- Words by Jane Zatylny Photography by Lia Crowe

I love to sing91裸聊视频攑rivately. In the shower. In the car. And around the house. I91裸聊视频檝e never thought I was good enough to sing in any kind of public way. But singing in a choir, I91裸聊视频檓 learning, is about more than just hitting the right high notes.

91裸聊视频淚f you want to sing with other people, just do it,91裸聊视频� urges Marc Jenkins, director of The Choirs YYJ. 91裸聊视频淚t feels good, whatever your skill level.91裸聊视频�

Marc tells me that Victoria has the highest number of choirs per capita in the country. 91裸聊视频淭here are more choir singers than hockey players in Canada, too,91裸聊视频� he quips.

Different sorts of choirs are springing up all across the province, from the traditional symphonic, educational or auditioned choir to choirs that practice and perform pop music or gather to sing a hit together on a single night.

Choirs, of course, are all about community. And after the seclusion of the pandemic, it obviously feels great to gather again and work together as a community on a song or two. But something else happens when people gather to sing together, Marc says: 91裸聊视频淚f two people sing next to one another for four months, their bodies get to 91裸聊视频榢now91裸聊视频� one another. That91裸聊视频檚 when the hook goes in with choir.91裸聊视频�

Lynda Kaye felt a strong pull when she first started singing with the Tofino Ucluelet Choir. She was part of a choir in junior high and loved it, but didn91裸聊视频檛 do anything with singing again until her 60th year.

91裸聊视频淪ome musician friends of mine told me about a woman named Sophie L91裸聊视频橦omme, who was starting a choir. I went in to that first rehearsal and91裸聊视频攚ow91裸聊视频攊t changed my life overnight.91裸聊视频�

Seven years later, Lynda is still hooked on choir.

91裸聊视频淭here wasn91裸聊视频檛 a rehearsal in Tofino where I didn91裸聊视频檛 laugh and cry and feel fantastic. It was just an extraordinary, extraordinary experience. And everybody that I know who91裸聊视频檚 done it has felt the same way,91裸聊视频� she says.

The creation of harmony91裸聊视频攍iterally, as well as metaphorically91裸聊视频攊s another very powerful aspect of choir, says Marc: 91裸聊视频淚n a way, we91裸聊视频檙e like bees in a hive.91裸聊视频�

I dropped in to listen to one of Marc91裸聊视频檚 rehearsals and saw immediately what he meant: there was laughter and close camaraderie as people arrived, greeted one another, and set up chairs. And then sweet, sweet sounds flowed across the room, from soprano voices to alto, then from to tenor to bass.

The vibe in the room was contagious, even from my chair at the back of the room. I couldn91裸聊视频檛 help but sing softly, too, close my eyes and sway to the music.

Rebecca Lam, creative director of the Vancouver-based Chorus Studio, explained why: singing, she said, releases endorphins and oxytocin, the famous feel-good hormones. Ah, that makes sense.

91裸聊视频淐onnecting with music and expressing yourself creatively is an empowering endeavour,91裸聊视频� says Rebecca. 91裸聊视频淪inging in a choir is also a wonderful way to meet people and make new friends. We91裸聊视频檙e vulnerable with each other because you have to be while singing. This naturally cultivates camaraderie between people.91裸聊视频�

Lynda now divides her time between Tofino and Victoria and continues to participate in her Tofino Ucluelet choir via Zoom. She91裸聊视频檚 been checking out local Victoria choirs, too, and expects to find a new choral home in Victoria soon.

To anyone thinking of joining a choir, she advises: 91裸聊视频淚f you have even an inkling that you might want to sing in a group, give it a go. Go someplace, find a drop-in choir or go to a choir performance and observe how it91裸聊视频檚 done. Talk to a choir director or someone else who91裸聊视频檚 in choir. Just give it a go.91裸聊视频�

And don91裸聊视频檛 let your musical insecurities or inexperience hold you back. In the Tofino Ucluelet choir, Lynda said, half of the people knew how to read music and half didn91裸聊视频檛.

91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 an advantage if you can read music, but it91裸聊视频檚 not a requirement,91裸聊视频� she explains. 91裸聊视频淲hen you raise your voice with a group of people, the community of choir pulls everybody with it. It91裸聊视频檚 okay if you miss a note or forget your lyrics because we91裸聊视频檙e all there to hold you up.91裸聊视频�

The joy of choir all comes back to that undeniable feel-good factor, says Marc. 91裸聊视频淚f you sing in the shower or you sing in the car, and want to do that with other people, do it, because it feels really good.91裸聊视频�

Here are some tips to consider if you91裸聊视频檙e thinking of joining a choir:

Do your research.

Go online and find out what sorts of choirs there are in your area, then go to a few concerts to see what you like.

91裸聊视频淢ost choirs will have a website or social media presence,91裸聊视频� says Marc. 91裸聊视频淭here you can get a flavour of what the choir will be like.91裸聊视频�

Recognize that choir is a commitment.

91裸聊视频淵ou91裸聊视频檙e all doing it and you91裸聊视频檙e all working hard at getting good at it,91裸聊视频� says Lynda. 91裸聊视频淵ou have to learn the music, you have to practice the music, you have to show up for a rehearsal. And you have to be okay with repeating, repeating, repeating until you get it right.91裸聊视频�

Shy on commitment?

Consider a drop-in choir. There are many one-night performances where you learn a pop song and record it with the group in a single evening.

91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檒l still obtain a goal,91裸聊视频� says Marc. 91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檒l do a little three-part harmony.91裸聊视频� (The Choirs YYJ will do a Beatles drop-in choir night in June.) Check online for a drop-in choir event in your area.

Don91裸聊视频檛 be intimidated.

91裸聊视频淲e like to say, 91裸聊视频業f you can speak, you can sing,91裸聊视频�91裸聊视频� says Rebecca. 91裸聊视频淚t is outdated to believe that one is either born with talent or not. Musical ability can be cultivated and nourished.91裸聊视频�

And lastly, don91裸聊视频檛 give up.

It may take time to find the right choir, says Marc. It91裸聊视频檚 like buying a car; sometimes you have to kick the tires.

91裸聊视频淪ome of it can be social too,91裸聊视频� he says. 91裸聊视频淔or instance, if you91裸聊视频檙e really extroverted and you join a choir that91裸聊视频檚 pretty introverted, you might be like, 91裸聊视频榃hy does nobody like me?91裸聊视频� It91裸聊视频檚 worth scoping around and trying things until you find your way.91裸聊视频�

Info

The Choirs YYJ

thechoirsyyj.com

A collective of three Victoria-based ensembles that represent over 200 people of all ages, genders, experiences, vocal abilities and musical tastes.

Chorus Studio

thechorusstudio.com

A Vancouver-based community of adult pop choirs, professional voice lessons and performance workshops, and regular open mic and karaoke nights.

Story courtesy of , a Black Press Media publication
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