Why choral singers are so special – Chris Lee
I returned to singing in a choir in 2000, at the same time as I ‘discovered’ running and acquired an interest in mindfulness.
My interest in all three was prompted by my mental ill health at the time; we know how physical exercise and singing can raise our spirits (and the running also helps when I’m late for a rehearsal).
When it comes to singing in a choir, there’s simply no alternative to being mindful – being in the present with no brain space to regret the past or fear the future.
Singers in a choir rehearsal are typically expected to:
- Sing the notes on the page
- Read the words – often in a language other than English (Latin, Russian, German - we’ve done them all)
- Sing in tune by listening to the accompaniment
- Sing in time and in tune with other members of the choir
- Watch the conductor and listen to him
- Concentrate on breathing, pronunciation, posture, and the dynamic instructions from the composer in the score (how loud/quiet to sing etc)
For 90 minutes during every weekly rehearsal I have no alternative other than to focus on ‘the job in hand’ to the exclusion of all other thoughts – and I love it!