› Feeding Creativity and Singing Stress Away, by Kass Mulvany and Barb McFarlane

SINGING STRESS AWAY – Kass Mulvany

Do you ever get bogged down preparing songs for your community singing groups? Fret about finding or writing great arrangements? Feel wrung out, stressed or uninspired and flat as a run-over Frog?

Each week I try to organize my many commitments so that I can treat myself – I go to Barb McFarlane’s “Sing for Fun!” Friday workshops. Oh, what a joy! Just resting back, warbling away, on the receiving end of some brilliant singing leading!

Barb is an inspiration with such a sense of rhythm and timing, aural sense and a wealth of resources and experience. Her sense of fun and energy encourages even new beginners to sing happily.

Barb is so generous, she even lets me bring along my musical toys and create havoc within her workshop occasionally. Best of all, we share songs, new discoveries, arrangements and come away feeling refreshed, inspired, challenged, confidence renewed and so joyful.

We sing together – we renew our creativity. Give yourself a treat – attend someone else’s singing workshop! Thankyou, Barb. 

From Barb McFarlane…

I love it when Kass walks through the door at Sing for Fun! She usually has a song or a singing activity to share with the mob and apart from the singers loving this, it's great for me as I always learn a new one too. I also know I can rely on her to jump into a part and help the less confident singers in the way that lifts them up rather than makes them feel deficient. For me, it's the CMVic leadership skill set especially that allows me to feel confident that my group will have a good singing experience and having Kass who has those skills join us means they get very well musically supported and put smiles on faces.

Kass and I often have a valuable mini leaders’ gabfest after the session and share more songs and ideas. Those sessions are very nurturing for me and are part of my 'keeping up the passion and energy' program!

I also get fantastic benefit from going to other leaders workshops. Sometimes I will be learning a song and deconstructing how they have taught it for future reference! Sometimes I notice the absence of CMVic SLS and can see what effects that has on singers. The skill set gathered and honed over many years by many wonderful Community Music Activists is as brilliant as it is subtle and understated. And of course, it's already been 'bottled'! If you want to learn more, check out the CMVic website for the next Singing Leadership Skills workshop.

Barb McFarlane.