We passed another milestone in St Mary’s Church during Sunday afternoon on the long road back to post-pandemic normality.  We held a Choral Workshop to start the new season of St Mary’s Festival Singers returning to the platform.  It was such a treat to be able to gather in a space which has a wonderful acoustic, to meet 24 other musicians face to face (Zoom singing is definitely not an enjoyable experience!) and to lift our voices together in a joyful sound.

St Mary’s Festival Singers is a group of keen singers who have some experience of part singing and who meet on an occasional basis to provide high quality choral music for special services in St Mary’s Church.  There is no regular commitment to weekly rehearsals.  The Festival Singers first met for a similar workshop almost exactly 2 years ago in Oct 2019, and after a hugely successful start, they had to curtail their singing activities with the onset of the pandemic in March 2020.  But with a schedule of events which runs through until October 2022, once again the participants will have plenty of scope to contribute their enthusiasm and expertise, and they will even have a Festival next year to sing for!

Singing is acknowledged to be highly beneficial for wellbeing.  It is a form of physical exercise, which is why it is so important to warm up thoroughly before singing.  The exercises involve the whole body bending and stretching, as well as warming up the vocal cords.  We were all feeling rather rusty after so many months of church services in which singing was banned by law – probably something which last happened during the time of Oliver Cromwell in the English Civil War.  And vocal muscles, like any other muscles of the body, seize up if they are not regularly used.  Sight-reading music is extremely good for the brain’s cognitive functions especially when singing compositions where the parts run in different directions in sequence.  There is a satisfying thrill to counting rests correctly and coming in at the right time and on the right note.

Singing can help to lower stress and enhance the memory.  Most of all, it is a communal activity which requires cooperation and a collaborative group approach.  As singers, we feel a sense of satisfaction that we have achieved a worthwhile objective together.   For those who have a sense of spirituality, even if not quite sure what we believe in, singing expressive music in a beautiful space may well foster in us a sense of God’s presence touching a world which is marred by tragedy and violence.  Singing is primarily an act of communication: within ourselves, with other people around us, and with a divine presence beyond this world.

The words of the Old Testament prophet Isaiah (Chapter 55, verse 12) sum up the reason why singing brings universal joy in which we can all take pleasure:

“For you shall go out in joy     

and be led forth in peace; 

the mountains and the hills before you     

shall break forth into singing,     

and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.”

And if you know the exhilarating hymn (by Stuart Dauermann) which is based on this quotation, then do join me in singing it aloud!

Sarah Bourne, Chaplain for the Arts – 20^th Oct 2021            sarahbourne@banburystmary.org.uk