LATINO

Join A Choir

It has become very popular in recent years to join a choir. It seems that the only prerequisite is the ability to be able to sing in tune. It would of course be helpful to be able to read music also.

When we hear the word choir we often think of different images. We can see in our mind’s eye magnificent church choirs singing complex choral pieces but we can also see a picture of ordinary people who get together to make music and just have fun.

There have been a number of movies released in recent years which tell the story of a group of people who got together to sing and formed a choir. We think also of wonderful Welsh choirs, Russian choirs and childrens’ choirs.

The history of human music is very complex. Over millenniums, the human voice has been musically used to express different feelings and ideas. After my research I have come to understand that singing is probably the oldest musical form. Originally, music from the voice was most likely influenced by birdsong and by the sounds of other animals communicating. Music has transcended history — the fall of Rome, the baths of England, wars, kings and queens, and ever-evolving cultural societies.

Pope Gregory the Great is credited with standarizing musical notation. Although evidence of music first appeared in the West at the beginning of the Christian era, there is some proof that music had already reached an advanced form in the East, thirty-five centuries B.C.  The people of Mesopotamia (currently in Iraq) played on a variety of instruments which were later found in excavations.

In Egyptian tombs, as far back as 2700 B.C, paintings on the walls depicted groups of musical performers including singers. As Eastern civilizations evolved, they always included human music. Although there is plenty of documentation about this music, there is no record of what the Egyptians may have sung. The very best that historians have been able to accomplish is to reconstitute a few of their melodic scales.

There were also ancient Hebrew choirs, although very little specific information exists about these. There is more information about early Greek choral music, handed down by philosophers who believed in their aesthetic and ethical value. I found that the overwhelming abundance of information surrounding the origins of choral music seems to be taken from the European Middle ages.

Church music still seems to be one of the most popular types of music that are sung by choirs. Even a small church often has a group of like minded members, both male
and female, combining their voices to make music. Most choirs will have one of their members who take on the role of choirmaster or leader. This person usually has a good knowledge of music and can teach the choir members to sing in 4 parts.

These usually include tenor, soprano, alto, baritone and bass. Membership of a choir does not have to be formal but those choristers who join are asked to undertake coming to rehearsals and to take part in performances from time to time. The ideal choir is one in which the members’ voices blend together to give a beautifully modulated sound and in which individual voices cannot be identified.

Folk music and gospel music have always been a popular choice they seem to include bright and rousing melodies. Choristers quickly become accustomed to performing in public, often before large numbers of people. How does one feel when one sings in a choir? It seems that one’s spirit is elevated to a different level than the humdrum activities that we usually pursue.

It has been said that alpha waves and other energy levels in the brain are activated by the singing. Personalities and self centered behaviour have no place in a choir which by definition is a group of people who sing together for a common cause.

Liturgical music is based on glorifying the Almighty and one frequently hears the word Hallelujah sung. This means Praise The Lord. Some of the most beautiful music ever composed over the centuries have been songs of praise. This music is non-denominational and can be sung by all peoples.

To sing well involves using lungs and having good posture. This allows the sound to be expressed properly by the body. Singers have known for many years that a visit to the chiropractor can help them enormously by re-aligning their spine and allowing the lungs to fully expand.  Little wonder that world famous singers have their own personal chiropractor who travels with them on tour and makes sure that their spines are correctly aligned so as to allow them to maximise the singing potential.

About the Author

Dr David Black is an Australian chiropractor in private practice. After 25 years as a pharmacist, he went back to study in 1980 as a mature aged student and has now practiced chiropractic for 25 years. He is passionate about patient education and giving people the tools to help themselves. Dr Black believes that everyone can enjoy better health and that spinal health and fitness is a key start in this journey. His website at http://blackchiropractic.com.au has many articles and chiropractic resources.

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