Singing In Harmony will draw on rich traditions of music and chanting from many eras and cultures. There will be fun warm-ups, simple songs and more  complex part songs  Everything will be taught by ear in a fun, friendly, and  relaxed atmosphere No experience needed – just a love of singing! Claridge House is a lovely, peaceful  house and gardens and does the most wonderful food! Go, on treat yourself to a wonderful relaxing and rejuvenating weekend!

claridgehousequaker.org.uk/programme?viewretreat=19​

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Read this- I won't put it all in full here but it's amazing On Monday 11th July, NVPN member Lizzi Stephens was a guest speaker at the All-Party Parliamentary Group Round Table discussion on Arts and Health in the House of Lords, representing research into singing for health. Lizzi has written the following report:
 
“Dear colleagues,
 
Shilpa has done a sterling job in reporting on this event -
https://myheartsingsuk.wordpress.com/2016/07/13/from-community-centres-to-parliament-the-world-of-arts-health-and-wellbeing/  Thank you Shilpa - very much!
 
It was not just about singing for breathing. I also quoted, with permission, verbatim from one of my Isle of Sheppey Sing Sure singers who had told me recently that singing has saved her life on several occasions. When I asked her to explain this she told me as follows: "Singing has changed my life because.... I have had severe pain since 1984 following a road accident. This has progressively got worse because of the added problems of arthritis and IBS  and diabetes. With so much pain, life is really not worth living especially when I can hardly move at all sometimes. What is there to look forward to in life? Singing has been the light at the end of my tunnel and has made life worth living. Without it I would make the choice not to be here.  I had also gone to see the back specialist and he showed me my back scan which showed that in an area of my lower back, the muscle was completely gone. He said that he 'didn't know how I was still walking about'. I told him that my central core was strong from singing and he said, 'whatever you do, don't stop doing it'. 
 
I read this out at the APPG Round Table discussion as part of my 3 minute speech! It was so powerful you could have heard a pin drop!  Ginny - this is her real name and she also encouraged me to use it - has a fabulous soprano voice and is usually happy to take on solo parts although her confidence is still in need of some support.
 
My thanks also to Vivien Ellis for informing me of her project to insert training for GPs in training on the value of Arts in Health, which got a brief mention during the APPG Round Table discussion.
 
For further interest, this APPG discussion is part of a series of such events in the House of Lords and all are recorded and the information is being fed into an inquiry, which has the aim of integrating Arts interventions into the NHS.  There is already a report by the APPG on Wellbeing Economics titled "Wellbeing in four policy areas". It is an interesting read talking about making the enhancement of wellbeing a government goal and can be found on here:  http://www.artshealthandwellbing.org.uk/APPG “
 

https://myheartsingsuk.wordpress.com/2016/07/13/from-community-centres-to-parliament-the-world-of-arts-health-and-wellbeing/

£10 per session or £96 for the full term if paid in the first two weeks.
First class free for new people.

  Term Dates Autumn 2016

 September: 12th, 19th & 26th
October: 3rd, 10th, 17th & 31st
HALF TERM OCTOBER 24th
November: 7th, 14th, 21st & 28th
December: 5th Sharing: 9th December

For more info please see the Wilful Choir page. You can get there by clicking  on the photo on the Homepage or see  under the  Services tab or see our new website  www.wilfulchoir.com  

See also my short article on the Wilful Choir Page http://www.naturalvoice.net/about_us/look_after_your_voice

There's  some really useful info in the link above. I've recently just got over a bout of viral laryngitis  followed by a horrendous chest infection..unfortunately  that's what happens when you work in close proximity to children..but as my GP said, I could have just caught it on the tube! What I noticed though, and I was trying very hard not to whisper which can cause more problems, is that people around me started to speak quieter. It was rather lovely, apart from trying to teach...sort of like being on a semi-retreat. 

I find steaming is just about the most wonderful thing for soothing throats, chest, nasal cavity, sinuses and even ears. I have an old-fashioned style  steamer from Nelsons, although the glass tube in the cork is a bit loose, and this can only go in the mouth. This was recommended by a lovely local speech and language therapist. I also have a plastic one with a mask that goes over the nose and mouth, but I'm really not sure about plastic leakage..although this is more convenient to carry about with me

Another really useful hint is to try very hard not to give in to the temptation to clear your throat ("frog in your throat" ) of catarrh as this just sets up more scratching /irritating which leads to more catarrh...you see the viscous circle! Instead do  some very deep, back of your throat-type yawn, and glottal voiceless vibrations .

If you suffer from gastric reflux/indigestion (eg hiatus hernia)this is one of the first things that the ENT people will want to investigate as it can cause voice problems. Try to get a proper diagnosis before starting on heavy meds like PPIs ( nothing to do with insurance! ) Protein Pump Inhibitors eg Lanzaprazole, Zantac etc  Try milder antacids but if you ave a physical reason why the acid is in the wrong place  (eg hiatus hernia) they might not work. Rather than trying to sleep on loads of pillows, raise the head of the bed by putting large books underneath  or blocks of wood.
​Drink loads of water when you are singing or talking alot as it hydrates the tissues from within the body. Massage your neck and all around your voice box and do Yoga head and neck exercises (but don't tilt the head back for too long, if at all!)
I'll add more tips soon...