Hat tip to Michael Parker for this story:
Why such a brouhaha about singing when every week seems to bring more evidence that schools are failing to teach basic skills to our children? The answer is that singing plays a big role in making those other things possible.More here.
As the Sing Up programme manager Baz Chapman points out, singing is more than a musical act; it's a primordial feature of mankind, predating even agriculture. It's connected to the roots of our being, as breathing, feeling, social creatures.
Get schoolchildren singing together regularly, and something miraculous happens. They concentrate better, they're happier in themselves, and the school takes on a real cohesive sense of identity. This isn't just the subjective impression of starry-eyed music teachers: it's hard fact. Every single one of the top 30 primary schools in England has a singing programme involving all pupils.
5 comments:
Get adults singing together regularly, and something miraculous happens there too... Overall, it's a good thing that people should do more often. Good post Dr. C.
To really be "in" a rehearsal one cannot possibly concentrate on anything else. It demands an almost hyper-focus of attention. I love that about performing arts. It allows me to absolutely shut out the outside pressures of life for a few hours at a time...a daily gift...
I totally agree with Nancy...choir is a must-have in my life because I can completely immerse myself in the music and forget about any current stress or problems in my life...choir is my therapy :) I also agree that getting kids to start singing in choirs from a young age is key...the children's choir I was involved in really began my passion for choral music and I've been hooked ever since.
-Whitney
I especially love your last paragraph. Nicely written.
For the record . . . I didn't write that.
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