There's always heaps going on in the Victoria music scene. If you haven't already signed up for our Newsletter then why not do so now - at the bottom of the home page.
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› Companion Voices: singing for the end of life
15/Jun/2022
There are several singing groups in the US, UK and beyond which specialise in bringing songs of comfort to the dying. You may have heard of the Threshold Choir network in the US. Here in the UK we have Companion Voices founded by Judith Silver in 2014. I asked Judith…
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› Music Is Just as Powerful at Improving Mental Health as Exercise, Review Suggests
15/Jun/2022
The next time you're not able to get out to the gym, maybe spin some records instead: new research suggests the positive impact on mental health from singing, playing, or listening to music is around the same impact experienced with exercise or weight loss. That's based on a
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› Speech or Song? How the Brain Perceives Music
30/May/2022
New research explores the different ways in which the brain distinguishes between music and speech. Source: Cognitive Neuroscience Society Press Release Most neuroscientists who study music have something in common: they play a musical instrument, in many cases from a young age. Their drive to understand how the brain perceives and is shaped by music springs from a deep love of music. This passion has translated to a wealth of discoveries about music in the brain, including recent work that identifies the ways in which the brain distinguishes between music and speech. “Over the past two decades, many excellent studies have shown similar mechanisms between speech and music across many levels,” says Andrew Chang of New York…
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› Kingston Singers – new choir in the City of Kingston!
30/May/2022
Calling all shower singers, car crooners and karaoke carollers: you are invited to join in an evening of song and community with Kingston’s brand new choir. All welcome! Enjoy group singing of songs from many styles and eras, and from many cultural traditions; delicate originals, show stoppers, traditional hollers…
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› Boosting Brain Function in Later Life Through Singing
30/May/2022
Summary: Singing in a social group such as a choir may help protect cognitive function and treat aphasia in older adults. Ask anyone in a choir why they enjoy it, and they will tell you about the euphoric effects singing has on their mental health. A team of neuroscientists and clinical…
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› OPPORTUNITY - Volunteer Musician/Music Group Leader Inbox
23/May/2022
Sacred Heart Mission is looking for a confident volunteer musician who can facilitate a small group music session weekly on Wednesday mornings in our Engagement Hub in Grey Street, St. Kilda. Our clients attend to pick up a take-away meal and access various supports, including groups such as the music group.…
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› Welsh government triples funding for music education
23/May/2022
As the cost of living increases, children’s music lessons might not be top of everyone’s list of priorities. However, the government in Wales, UK is working to make sure that disadvantaged children will have access to music education. Their new music education plan announced recently has promised to make music…
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› Classroom 200 - Free Online Resource for Music Teachers
17/May/2022
Classroom 200 is a free online resource for music teachers working with learners up to the age of 14. It features music in a wide range of styles, plus accompanying lesson plans. Classroom 200 follows on from, and links to, Classical 100, a compilation of 100 iconic classical pieces and…
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› Flow state, exercise and healthy ageing: 5 unexpected benefits of singing
28/Apr/2022
Singing with others feels amazing. Group singing promotes social bonding and has been shown to raise oxytocin (the “bonding hormone”) and decrease cortisol (the “stress hormone”). But it’s not just about singing in groups. There are many unexpected ways singing is good for you, even if you’re on your own. Singing is…
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› Why it’s important to set your voice free from time to time
21/Apr/2022
by Chris Rowbury Apr 18, 2022 Being in a choir and singing with others is very controlled. There are other voices to blend and balance with, and fixed harmonies to follow. But from time to time I believe it’s important to really…