The Transformational Power of Music

Charlotte Mosteller

Are you a shower crooner who fantasizes about being on stage? Do you often find yourself driving down the road joyfully singing at the top of your lungs with a song on the radio? If so, have you ever considered joining a choral group? If you haven’t, maybe you should consider the overwhelming evidence that singing – especially with a group – is beneficial to your health and wellbeing. As a music lover who has sung all of her life whether in a church choir, a musical production, or as now in the Lake Country Chorus, I personally know many of these benefits and would like to share them with you.

Mental & Emotional Benefits: (1) Singing is a natural antidepressant. It releases endorphins, serotonin, and dopamine, the feel-good brain chemicals that make you feel uplifted and happy. (2) Singing helps you relax and lowers stress levels. It releases stored muscle tension and decreases levels of the stress hormone cortisol in your blood stream. (3) Singing improves mental alertness, memory, and concentration. The breath work required for singing brings oxygenated blood into circulation and consequently more oxygen to the brain which improves alertness, memory, and concentration. Music and singing have even recently been touted as helpful for those with Alzheimer’s and dementia.

Physical Benefits: (4) Singing strengthens the immune system. A study conducted by the University of Frankfurt concluded that after singing, songsters had higher levels of the protein immunoglobulin A, an antibody known to benefit the immune function of mucous membrane. (5) Singing enhances lung function. When you learn to sing properly, you learn to breathe well, use your diaphragm, and increase your oxygen intake and lung capacity. Improved breathing and knowledge of the breath can help people deal with anxiety and panic attacks. It is also excellent for people who suffer with asthma and emphysema. (6) Singing improves posture. Standing up straight with an expanded chest cavity and with shoulders and back aligned is part of the correct technique in singing so with time good posture becomes habit.

Social Benefits: (7) Singing improves social bonding and cohesion. Whether you’re in a choir or enjoying singing karaoke with friends, singing with others is an intimate activity and helps strengthens bonds.    (8) Singing together creates a strong sense of community and social inclusion. It generates a feeling of being connected and having a social support system in which you feel valued and esteemed. It also builds self-confidence. (9)Finally, singing increases your ability to appreciate accomplished singers. Sometimes you don’t realize something is difficult until you try it yourself. So you may develop a new appreciation for those in the performing arts.

Now that you know the benefits of singing, I have one question for you. What are you waiting for? We’re looking for new members for our Lake Country Chorus. We are a multigenerational, nonprofessional group whose common denominator is love of choral music. We are directed and accompanied by music professionals, Donna Valvo and Amy Reber. The chorus will resume auditions and rehearsals in August in preparation for our annual Christmas program and next year’s spring production. Please consider joining us by contacting Melanie Schultz at rometavo@aol.com with questions or to schedule an audition.

Even if you don’t join a chorus, I encourage you to support all our local performing arts programs through your attendance. Both you and your community will reap the benefits by being exposed to great musical performances that uplift and inspire whether provided by professional musicians or local talent through our Lake Country Chorus, OPAS, Lake Country Players, Plaza Arts Center, or Festival Hall. Music has the power to transform, to heal, to unite and to enrich our lives individually and our community collectively. For more information about arts happenings in Lake Country go to www.lakecountryarts.org.