Choir 'sing for their lungs' at Royal College of Music
The Whittington Health choir for people living with long-term respiratory conditions performed at the Royal College of Music in September.
Sing for your lungs’ performance was part of a symposium on recent advances in the science of singing, wellbeing and health.
Four choirs from around the country who use singing, vocal exercise and postural work to help manage the symptoms of respiratory conditions were invited to perform at the opening of the event.
The use of singing as a technique for managing long-term respiratory conditions – such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, emphysema, fibrosis and chronic bronchitis – has increased over the past 15 years and is a growing field of scientific research.
Myra Stern, consultant physician at Whittington Health, founded the sing for your lungs choir last year. It offers free weekly singing sessions with a vocal coach for people with a long-term respiratory condition living in Islington and Haringey.
She said: “Singing can help people with respiratory conditions by exercising the major muscle groups in the upper body, improving the efficiency of the cardiovascular system and improving oxygen intake.
“This is a growing area of research and recent studies have highlighted not only the value of regular singing in promoting better control of breathing among people with COPD, but also measurable improvements in lung function.
“The choir’s fantastic performance at the Royal College of Music is testament to their commitment to the weekly choir sessions and the impact that singing can have on health and wellbeing.”
Choirs like sing for your lungs can improve psychological wellbeing to help people face living with long-term conditions. Meeting other people in a similar situation provides an opportunity to share experiences.
Choir member Cindy Oswin said: “Singing at the Royal College of Music was a very positive experience. It sounded tremendous and we came together well as a group. It really lifted our spirits. It shows the power of the human voice, which is the same feeling we get belonging to this group.”
Sing for your lungs’ performance was part of a symposium on recent advances in the science of singing, wellbeing and health.
Four choirs from around the country who use singing, vocal exercise and postural work to help manage the symptoms of respiratory conditions were invited to perform at the opening of the event.
The use of singing as a technique for managing long-term respiratory conditions – such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, emphysema, fibrosis and chronic bronchitis – has increased over the past 15 years and is a growing field of scientific research.
Myra Stern, consultant physician at Whittington Health, founded the sing for your lungs choir last year. It offers free weekly singing sessions with a vocal coach for people with a long-term respiratory condition living in Islington and Haringey.
She said: “Singing can help people with respiratory conditions by exercising the major muscle groups in the upper body, improving the efficiency of the cardiovascular system and improving oxygen intake.
“This is a growing area of research and recent studies have highlighted not only the value of regular singing in promoting better control of breathing among people with COPD, but also measurable improvements in lung function.
“The choir’s fantastic performance at the Royal College of Music is testament to their commitment to the weekly choir sessions and the impact that singing can have on health and wellbeing.”
Choirs like sing for your lungs can improve psychological wellbeing to help people face living with long-term conditions. Meeting other people in a similar situation provides an opportunity to share experiences.
Choir member Cindy Oswin said: “Singing at the Royal College of Music was a very positive experience. It sounded tremendous and we came together well as a group. It really lifted our spirits. It shows the power of the human voice, which is the same feeling we get belonging to this group.”
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Sing for your lungs
Sing for your lungs
15 October 2014
Last updated15 Oct 2014