Singing helps to hone many important characteristics. One of those essential traits is empathy. Here are three ways in which singing can make you more empathetic:
#1. Listening:
Singers need to listen to other singers, and musicians in a very subtle and nuanced manner, in order to perform at their best. This form of acute listening is important in other areas of life as well, as singers are accustomed to listening to more than just words – tone, cadence, timbre, are all important aspects of conversation, and contribute to a more empathetic listener.
#2. Perspective:
Part of the job of the singer is to take the character of the piece into themselves, and create a persona to embody for that performance. This perspective gives singers an enormous amount of insight into people, and how they communicate, and present themselves to the world.
#3. Collaboration:
Singers rarely sing by themselves. Either they have accompaniment, in the form of instrumentation, or they sing in a choral setting, with other singers. This means that singers spend much of their time collaborating with other people, developing the ability to understand others’ perspectives, and to understand where someone else is coming from.
How else might singing help with empathy? Tell us in the comments below!
