St George’s Bristol has teamed up with researchers from UWE Bristol to launch a ground-breaking new project, Sing for Happiness. Sing for Happiness is the first large-scale project researching the links between singing and wellbeing, and is currently seeking up to 500 local participants.
The project will consist of a series of in-person sessions at St George’s across Spring 2024, with a final performance at Bristol Beacon on Saturday 22 June. People from the Bristol area, of all singing abilities including total beginners, are encouraged to join the project. The sessions will be run by experienced local choir leaders, and participants will learn to sing accessible, popular songs and meet new people – as well as contributing to the innovative UWE research. It's hoped the research project’s results will provide data on how singing can be used in health and wellbeing contexts such as social prescribing.
Kat Branch, Head of UWE Bristol’s Centre for Music and research lead, said:
“We’re hoping to get as many people as possible to take part in the project – anyone can get involved. No research has been done on this scale before, and we’re really pleased to be collaborating with St George’s who have fantastic links in the Bristol community to make this happen.”
Samir Savant, Chief Executive of St George’s Bristol, said:
“We’re excited to work with UWE Bristol to uncover more about the link between singing and wellbeing. We hope participants of all abilities will want to join in with the Sing for Happiness project to learn some fantastic songs, and contribute to this ground-breaking research, even if they’ve never sung before. If you can speak, you can sing!”
Natalie Cooper, leader of the Bristol-based Melody Makers Choir, will be convening sessions during the project. Natalie said,
“People often tell me after a choir rehearsal how it has made them feel so much better. There’s nowhere like a choir – how many places can you go to genuinely make new friends, create beautiful music together, feel a sense of achievement, and feel safe knowing that everyone is equal?”
Ben England, musical director of the Bristol-based Homechoir.org will be convening online sessions during the project. Ben said,
“The physical and mental health benefits of singing are huge and are tangible for anyone who has sung in a choir before, but this wonderful project will bring academic rigour and evidence to support what we all know in our hearts - singing is really, really good for you.”
There is a participation cost for the project, which covers the costs of running the rehearsals and performances. However, St George’s Bristol and UWE recognise that cost may be a barrier for some people who would otherwise like to take part; if this is the case, please call or visit the St George’s Bristol Box Office during opening hours (0117 929 4929), and ask about concessionary rates for the Sing for Happiness project.
This is the third large-scale, mass-participation singing project St George’s Bristol has run in recent years as part of its annual Festival of Voice. Other projects included Sing for the King at Bristol Cathedral, with hundreds of singers marking the 2023 coronation of King Charles III, and a series of flash-mob choirs singing Handel’s ‘Messiah’ around Bristol in 2022.
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