Category: Music

The Benefit of Sectionals

We spend a lot of time discussing how important it is to sing as a group, to listen to the other parts, and to blend seamlessly, but it’s just as important for sections of the choir to break off sometimes and have their own time in a sectional, separate from the rest of the choir:

#1. Bashing notes:
At its most basic function, sectionals provide the opportunity for everyone in that section to really learn the notes and the rhythm. This is the significantly less glamorous aspect of choir, singing the same section of a piece over and over again, until everyone has the note, but it serves an important function. Not everyone learns at the same rate, and some choristers need more time within their own section to really feel confident in their part

#2. Section unity:
Going off in different sections of the choir is important because of the social aspect as well. There is something about identifying as a part, soprano, altos, tenors, or basses, that makes choristers feel like they belong. This is important in their singing as well. By knowing the people in your section, and their voices, you know who to rely on in the more difficult parts of a piece.

#3. Listening:
As we’ve discussed before, listening is just as important as singing in a choir. Breaking off into sectionals forces choristers to listen in a different, and often more nuanced way. No longer are choristers trying to hear their part against others, and blend their voices within a myriad of different timbres; instead they must contend with the difficulties of unison singing – blending their voice with others that have similar timbres, ensuring that rhythms and pitches are crisp and clear.

How else do sectionals benefit choristers? Tell us in the comments below!

November 7, 2016
Atmospheric Music

Happy Halloween!

In honour of this spooktacular day, we thought we would discuss how important music can be in the creation of atmosphere!

#1. Creating tension:
Try watching a scary movie without the sound, and suddenly, it becomes significantly less terrifying. This is because music and sound are used to great effect, in enhancing tension. By using dissonance (pitches close together), music can create a sense of suspense, and discordance that can be used, usually quite subtly, to heighten the emotional aspects of a scene.

#2. Mimicry:
Instruments can be used to great effect to mimic terrifying sounds. Wind instruments are extremely successful at making ghostly winds, and fluttering, and violins can be used to mimic screaming sounds. Percussive instruments like cymbals, clavicles, chimes, are very versatile at mimicking familiar sounds. These instruments can be used within pieces, or as their own sound effects to create a sense of creepy familiarity!

#3. Leitmotifs:
Leitmotifs are musical phrases, designed to represent a person, place or idea. In the movie Jaws, the sinister shark is represented by a minor second interval, played over and over again. The viewer becomes attuned to those pitches, and understands that whenever they are played, it means the shark will make an appearance. This greatly enhances the scary atmosphere of the movie. Leitmotifs are often used in horror films to foreshadow the villain’s arrival!

How else does music contribute to creating an atmosphere? Tell us in the comments!

October 31, 2016
Discipline In Singing

One of the most important aspects of learning music, is the discipline that it requires. Studying music is not like many other pursuits; it requires continual and dedicated time, patience, and discipline.

#1. Little by little:
Music, like learning a new language, is best done in small, but consistent portions of time. The repetition required to really understand musical concepts, means that it is essentially impossible to ‘cram’ for music. The most successful musicians and singers understand that music is a daily practice; a habit to be worked on every day for concerted period of time. Singing is best practiced little by little, every day.

#2. Accumulation of knowledge:
Music is one of those areas of study in which there is always something more to learn. And musical knowledge always builds on more basic concepts learned first. Thus, in music and in singing, it is necessary to develop fundamental skills first, and then build on those skills, challenging yourself with more difficult music, as you gain the necessary skills. This requires dedication and discipline, and an understanding that the study of music is never really finished.

#3. Process over product:
Singing is most effectively learned when you focus on the process of singing, and not the final product. Because the nature of singing is inherently variable, a piece of music is never sung the exact same way twice. This can be difficult for beginning singers, because we live in a ‘results’ obsessed society. Understanding your instrument, how it works, what factors affect it, and how your emotions, and perspective influence your instrument, are much more important to beginner singers than whether any given performance sounded the way you wanted.

How else is discipline a necessary component in the study of music? Tell us in the comments below!

October 17, 2016
The Importance of Early Music Education

Every day we learn more about the many benefits of music education. There have been numerous studies in recent years highlighting the myriad ways in which learning music can benefit people in both mind, and body! Nowhere is this more evident than in early childhood:

#1. Sound is natural:
Sound is everywhere. It is as much a part of our natural world as anything else. Teaching children to feel the beat, or hear pitches organized in a certain way, feels as natural to them as learning to identify the colours they see around them, or to count the number of blocks they’re playing with. By teaching them musical concepts at an early age, we reinforce that music and sound are a natural part of our lives, and we provide guidance to our children about how to navigate those sounds.

#2. Fundamentals:
By teaching small children the fundamentals of music early, we ensure that by the time they are old enough for junior choir, or even private lessons in a particular instrument, they possess an inherent understanding of the fundamentals of music. Learning music at such a young age, also helps children develop a fundamental understanding of language, how to use their bodies and even basic mathematical concepts!

#3. Early socialization:
It is very rare that one learns music completely by oneself. Our music programs reinforce the concept of learning with others. Music is a shared experience; learning with others helps children to reinforce the concepts they’re learning, as they watch other children, and learn in different ways from each other. It also helps to socialize children early, preparing them to interact well with others.

You can learn more about our Early Music Education program, the Music Makers here!

How else is early music education important? Tell us in the comments below!

October 3, 2016
Present Focused Performance

Performing is a unique aspect of singing with a group. By the time a performance rolls around, the basic necessities of learning a piece of music are already accomplished. The notes, and rhythms have been learned, the words have been memorized. Performance evokes something completely different in musicians. It makes demands of your present self:

#1. Forgiving Mistakes:
One of the most beautiful things about music is that there is never perfection. A performance only highlights this, because there are a myriad of factors that contribute to a successful performance, and very rarely do they all go off without a hitch. In a choir setting, there is also the variable of many more voices. Thus, mistakes, even small ones are bound to happen in a live performance. To stay present focused, instantaneous forgiveness of any mistakes is crucial.

#2. Responsiveness:
In a choral performance, the conductor is not simply there to keep the beat, or to bring everyone in on their respective entrances. It is the unique responsibility of the conductor to respond to the energy of both the audience and the performers, to enhance the musicality at any given moment. By remaining focused on the present, singers are able to respond to the slightest direction from their conductor, making the performance that much more sensitive and nuanced.

#3. Creating a moment:
Performing is different from just learning a piece of music, and singing it for yourself. By allowing an audience to hear the music that you have spent time and energy working on, a new opportunity opens up. Performers who are present focused, can respond, in real time to the reactions, emotion, and energy from their audience, heightening heightening the musical experience for all! Creating a musical moment like this can only happen when a performer is focused on the present.

How else does performance encourage you to stay focused on the present? Tell us in the comments below!

September 26, 2016
Growth In Singing

Since many of us start singing at quite a young age (our Music Makers program starts at 3!) We can experience a lot of growth in our time as singers. This manifests both physically (our voices often don’t mature fully until we’re ~30 years old), but it also manifests in our state of mind. Here are 3 ways to manage your growth as a singer:

#1. Adapting:
As our voices, and our ability to manage our voices can change on a daily basis, one of the best ways to continue your growth in singing, is to be adaptable. Understand that your voice can be influenced by external forces like the weather, or air pressure. Internal forces also have a significant impact on your voice; health, energy, and mental state all play a role in the sound you produce. Adapting to these fluctuations will ensure that you continue learning about your instrument, instead of becoming discouraged by the instability.

#2. Setting Goals:
As with any learning objective, an excellent way to improve, is to set realistic, and manageable goals. Singing is much the same. By setting expectations for where you want to grow your singing ability, you can make slow, steady and healthy progress toward your goals. Good singing isn’t something that just suddenly materializes. It is the result of challenging yourself, and following through on a daily basis.

#3. Keeping calm:
Our voices can often feel as though they have a mind of our own. When our voices are still training, or they’re changing, we can sometimes feel like we aren’t really in control of what sound comes out of our mouths on any given day. While that might sometimes be true, berating yourself for producing less than stellar sound will actually have a physiological effect on your voice, creating a vicious cycle of errors. One of the sure signs of growth in singing, is the ability to forgive your mistakes, and move on, unencumbered by past errors.

How else does your singing evolve over time? Tell us in the comments below!

September 19, 2016
Self-Awareness In Singing

Singing is different than playing any other instrument. Because a singer’s body is their instrument, singers must make an extra effort, not just to take care of their instrument, but to conceptualize that instrument from the inside out:

#1. Self-visualization:
Singers are not able to open up their body and view their instrument, to have it in front of them, like a piano, or to hold and manipulate it, like a guitar. Instead, singers must understand their instrument through internal visualization. It helps that, through improved technologies, we can view vocal folds through scoped cameras, or clever animations. Still, a singer needs to have a mental map of what their instrument looks like from the inside, and what the process of creating sung sound is like.

#2. Meditative breathing:
Because deep breathing is an essential aspect of the singing process, singers need to learn to breath in a way that is conducive to a vocal melody. This requires deep belly breathing, a process that is quite meditative. The low, calm breathing learned in singing, means that simply through the physical act of singing, we can calm our mind, and body to focus on the task of performance.

#3. Present-centric:
Performance of any kind requires a musician to be ‘in the moment’. This is especially true of singers, whose bodies are attuned, and will respond (sometimes negatively) to even the slightest change in mental attitude. By focusing too much on what is coming next, or dwelling on past mistakes, singers can sabotage their own performance. Understanding this, helps singers to stay in the present moment, and deliver the best performance they possibly can!

How else does singing improve self-awareness? Tell us in the comments below!

September 12, 2016
Spring Concert 2016 Roundup!

Our concert took place at the Rosza Centre on Saturday, May 14, and featured the incomparable Jonathan Love as host and collaborator. Much of our music fit loosely into a theme of nature, and more specifically birds – as we performed pieces such as “The Bluebird”, by C.V. Stanford, “Be Like A Bird” by Sheila Wright, and the Beatles’ “Blackbird”. We finished the evening with Haydn’s “The Heaven’s Are Telling”, with Alena Naumchyk on organ, four string players: Tor Ellergodt, Elizabeth MacDonell, Leo Zhang , and Stephanie Huynh, and our very own choristers, Kyla Fradette, Josh Carr, and Emilia Grindlay, who sang the trio in this piece. Kyla Fradette also arranged the Pentatonix’ “Take Me Home” for CYC, and Robbie Downey sang the solo in “Blackbird”.

Our juniors, conducted by Esther Woelfle, were a focused group of singers, who performed two polished pieces with beautiful, unforced sound. And we had a debut performance from our Music Makers (age 4 and 5) conducted by Kathryn Berko, stealing the show on cuteness alone, not to mention a very convincing rendition of “There was an Old Woman”.

Jonathan Love took everything to the next level, by composing poems which linked the pieces together, regardless of topic!! Jonathan was able to teach parts of his poetry to some of our choristers on the day of the concert, and they memorized their individual lines and delivered them without a hitch that evening. An anecdote about Jonathan’s poetry-writing skills: we realized, one hour before the show, that there was a transition in the program with no poem. Not only that, we needed to somehow link the piece “Goin’ Down to Cairo”, an American folk song “play party”, with the rest of the program (mostly about birds and nature). In fifteen minutes, Jonathan had composed a poem for this section. Part of that poem is as follows:

When birds of a feather flock together
What do you think they do?
They don’t conspire on a telephone wire
Or preen like a cockatoo.

Well, the preening’s done. It’s to have some fun
And whenever they get the chance,
They’ll do their nails and splay their tails
And they all have a country dance.

They walk the walk and squawk the squawk
While the bass and the fiddle play
The flappers flap – naturally, perhaps,
And they dance till the light of day

Suffice to say, we all had a lot of fun putting this concert together. The kids worked very hard and enjoyed the great energy, talent, and sense of fun that Jonathan brought to the experience.

We look forward now to our year-end celebration banquet, and plans for next year including our 30^th Anniversary Celebration in the Spring of 2017. Stay tuned for more information about that! Online registration for our 2016-2017 season is now open!

-Marni Strome

(Photos by Christina Jahn)

What was your favourite part of the concert? Tell us in the comments below!

May 16, 2016
Musical Professions: Audio Engineer

This is the sixth post in our series, Musical Professions, in which we will be taking a closer look at the myriad of careers available to those with a background in, and a passion for music!
Many musicians chose to pursue a combination of these musical professions, making them incredibly versatile and well-rounded!

Audio Engineer

An audio engineer is responsible for using technology to improve the production quality of recorded music. They also do live sound mixing during live performances at concert halls, theatres, and arenas. Audio engineers require a high degree of technological proficiency, excellent aural musicianship skills, and a great deal of patience!

There are also sound and audio engineers who hold engineering degrees, who work primarily in acoustical engineering, creating new sound technologies such as perfecting instruments, collaborating with architects to create buildings that best amplify sound, and even in the medical application of sound and music, such as the field of psychoacoustics.

Here is an interesting video depicting a day in the life of an audio engineer:

What other aspects of music are audio engineers involved with? Tell us in the comments below!

May 9, 2016
Musical Professions: Musicologist

This is the sixth post in our series, Musical Professions, in which we will be taking a closer look at the myriad of careers available to those with a background in, and a passion for music!
Many musicians chose to pursue a combination of these musical professions, making them incredibly versatile and well-rounded!

Musicologist

Musicology is the study of the history of music. It is a fascinating field, because musicologists require a deep understanding of music theory, and how it relates to the development of different types and forms of music.

Musicologists also study the sociological side of history as well; how large changes and upheavals in society shape the artistic output of a particular era. They are also interested in the individual personalities of great musicians and composers and how those characteristics helped to develop the great music which has survived for centuries.

Those who are interested in pursuing a career in musicology generally require an advanced degree in Music; at least a Masters degree, and more commonly a PhD. Musicologists often teach their subject, at the university level, but their expertise are often needed in other areas as well. Musicologists often make excellent critics, and reviewers, and contribute to journal articles and textbooks as well.

Have you considered a career in musicology? Tell us in the comments below!

May 2, 2016
Musical Professions: Performer

This is the fourth post in our series, Musical Professions, in which we will be taking a closer look at the myriad of careers available to those with a background in, and a passion for music!
Many musicians chose to pursue a combination of these musical professions, making them incredibly versatile and well-rounded!

Performer

There are a multitude of options available to musicians who want to perform:

Events: Events are one of the best places to get yourself out there as a performer. Common events at which musical performances are likely are weddings, funerals, fundraisers, galas, etc… These are often excellent venues at which to start performing because the musical performances are usually shorter sets, and the requirements specific to the occasion, such as a string quartet performing while the bride walks down the aisle at a wedding.

Musicals/Operas/Orchestra: These musical events are very large in scope and require intense preparations to audition for a role. Once a performer has secured a role, there is even more work to be done! Rehearsals, costuming, lights, sets, staging, all need to be considered for a performance on this scale. Performing for a larger musical work like this is a big commitment of time, and energy, but can be very rewarding, as it gives the performer the opportunity to perform the same music for a different audience each time, and experiment with how the changing audience impacts the energy of their performance!

Recital: A recital is an excellent way to perform music, with an attentive audience, and a relatively quiet performance space. Recitals require advanced preparation of repertoire, and usually last around one hour, though they can be longer. Generally, recitals are about music above all else, and can often feel more intimate than other kinds of performances.

Busking: This relatively spontaneous type of performance is another great way to introduce oneself to performance. A busking license is required in most municipalities, but once acquired, the performer is generally at liberty to decide when and where and how they want to perform! The opportunities are endless for a self-motivated, versatile, and gregarious performer!

What other types of opportunities are there for performers? Tell us in the comments below!

April 25, 2016
Musical Professions: Music Therapy

This is the third post in our series, Musical Professions, in which we will be taking a closer look at the myriad of careers available to those with a background in, and a passion for music!
Many musicians chose to pursue a combination of these musical professions, making them incredibly versatile and well-rounded!

Music Therapy

Music Therapy is a fascinating music profession because it is multi-disciplined, requiring training in both music and medicine. Those who have become certified music therapists can work in a variety of settings from hospitals, to clinics, and hospices, with a myriad of different patients, suffering from various conditions.

Music therapy is considered an allied medical health profession. Those who work in the field of music therapy, use music to aid in the treatment of patients suffering from a variety of conditions. Different therapy regimes are applied for different conditions, and are extremely individualized. Treatments can include group or individual music sessions, improvisational sessions, receptive music listening, textual analysis, songwriting and more.

Since music therapy is used to treat extremely diverse medical conditions, from acquired brain injuries to victims of abuse, this occupation requires an incredible versatility, patience, compassion and flexibility. Here is a link to university music therapy programs in Canada.

Have you heard of Music Therapy before? How else might music benefit this occupation?

April 18, 2016
Musical Professions: Composer

This is the second post in our series, Musical Professions, in which we will be taking a closer look at the myriad of careers available to those with a background in, and a passion for music!
Many musicians chose to pursue a combination of these musical professions, making them incredibly versatile and well-rounded!

Composers

There are several different kinds of composers, and we’ll examine just a few today. Many composers undertake a variety of different composition techniques. Composers are generally well versed in musical theory, with a deep understanding of structure, and musical phrasing, to convey their ideas in the best, and most musically interesting manner.

Singer/Songwriter:
This type of composer usually also specializes in an instrument, and often composes music that they can perform themselves on that instrument. Many singer/songwriters choose not to write their music down using classical notation, but remember chord changes and lyrics in their head, or on a lead sheet. This gives them the ability to be spontaneous in their performance and to improvise if they wish!

Film Composer:
We discussed famous film composers more extensively in this post, but composing for film, or scoring for film, as it’s more commonly called, is an incredibly interesting musical profession. Film composers need to write music that is in direct service to the story being told on the screen. The music can also often reveal essential parts of the story, in a very subtle and nuanced manner, as is the case in the most recent Star Wars film. Film composers need to be very sensitive to storytelling techniques.

Arranger:
This is a type of composer who specializes in creating new, interesting arrangements of music that has already been composed. This can be using music composed by someone else, that the arranger is re-imagining, or it can be folk music – passed down aurally, the original composer unknown. An arranger is a unique kind of composer, because they are taking material that already exists, and giving it new life!

What other kinds of composers are there? Tell us in the comments below!

April 11, 2016
Musical Professions – Music Teacher

This is the first post in our newest series, Musical Professions, in which we will be taking a closer look at the myriad of careers available to those with a background in, and a passion for music!
Many musicians chose to pursue a combination of these musical professions, making them incredibly versatile and well-rounded!

Music Teacher

There are several different kinds of music teachers:

Private lessons:
This usually involves one on one lessons with a teacher who specializes in a specific instrument. Students choose a specific instrument, and their teacher instructs them in how to play the instrument, what techniques to use, what repertoire is best, and often how to perform in public on that instrument. Private lessons can also be taken in music theory, and history.

Music in school:
Musicians who work within a school board system have a variety of different responsibilities. Many of these teachers are band or choir teachers, and must develop curriculum both for musical classes, as well as extra curricular musical activities. These musicians have often earned a degree in Education, in addition to their musical qualifications, and they must be well-rounded musicians, able to assist and guide their students, in a variety of musical pursuits.

Extracurricular musical activities:
These musical activities are usually extra curricular, and can take a myriad of different forms; community choir, youth orchestra, etc… The music teachers who create these programs have to be self-motivated, and engaged in the community, because they’re often creating brand new programs to serve a musical need not met in the school setting.

Music teachers can have a very big impact on their students; explaining difficult concepts, often from a very young age, and encouraging and inspiring their students to continue with their musical studies.

Have you ever thought of being a music teacher? Tell us in the comments below!

April 4, 2016
Studying Music At University

Many of our choristers have gone on to study music, or arts related programs at University, and there are a variety of different career paths you can take to make music an even larger part of your life. We’ll discuss musical careers in greater detail in an upcoming series. Many of our choristers have also gone on to study other fields, but have kept music as a part of their university experience, through university choirs, or attendance at musical productions at their universities. Here are several of the benefits to studying music in university:

#1. Several paths:
There are a multitude of different degree programs that relate to music in university. The Bachelor’s of Music (BMus) is a performance based degree. The Bachelor of Arts in Music (B.A. Mus) allows students to explore a more diversified degree, with more courses in music history, music theory, composition etc… A Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) allows students to pursue a variety of different subjects within the Arts programs; dance, drama, music, and art. There are also much more specific music programs, such as Music Therapy, or Sound Engineering, that combine music with science and technology!

#2. Exploring options:
Because music is such a varied field, it is often a requirement in most music programs to take a variety of different options. Singers, for example, are often required to take several language courses. This opens up opportunities for exploration of other areas of study, or even for study abroad programs. Musicians are also often required to take courses in other areas of the arts, such as dance, drama, art history etc… These options can really expand the scope of what being a musician means, and has led to some very interesting multi-discipline collaborations!

#3. Community:
One of the most wonderful aspects of music is the community it engenders. The musical community at universities are often a tight-knit group, since musicians have many classes together, as well as masterclasses, rehearsals, and concerts together. This community aspect spreads outside of those majoring in music though, many universities offer choirs that students in any degree program can join. There are also often recitals and concerts that are steeply discounted (and sometimes free!) for students. Studying music at university doesn’t necessarily mean majoring in music – there are some wonderful opportunities to get to know other students through musical activities!

What do you think about studying music at university? Have you considered it? Tell us in the comments below!

March 21, 2016
3 Ways In Which Music Makes You a Better Problem-Solver

Music has untold benefits for those who study it, and one of those great benefits is the ability to solve problems in creative and unique ways:

#1. Perspective Shift:
Music, and in particular singing, demands the ability to understand things from other perspectives. The ability to approach a problem from multiple perspectives is essential. Creative solutions require adaptability, and innovation, and this can often be achieved by studying a problem from different angles.

#2. Breaking It Down:
Solving a problem is not like turning a switch on and off. It is about the ability to take something large, and break it down into smaller manageable pieces. Learning a new piece of music is very similar. Though we aim to learn how the piece works together as a whole, particularly larger works need to be broken down into smaller, manageable parts, so that we don’t get overwhelmed or discouraged.

#3. Discipline:
Keeping with a problem, even when it’s frustrating, is an essential skill. Musicians are used to this process when learning a piece of music. It’s never perfect the first time, which is why musicians must practice the same piece of music multiple times.

How else might music make you a better problem-solver? Tell us in the comments below!

March 14, 2016
3 Ways In Which Singing Makes Your More Empathetic

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!

February 22, 2016
The Benefits of Sight Singing

Sight-singing means taking a piece you’ve never seen, or heard before, and singing your way through it, or a section of it. This can be an intimidating process, but it can be very beneficial for singers:

#1. Conquering fear:
Many people don’t like sight-singing because it makes them incredibly vulnerable. The risk of singing a wrong note (or several!) is exponentially higher when sight-singing. But sight singing your way through a piece of music can be of great benefit to one’s confidence; it is such a comfort to know that you’ve sung through the piece once, and now every iteration of that piece will be an improvement.

#2. Musical literacy:
Learning to read music fluently can be a difficult process, and one that takes many years. More than just learning to read the notes in the staff, sight singing teaches how to understand the overall structure of a piece of music, including phrasing, cadences, and dynamics.

#3. Improving aural skills:
Sight singing is just as much about hearing the music, as it is about reading it. The best sight singers also have an excellent ability to hear, and interpret what they’re reading on the page as sound. Developing an understanding of intervals, changing tonalities, and intonation are all important aspects of singing, and can be greatly improved by practicing your sight singing skills!

How else can sight singing benefit singers? Tell us in the comments below!

February 8, 2016
The Value of Singing Acapella

The term acapella refers to singing without any accompaniment by instruments. The word is Italian, and means, ‘of the chapel’. It refers to early sacred music, when instrumentation was not permitted inside the church, and specifically the chapel. Only human voices were permitted, and thus acapella music was created.

There are many benefits to singing with instruments; it creates rich layers, and the timbres of the different instruments can sound so beautifully together. But there is also great value in singing acapella:

#1. The vocal sound:
There is something truly unique about the human voice. To hear it by itself, without other instruments distracting the ear, can often be a very intimate and human experience. It allows an audience to truly appreciate the breadth and beauty of the voice.

#2. Intonation:
Singing acapella music, is a unique opportunity for singers to focus on intonation in a manner that is much more internal than when singing with instruments. Without an instrument to act as a tether, singers focus on tuning their voices to one another, creating a wonderful resonance of tone, and even heartbeats!

#3. Overtones:
As discussed in the post, Math and Science in Music – Harmonics, different instruments create a series of different pitches above the fundamental pitch, called overtones. These pitches create the unique timbre of different instruments, and nowhere is this more evident than in the human voice. The full timbre of rich overtones in the human voice can be heard to greatest benefit when singing is acapaella.

Why else might it be valuable to sing acapella? Tell us in the comments below!

January 18, 2016
5 Ways In Which Singing Makes You Happier

#1. Endorphins:
Singing releases the same chemicals in your brain that exercise does. These chemicals, called endorphins are responsible for positive feelings. The more one sings, the more our brain is flooded with these chemicals, and the happier we feel! This also serves as positive reinforcement for our behavior, and it is likely why people continue to keep music in their lives!

#2. Stress relief:
Beyond the release of endorphins in your brain when singing, there are other beneficial physical effects from singing. In particular, proper breathing techniques; breath management, deep breathing are all associated with greater well being. The deep breathing required from singing, helps regulate breath, has been shown to improve circulation, and lower the level of cortisol (the stress hormone) in our bodies. Less stress makes for a much happier person!

#3. Focus on the present:
The immediacy of singing, the requirements of focus, and engagement mean that a singer has to be fully in the present moment. This may seem irrelevant, but focusing on the present is one of the tenants of meditation, and in various psychological studies, meditation has been shown to greatly increase mental well being, and one’s sense of contentment. Having a regular activity that requires this prolonged focus on the present moment, is a great boon to one’s happiness.

#4. Learning:
Music is an extremely complicated field, incorporating elements of science, as well as art. It is a constantly evolving field, with many areas of nuance and interpretation. As a result, those who study music, are continually learning new aspects of the field. Life-long learning has long been shown to keep our brains active and engaged, and to help stave off depression and feelings of isolation and loneliness.

#5. Community:
Singing in a choir means you have a built in support system. The very nature of singing in a choir, demands that you pay attention to what others are doing, that you lend your own voice and talents in support of a cause larger than yourself, and that you work to perceive the world from the view of others. This is incredibly important to our sense of happiness, because humans are social beings. The support and sense of community that a choir provides are second to none!

How else does singing make you happy? Tell us in the comments below!

January 11, 2016
Music At Celebrations

Music is a valuable element in many aspects of our lives. We’ve discussed music at sporting events before. Celebrations are another aspect of our lives at which music is an important element.

Celebrations are a meaningful part of the fabric of our society. They allow us to come together as a community, and partake in the joy and merriment commonly found in these kinds of social gatherings. Music can be an essential part of these social activities, since it is so often a group event, and can become the central aspect of many celebrations. As well, music communicates across cultures and languages, unifying people from different backgrounds and experiences.

The music used at celebrations is often seeped in tradition, such as singing Happy ‘Birthday to someone, or joining in carols at Christmas time. The music at celebrations can also have important personal significance, such as the pieces used at a wedding, or a festival.

Enjoying music together can even be a celebration in and of itself, such as a concert or a musical!

How else is music important at celebrations? Tell us in the comments below!

December 21, 2015
A Child’s Carol 2015 – Concert Roundup!

I think that even more important than singing well, is the camaraderie and sense of ensemble that our choristers bring to every rehearsal and performance event. The performing comes out of a deep respect and love for the music and each other. This is what is rewarding for me, in the experience of a concert, and every rehearsal.

One of our choristers remarked that our program reflected the progression through Christmas eve to Christmas day – and in looking at it, she was right, although I hadn’t noticed. As she characterized it, we began with early Christmas Eve – with celebration and caroling songs, such as Gatatumba (Spanish), and Caroling, Caroling (a Nat King Cole classic). From there, we sang Lullabies: Seal Lullaby by Eric Whitacre, and Lullaby by Billy Joel. Then we entered the deepest part of winter (or evening) with songs about dark, cold and lonely winters/nights, such as Gordon Lightfoot’s Song for a Winters’ Night, and then entered the morning with three versions of Sunny Bank – the one by Eleanor Daley was a personal favourite.

Our junior choir, conducted by Esther Woelfle, sang three contrasting pieces that were polished; with dynamic contrast, beautiful head tone, and clear words. They added some claps and swaying, and received rousing applause for their efforts.

The Chandler Zawalykut Scholarship was awarded to the very deserving Josh Carr this year.

Working with these kids, for me, is like working with professionals. They know where they need to be, they know their music, they are respectful of others on stage, and they perform with artistic integrity. I can’t think of anywhere I’d rather have been than onstage with the Calgary Children’s Choir on Saturday night.

– Marni Strome, Artistic Director

(The photo is of the Calgary Youth Choir….. small yet mighty ! 12 dedicated and intelligent singers having a moment of levity before the concert)

What was your favourite part of the concert? Tell us in the comments below!

December 14, 2015
Math and Science In Music – Engineering Instruments:

$Math and Science In Music - Engineering Instruments$

Music is such a wonderful pursuit for mind and body because it is not just an art form, but combines a myriad of other disciplines, including mathematics, biology, and physics. This series, Math and Science in Music will explore the many ways in which music incorporates a variety of these disciplines.

ENGINEERING INSTRUMENTS

Music is discipline for both the mind and body, which is why it’s important that we have the best tools available to enable us to play beautiful music. For those of us who are singers, our instruments are built right into our bodies, but all other musicians require a physical instrument that they can hold and manipulate to create beautiful sounds.

Crafting musical instruments requires a varied skill-set, including engineering abilities. These skills allow engineers to create instruments that have unique timbres, and tone while still conforming to the basic specifications of the instrument they are crafting.

Engineers use the physics of sound to assess how frequencies will perform within a given instruments; observing aspects like size, shape, and material to create the best and most unique tone possible. They also have to consider comfort and the aesthetic quality of the instruments; thinking about an instrument from the inside to the outside.

This isn’t just for ‘classical’ instruments either, engineering students continue to come up with new, unique sounding instruments, as part of their engineering studies. Check out this cool article about engineering students creating unique instruments at Yale!

How else is engineering important in music? Tell us in the comments below!

November 30, 2015
Math and Science In Music: Harmonics

$Math and Science In Music - Harmonics$

Music is such a wonderful pursuit for mind and body because it is not just an art form, but combines a myriad of other disciplines, including mathematics, biology, and physics. This series, Math and Science in Music will explore the many ways in which music incorporates a variety of these disciplines.

HARMONICS

Musical harmonics are another discovery from the field of physics. In our first post about sound waves, we discussed the fact that sound acts as a wave. A pitch is actually made up of several different waves sounding together. These are referred to as the note’s harmonic series.

The bottom sound wave that we can most commonly hear is called the fundamental. All of the sounds that we hear above that fundamental, are referred to as overtones. They can be heard by the human ear at the same time as the fundamental, but they are significantly less obvious. The harmonics sound in order of strength, as it relates to the fundamental. The first sound we hear is the octave, followed by a fifth and a fourth.

For more information on the subject of harmonics, check out this fascinating video!

How else might harmonics be important in music? Tell us in the comments below!

November 23, 2015
Math and Science In Music: Muscle Memory

$Math and Science In Music - Muscle Memory$

Music is such a wonderful pursuit for mind and body because it is not just an art form, but combines a myriad of other disciplines, including mathematics, biology, and physics. This series, Math and Science in Music will explore the many ways in which music incorporates a variety of these disciplines.

MUSCLE MEMORY

Our bodies are amazing at doing so many things. The physiological makeup of our bodies allows us to make music by playing instruments, or by using our voices. One of the most amazing aspects of these bodies is what is commonly referred to as ‘muscle memory’. This term can be a misnomer, because it does not actually mean that memories reside in your muscles.

Instead, our brain has the ability to develop what are known as ‘procedural memories’, an ability which is developed through repetition. By practicing something over and over again, our brain develops synaptic pathways that allow our bodies to perform these tasks without conscious thought.

For musicians, muscle memory can be a tremendous boon. Instrumentalists develop the ability to play scales and other technical aspects of music without conscious thought. Making the technical aspects of musicianship a ‘procedural memory’, allows musicians to focus on the artistic expression of their music. It is also what allows them to learn and remember massive amounts of musical data; so much so that a professional musician can sit down at a piano years later and still play a piece they haven’t performed for many years.

One caveat about muscle memory is that the synaptic pathways do not distinguish between good playing, and poor playing. If you repeatedly practice a scale or a piece incorrectly your brain with put those errors into your procedural memory, and it can be very difficult to ‘un-learn’ those mistakes.

What other effect does physiology have on music? Tell us in the comments below!

November 16, 2015