- Words by Jane Zatylny Photography by Lia Crowe

I love to sing害羞草研究所攑rivately. In the shower. In the car. And around the house. I害羞草研究所檝e never thought I was good enough to sing in any kind of public way. But singing in a choir, I害羞草研究所檓 learning, is about more than just hitting the right high notes.

害羞草研究所淚f you want to sing with other people, just do it,害羞草研究所� urges Marc Jenkins, director of The Choirs YYJ. 害羞草研究所淚t feels good, whatever your skill level.害羞草研究所�

Marc tells me that Victoria has the highest number of choirs per capita in the country. 害羞草研究所淭here are more choir singers than hockey players in Canada, too,害羞草研究所� 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: 害羞草研究所淚f two people sing next to one another for four months, their bodies get to 害羞草研究所榢now害羞草研究所� one another. That害羞草研究所檚 when the hook goes in with choir.害羞草研究所�

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 didn害羞草研究所檛 do anything with singing again until her 60th year.

害羞草研究所淪ome musician friends of mine told me about a woman named Sophie L害羞草研究所橦omme, who was starting a choir. I went in to that first rehearsal and害羞草研究所攚ow害羞草研究所攊t changed my life overnight.害羞草研究所�

Seven years later, Lynda is still hooked on choir.

害羞草研究所淭here wasn害羞草研究所檛 a rehearsal in Tofino where I didn害羞草研究所檛 laugh and cry and feel fantastic. It was just an extraordinary, extraordinary experience. And everybody that I know who害羞草研究所檚 done it has felt the same way,害羞草研究所� she says.

The creation of harmony害羞草研究所攍iterally, as well as metaphorically害羞草研究所攊s another very powerful aspect of choir, says Marc: 害羞草研究所淚n a way, we害羞草研究所檙e like bees in a hive.害羞草研究所�

I dropped in to listen to one of Marc害羞草研究所檚 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 couldn害羞草研究所檛 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.

害羞草研究所淐onnecting with music and expressing yourself creatively is an empowering endeavour,害羞草研究所� says Rebecca. 害羞草研究所淪inging in a choir is also a wonderful way to meet people and make new friends. We害羞草研究所檙e vulnerable with each other because you have to be while singing. This naturally cultivates camaraderie between people.害羞草研究所�

Lynda now divides her time between Tofino and Victoria and continues to participate in her Tofino Ucluelet choir via Zoom. She害羞草研究所檚 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: 害羞草研究所淚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 it害羞草研究所檚 done. Talk to a choir director or someone else who害羞草研究所檚 in choir. Just give it a go.害羞草研究所�

And don害羞草研究所檛 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 didn害羞草研究所檛.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 an advantage if you can read music, but it害羞草研究所檚 not a requirement,害羞草研究所� she explains. 害羞草研究所淲hen you raise your voice with a group of people, the community of choir pulls everybody with it. It害羞草研究所檚 okay if you miss a note or forget your lyrics because we害羞草研究所檙e all there to hold you up.害羞草研究所�

The joy of choir all comes back to that undeniable feel-good factor, says Marc. 害羞草研究所淚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.害羞草研究所�

Here are some tips to consider if you害羞草研究所檙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.

害羞草研究所淢ost choirs will have a website or social media presence,害羞草研究所� says Marc. 害羞草研究所淭here you can get a flavour of what the choir will be like.害羞草研究所�

Recognize that choir is a commitment.

害羞草研究所淵ou害羞草研究所檙e all doing it and you害羞草研究所檙e all working hard at getting good at it,害羞草研究所� says Lynda. 害羞草研究所淵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.害羞草研究所�

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.

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檒l still obtain a goal,害羞草研究所� says Marc. 害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檒l do a little three-part harmony.害羞草研究所� (The Choirs YYJ will do a Beatles drop-in choir night in June.) Check online for a drop-in choir event in your area.

Don害羞草研究所檛 be intimidated.

害羞草研究所淲e like to say, 害羞草研究所業f you can speak, you can sing,害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟 says Rebecca. 害羞草研究所淚t is outdated to believe that one is either born with talent or not. Musical ability can be cultivated and nourished.害羞草研究所�

And lastly, don害羞草研究所檛 give up.

It may take time to find the right choir, says Marc. It害羞草研究所檚 like buying a car; sometimes you have to kick the tires.

害羞草研究所淪ome of it can be social too,害羞草研究所� he says. 害羞草研究所淔or instance, if you害羞草研究所檙e really extroverted and you join a choir that害羞草研究所檚 pretty introverted, you might be like, 害羞草研究所榃hy does nobody like me?害羞草研究所� It害羞草研究所檚 worth scoping around and trying things until you find your way.害羞草研究所�

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
Like Boulevard Magazine on and follow them on