In Praise of Choral Singing
How choral singing can boost our mental health, build our social networks, and help our communities.
There is something about the weekly routine of heading to choir rehearsal and evensong on a Sunday afternoon that sets me up for the upcoming week in the best way possible. The choral evensong tradition is steeped in ritual. While I wouldn’t say I’m a religious person, I have an immense appreciation for the familiar format of the service, the time for reflection it provides, and the formulaic order of the musical interludes. It is rare in modern life that we are encouraged to slow down in this way, to engage collectively in a shared routine.
In psychology, the term ‘flow state’ is used to describe the experience of being absorbed in an engaging task, losing any sense of time and self-consciousness that might otherwise be held. Choral singing, for me, is an easy way of reaching this flow state. It requires just the right level of challenge to maintain focus on the music, for complete absorption. It is an immensely enjoyable way to spend time, and has been shown to promote psychological health and wellbeing.
I moved to London in 2019 knowing only a couple of people. I have never felt lonely during my time here. I put this down in part to the connections I made when I joined my…
