Happy Independence Day to all!

Voices is proud to present our first virtual debut concert for the Hannah Block Historic /USO Community Arts Center's 4th Of July Virtual Open House Tour and Celebration.  

We appreciate your hard work and dedication.  Here's to many more to come!
Hope you will share and enjoy!

Did you ever hear the expression, "Nothing beats a failure but a try?"  Well we saw that to be self-evident this past Saturday, March 28, 2020.  We rolled out our first attempt to have a Video Conference Style live choir rehearsal. I must say, it went pretty good for a first run or "a try".

So we figured the best way to share the experience with you was to encourage you to "try" out our next few sessions.  We will continue to shift with the tide, but we won't quit! 

Shout out to the entire choir weather you joined in or not.  Life still happens, so we will catch up with you on the next one!  

I hope you all are safe and encouraged during this unusual time in our nation.  Thank goodness we can still sing ourselves happy.  Don't miss out on this amazing journey to reconnect, and STAY connected with VOICES.  If will make a difference in your day!

Here's how you can join the next rehearsal...
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All The Best
​Silivea

1.  Musicality. Its official, singing in a choir improves the way you hear music, it draws out your natural musical ability and strengthens your appreciation of harmony. There is a innate learning curve that occurs organically as a consequence of singing regularly in a group that strengthens your ear. Where choral singing is concerned, the whole really is the sum of its parts, and choir members soon become aware of how harmonies combine and complement each other, therefore growing both individually and as a whole.
   
2. Mental Health. Singing in a choir has been proven through various psychological studies to improve our mental health. Other studies have shown that the mental health benefits of choral singing include enhanced brain function, strengthened feelings of togetherness, and the release of endorphins resulting in reduced stress and depression.
3. Confidence.  It’s surprising how many people are told they can’t sing.  This has discouraged potential singers for decades. Most people don’t imagine they will ever perform in front of an audience, and to experience this for the first time as part of a choir can be life changing.  In reality, unless there is hearing loss, anyone can learn to sing. Singing in a community choir gives you permission to make noise as part of group, and your confidence will grow rapidly.
   
4. Sense Of Belonging. Social media networks offers a semblance of community but the lack of contact with people in real time and space can intensify feelings of alienation. Singing in a choir has traditionally been a way of connecting communities since ancient times. Being part of a group working towards a shared goal, can unite people from all walks of life, by helping forge social bonds, and it does so particularly quickly, acting as a powerful icebreaker. People can feel valued and inevitably make friends with individuals from a diversity of backgrounds. 
5. Aerobic and toning exercise.  A proper singing session is a wonderful workout for the lungs. The actions of warming up, breathing deeply and opening the diaphragm all oxygenate the blood, creating more white blood cells, which strengthens the whole body. The breathing rate slows and deepens, releasing endorphins and increasing a profound sense of well-being.  All this lung action reduces the chance of illness and is excellent for people who suffer asthma, and emphysema.  Singing also improves your posture and tones your stomach muscles. A strong core supports the spine so your body will be less prone to injury as you age.

So, why wait?  Join Voices The Community Arts Center Choir Today!

 Good News: Here are 5 tips to improve your singing

First of all, the voice is an instrument inside your body and you have to learn how to use it to get the most out of it. To have a strong voice and vocal consistency, there are some really simple methods you can use, right now, to get a great sound out of your instrument.  It's good to stand in front of a mirror, so that you can 
                                                       watch your head and body movement positions as you sing.
                                            The following tips will help you improve in various areas:
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1. Sing vowels with your jaw open. This is a quick trick that makes you sound better instantly.  Say A-E-I-O-U (while watching your jaw movement in the mirror). Did your jaw close on any of the vowels? Chances are your jaw closed on the “E” and the “U” – and most likely on others too, if not all of them. Take your first two fingers and pull your jaw down two inches – or even better, use a plastic bottle cap to prop your jaw open. Now speak the vowels again. And repeat again (the object her is to re-program muscle memory).

Now sing the vowels on one pitch. A-E-I-O-U. Your goal is to keep your jaw open (long not wide) without closing for all of your vowels. Repeat until you can do it. Now sing a phrase of one of your songs – and make sure your jaw opens to the same position on all of your vowels. You have to practice this a bunch before it becomes natural – but the more you do, the sooner this new movement is programmed into your muscle memory.  You might be one who will notice the improvement in the sound right away (it will sound louder and more resonant with less vocal strain). If you don’t, don’t sweat it, you will. It just takes a little practice. You might have some unwanted tension in your neck, jaw and throat muscles – try loosening them up and try it again. The next time you perform open your jaw more on your vowels.  You sound better instantly!

2. “Think down” when you sing high notes. Sing with your chin down for more power without strain. This is one of the most simplistic singing tips that’s easy to apply. All you have to do is to keep your chin pointed slightly down when you go in for more power. Most singers reach forward or lift their chin up to sing with more power. While it may feel right, over time it causes vocal problems. Tipping your chin down not only works better and saves your voice, it actually SOUNDS better!

3. Stand in front of a mirror. Sing an “ah” scale up and down in one phrase (1-2-3-4-3-2-1). Press your chin slightly in (point your chin towards the floor), usually only 1 inch or so. Don’t let your head bob up as you raise pitch – keep it firmly in place. Go all the way up the scale of your voice keeping this position. Notice how the chin wants to move up as you raise pitch. Keep it planted. This will give you more power and control and eliminate strain. Practice it until it becomes natural!

4. Control your vocal vibrato
Here’s a quick tip to get your vibrato working. Stand in front of a mirror; press on your chest with both hands, then raise your chest higher than normal. Take a breath in and then exhale, but don’t drop your chest. Sing one note and hold it as long as possible with your chest raised. Press on your chest halfway through the note (press kind of hard and raise your chest to meet the pressure). Relax the back of your neck and keep your jaw open as you’re singing “ahhh.” Imagine the air spinning around in your mouth while keeping your chin tucked down a bit and your chest raised. Keep in mind, overuse of vibrato is not a good thing in contemporary singing (pop, rock and R&B). At the same time, no vibrato is also not a good thing. So, try ending phrases with straight tone, then into a little bit of vibrato. The bottom line is to do what’s best for you.

5. Another thing that singers should also monitor is their posture. Your posture whether sitting or standing should always be with your spine as straight as possible.  For singers who prefer to sit, you should always sit on the edge of your chair.  This forces you to sit a bit  higher and  with your shoulders back.  The sound can flow from you freely this way.