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Carols and choirs are enjoying a boom in popularity, and science is showing how they improve lives.

Singing has brought humans together, and driven social bonding, since the early history of the species. Over the course of human evolution, the activation of endorphins, which creates a sense of contentment and peace with the world, emerged as a primary means to bond large communities. It turns out that singing is an incredibly potent trigger.

“Singing is one of the mega-mechanisms we use for bonding,” said Robin Dunbar, a professor of evolutionary psychology at the University of Oxford. “Singing in the shower gives you a bit of an uplift, but when doing it communally, there’s something about the synchrony of singing that creates this massive endorphin uplift.”

Read more here.

On a sun-filled day in September 2023, Jacob Collier invited a group of fans to meet him at the Heritage & Arts Centre in Bow, London, for a special, Audience-Choir-inspired rendition of his new single, Little Blue.

Thanks to all who came, in their bluest attire, learned the song that day and sang so beautifully – and thank you to Mahogany Blog for capturing this gentle moment so sublimely.  All audio was recorded live - Jacob had a hidden lav mic in the front of his hat!

Watch it here.

The best humorous commentaries are those with at least a ring of truth about them; something people can relate to.

If you’ve every sung in a choir with a conductor and voice parts, you may well be amused by the observations in this graphic (submitted by a choir member).  

Two minutes of pure joy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0S80iaN6Gk

After identifying what I thought were a fairly random eight tracks for my desert island, I then saw some emerging themes. All are associated with particular memories – times and places that just hearing the pieces evoke. The lyrics are nearly always important but the quality of the singer’s voice less so – I’ve chosen some for the sheer power of the live performance. I realise there’s a predominance of male (piano-playing) performers and very little is classical. Overall, my selection is about relationships, love, loneliness and growing old – all the sorts of things that can make me cry.

In approximate chronological order by the memory it evokes…

All the Young Dudes, Mott the Hoople - takes me back to Liverpool Stadium (which doubled as a wrestling venue) with my neighbour and best friend, who sadly died aged 52. We were around 15 and this was teenage freedom! The band’s one-hit-wonder was this track, written for them by David Bowie. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNHdPPJGowY

The long and winding road, The Beatles – the last song they recorded together. Happy romantic memories of a long drive to Bordeaux by car, stopping off en route to visit my ‘first true love’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fR4HjTH_fTM

Naomi, Ralph McTell - I love the simply sung sentiment behind the song. Brings back happy memories of working on a beach in the south of France for four months after leaving school. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBjl6voVQ_I

The River by Bruce Springsteen - I could have chosen any one of many songs from ‘The Boss’. I love his storytelling and this track reminds me of happy days with my best friend. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lc6F47Z6PI4&t=124s

Nessun Dorma, Puccini  – I think my first real introduction to this piece was in the film The Killing Fields – six years before it became the Italia 90 world cup theme and long after it was written! Yes – it’s been overdone, but it still send tingles down my spine. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SZsxTBCzoA

White Wine in the Sun Tim Minchin – I think this guy is a genius to be able to combine such humour and meaning into this one song. A truly original song about Christmas https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCNvZqpa-7Q

Hello in There, Bette Midler – I think the raw emotion in this performance is just amazing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ny7AbQleGVI&t=9s

Fantasia on a theme of Thomas Tallis, Vaughan Williams - One of my wife’s favourite classical pieces https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihx5LCF1yJY

The luckiest, Ben Folds – My wife and I decided we should go to a music festival before we were 60. We were 59 and we’re still going nearly a decade later. This takes me back to a lazy sunny Sunday morning at Latitude Festival with us listening to this song. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcBqmN62wtw&t=2s

One in a series, this is actually more about singing Faure’s Requiem than playing it. An intriguing insight into rehearsal for a performance from the participants point of view (but you don’t have to be a singer to enjoy it!)

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001p1zx

February 1999 we arrived in Prague after the worst snow there for 40 years and the snow flew up past the plane windows as we landed!  It was to be a magical few days with a concert of famous Mozart arias at the Estates Theatre where many had been performed in Mozart’s day. But the icing on the cake was to be our last evening when we went to one of the many concerts performed by young students in the early evening.

This one at the baroque Klementinum, Chapel of Mirrors. Entitled Ave Maria, it was simply a soprano and an organist. The concert ended with the soprano singing Alleluia (Exsultate Jubilate), the purest and most sublime young voice, ringing in the beautiful surroundings.

What was the first single you bought?  

In the Summertime by Mungo Jerry (1970). 

Which song do you know all the words to?

Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen.  

Which song/piece of music would you like played at your funeral?

Drop Drop Slow Tears by Orlando Gibbons, which was played at my Dad's funeral.  

Which music do you listen to most often?

Bach's B Minor Mass (at the moment!) 

Otherwise there are songs I play sometimes on YouTube:   Brimful of Asha by Cornershop, Don't Leave Me This Way by the Communards, Just a Little Bit by Gina G, Things Can Only Get Better by D-Ream. 

(I am an aficionado of pop music from the 70s/80s!)  

I recently asked my fellow tenors what they like about singing and being part of Royston Choral Society, and they didn’t disappoint…

For James B, it’s the sum total of our individual input “the opportunity to be part of something larger than myself working together to make a great sound.” He also appreciates the inclusivity of the choir “It provides an opportunity for people of different ages, abilities, backgrounds and musical experiences to get together to perform great works to a high standard in a friendly environment.”

The power of the performance is also an attraction for our other James B “I like working on something that challenges both individually and collectively. This culminating in a concert with a sense of occasion and hopefully giving those moments of beauty and joy whilst getting it absolutely right. The whole room can feel it and so will you.“

Alan B praises the quality of leadership in our musical director, Andrew O’Brien. “Andrew is an excellent choral trainer and it is in fact a privilege to sing under his leadership. Over a period of 55 years I have sung in a number of choirs including the BBC Choral Society and I can only think of two other conductors as stimulating, and one of those was Malcolm Sargent in the early 1960s.”

Alan also enjoys the qualities of the choir. “For a relatively small town we have a choir with real potential - I cannot wait to start on the Bach B Minor Mass [our November 2023 concert].”

For me (Chris L) the performance – when we get it right – makes all the effort worthwhile. I’m pleased to report that the attractions of singing with the Choral Society keep the tenors coming back, and we’ve enjoyed a record number joining during the year!

Last time, conductors were the butt of our jokes (if you can call them that…) Here are two more, this time with the spotlight on singers.

A: "How much does it cost to hire a group of singers?"

B: "You mean a choir?"

A: "Sorry, how much to acquire a group of singers?"

A man goes to the doctor...

"Doc, I'm not sure what's wrong with me. I can't stop shaking my hips and singing Tom Jones songs."
To which the doctor replies, "Clearly sir, you have Tom Jones' Disease."
The man asks, "Is this common?"
The doctor answers, "It's not unusual."