Pushing the boundaries of singing

The human voice is an incredibly versatile instrument. Through choir practice, you’ll have heard first-hand some of the incredible things the voice can do but the possibilities are truly endless. From rapping and screaming to beatboxing and complex overtone techniques, no one singer can claim to be a master of every vocal technique, and researchers continue to discover new and exciting forms of singing amongst tribal cultures, even today. Continue reading “Pushing the boundaries of singing”

A brief history of musical notation

As musicians, we’re all familiar with the notes of the heptatonic scale: A B C D E F G. What many of us may not know is the history of these notes and how musical notation got to be the way it is.
The purpose of musical notation is to tell someone what notes should be played without playing the note. They are supposed to be agreed upon reference points to enable music to be shared without being played. Continue reading “A brief history of musical notation”

“Do Re Mi” – A History

Last week, we spoke about the origins of singing itself. While exploring how archaeology is uncovering the history of song, we also stumbled across the wonderful history of “Do Re Mi” or Solfège, a method of teaching music that many of us will remember.

While the sounds, Do Re Mi So La Fa Ti might seem like nonsense, they actually form a mnemonic device that has revolutionised the way we think about music. Continue reading ““Do Re Mi” – A History”

The origins of singing

We speak a lot about the benefits of singing. Each week, we try and highlight an incredible way that expressing oneself through song can help the mind and body but within many of us, there is a still a little spark that says “you can’t sing.” This week, we look at the origins of singing in a bid to prove that singing is a deeply ingrained part of us all. Continue reading “The origins of singing”

Does exercise help you sing?

As it’s the new year and many of us are getting back to the gym, it’s time for us to give you a bit of extra motivation. Exercise is more than about getting beach body ready, regular cardio workouts can improve your singing ability.

Cardio is short for cardiovascular, and refers to any activity that gets the heart rate up and keeps it there, forcing us to to take bigger breaths. By training our breathing, we are able to sing with more power and stamina, two hugely important components of a singer. Continue reading “Does exercise help you sing?”

New Years Resolutions

With the New Year here, it’s time for us all to look back on the year that has passed and figure out what we want from the year ahead.
We’ve spoken a lot about why you should spend time singing and how it can benefit other aspects of your life, from your happiness to your health. So the question then becomes, how do make 2019 your most music year? What New Years Resolutions should we be putting into action? Continue reading “New Years Resolutions”

Christmas news – Breaks, Concerts & Carols

As Christmas draws in, it’s time for us to take a short break but we’re not done just yet. There’s still plenty of thing happening over the winter period to keep you busy and singing until we return on January 8th.

To close out our term on December 18th, our regular rehearsal session will be an informal concert. While there wont be a ticket price, donations will be accepted for the choir and Thanet Winter Shelter. Our choir members will meet at 7:15pm to prepare, while guests will be welcome to attend from 8:15pm.

Also, we have an annual tradition that we must observe. For the past few  years, our fearless leader has organised an alternative carol service; Ding Dong Merrily On Pie.
Join us on Christmas Eve from 5:30pm outside Rubber Chicken House in Ramsgate for the silliest carol service you’ve ever seen or heard. Songs include Can You Stop The Canapes, Ding Dong Merrily On Pie, Last Christmas I Did A Big Fart, and The Toilet Door Said Gentlemen.
Lyrics, Mulled Wine and Minced Pies will be provided. Further details are on the flyer below.

We hope all of you have a wonderful Christmas and a great New Year. Until the new term starts, this article on taking care of your voice or maybe this one might be of use until the next BIGMOUTH rehearsal on January 8th.

Emily scoops up gold at British Composer Awards!

A huge congratulations are in order for our fearless leader, Emily Peasgood, as she picks up the award for Sonic Art at the British Composer Awards.

The award was earned for her work “Halfway to Heaven” which celebrated the rediscovery of a lost Baptist burial ground in Folkestone. The interactive installation was commissioned by the Creative Foundation as part of Folkestone Triennial last year, and was commended by The Times, The Telegraph and Wall Street International, as well as others. Continue reading “Emily scoops up gold at British Composer Awards!”

Choir boosts your immune system

It turns out choir practice may have even more health benefits than we first thought! In a fascinating study, it seems regular choir practice might even help boost the immune system of immunocompromised cancer patients.

Not only were there measurable reductions in stress hormones but patients involved in choir activities saw an increase in immune-related proteins and a reduction in inflammation-related proteins. This was measured directly after the singing session when the results were assumed to be strongest. Continue reading “Choir boosts your immune system”