a great way to fast-track social bonding.”
The Future of the Local Choir "Sing Out Loud"
Nicky says she would like to see the choir grow; “I’m right at the beginning of this so I am learning a lot. There’s not much time, its all for free because it is a community thing, not everything is about money.
Anyone can join, even if you think you are not a singer. Your voice is an instrument, you have to learn how to play it and the feeling you get from the inside, and when it starts to come together, the sense of achievement is better than anything you can do – so join us!
I would love to see the choir grow and for more people to decide to get off the sofa and come along. Our bodies and our minds are like a playground, we don’t do enough with them and when we get it going and get moving it is just an incredible feeling. So join us – be part of the adventure and you never know – you may see us on the telly yet.”
The choir meets every Tuesday from 7:30-9pm at Comunidad Inspira.
