8 Reasons You Should Join a Choir Now
Singing in a choir has lots of positive effects on you
Getting together in a group to sing provides endless joy. It’s real communion with others. And the excitement of performances always gets people motivated.
And yet, many people — even those who love to sing — have not considered joining a choir.
Today, we’ve assembled a list of eight reasons why you should join a choir right now! And who knows? Maybe someday soon we’ll see you at the World Choir Games.
1. Singing in Groups Is Fun
There are so many benefits to being in a choir, but they all are possible because of this central point: it’s fun.
You get to join a community of people and make friends, sing together, and go through collective victories. It’s a wonderful experience that quickly becomes a highlight of your weekly schedule.
Because it’s fun, it’s easy to keep returning to rehearsals and enjoy all the other benefits that come along with choir singing.
2. Learn Great Songs
Choir singing constantly brings you in contact with some of the best music ever written. And as the group slowly comes together and gets down their parts, you experience a song emerge. What a thrill!
Choral music has a tremendous legacy, with the greatest composers writing some of their best work in the form. And when you sing in a choir, you get to understand that first hand.
And because you are learning to perform it, you get a bit of an education in music history. It’s a wonderful way to find new composers you’ve never heard of and fall in love with enchanting pieces.
3. Make Connections
Are you new to a city? Has your friend group drifted apart since college? Are you a person always on the lookout to meet new people?
A choir is the perfect place to meet a diverse group of people from many walks of life. The shared goals and frequent interactions give rise to friendships — an uncommon thing in adult life.
Building a community is an important part of living a happy life, and choirs give you a way to do just that.
4. Physical Wellbeing
Another of the reasons you should join a choir now is your physical wellbeing:
Singing in a group connects you to your breath and posture. These are things that carry with you throughout your day — long after you’ve stepped down off the risers.
Many people wouldn’t expect the level of fitness you get from singing, but it can be a big part of a healthy lifestyle.
From the warm-up through to the big notes, your body has to work at singing. But it doesn’t feel like a workout, thanks to the joy of the activity.
5. Boost in Confidence
Membership in a choir means being confronted with a series of challenges and overcoming them. Whether it’s getting prepared for a major performance or figuring out how to nail a difficult section, group singing presents you with many opportunities to succeed.
Experiencing success like this boosts your confidence. It gives you the repeated feeling of doing something you set your mind to, and that teaches you to rely on and trust in yourself.
You will also be surrounded by people who are feeling the same way. Being in a community of confident people further drives us to succeed and do our best.
6. Keep Your Music Skills Sharp
If you’ve learned how to read music in the past, you might be in desperate need of a reason to keep this skill sharp. Being in a choir retains all the music theory and notation you’ve taken the time to master.
And if you haven’t gained these skills yet, there’s no better way to learn! Being in a choir gives you an opportunity to first learn by ear and gradually gain more and more knowledge about the theory and notation.
These skills are great for keeping your brain healthy and active. Plus, it increases your ability to appreciate music of all kinds.
7. Improve Your Singing
There is no getting around it — if you regularly sing in a choir, you will get better at it. And being able to sing is one of the most delightful skills you can ever develop.
You will improve your sense of timing, your ear, and your voice. This can open up so many musical opportunities for you, while also making singing activities (even in the shower) much more fun.
8. It Feels Amazing
Singing in a group leads to moments that are, simply put, transcendent. When we harmonize our voices together to create something of beauty — especially when we’ve all struggled to get our part right — there is a mixture of awe and satisfaction that can’t be put into words.
That’s powerful stuff. It’s what keeps people coming back to choir rehearsal year after year. Once you experience it, you can’t really shake the desire to perform again.
Choir singing gives us so many benefits, but this one might be the most important. This feeling motivates us to go through the hard parts of life and to cherish the good in the world.
And the only thing you need is… your voice!
If you need a little bit of extra motivation and support, you can check out our website section “World of Voices”, in which you will find resources, tips, curiosities, opportunities, and more - everything choir and singing related to inform you and support you in your practice!
