INSPIRATIONAL SINGING
There are many health benefits that come from singing. It strengthens the immune system, it improves posture, it helps with sleep. Singing is a natural anti-depressant and it lowers stress levels. Singing improves mental alertness, it widens your circle of friends and, simply put, singing is really good fun!
On Thursday 17 October, as part of its Live Music Portsmouth campaign, the team at Portsmouth Music Hub brought together young people from ARK Charter Academy and St. Edmund's Catholic School for a day of workshops that focussed on vocal technique and singing in harmony. The day included wonderful voices, lots of laughter, and perhaps most importantly it united young people from a diverse range of backgrounds, all of them celebrating their passion for singing and music-making.
The children, aged between 11 and 16 had the opportunity to work with David Lawrence, a renowned vocal leader and conductor with a national reputation.
David Lawrence is Associate Conductor with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Chorus, conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra's Community Choir and Senior Youth Choir, and Principal Conductor of Young Voices UK.
With such an impressive track record the children were in safe hands as they tackled some challenging pieces of music including Oliver Cromwell by Benjamin Britten, Weeping by Dan Heymann and David's own arrangement of the classic hit You Raise Me Up.
Sue Beckett, CEO of Portsmouth Music Hub said: "Music and singing makes a positive difference in all our lives, it's with us every day, wherever we go, and not only does it bring pleasure and much needed colour to life, but evidence suggests that it has an impact on our physical and emotional wellbeing. Everyone at Portsmouth Music Hub is committed to bringing young people together, to give them a platform to learn, perform and enjoy the wealth of experiences that comes from the art of singing, and having the opportunity to work alongside David Lawrence and to share in his expertise and his passion for singing has made this day completely unforgettable. Live music and singing matters and it unquestionably educates, inspires and enriches us all."