Music has always fascinated me. Some of the earliest memories I have are as a toddler, humming in my pushchair and feeling the vibrations of the different pavements along the way. I loved the way the sounds changed as the pushchair glided over the tarmac and how I could feel it all through my body.
As a very young child one of my favourite games was to sit on the swing at the bottom of our garden and make up tunes. I used to ask my brother to give me a word to sing about and then off I’d go, lost in my world of music and song.
I grew up in a time when Country Dancing was taught at school and I found the whole experience very exhalating and fun to the extent that I tied bells to my socks and jingled my way round the house. Oddly, I also spent quite a lot of time choreographing dances with pairs of coloured Smarties.
I was lucky enough to grow up in a family who appreciated and encouraged my interest in music and who were able to support me. One evening whilst I was tucked up to bed, my father returned from singing practice and told me the exciting news that I’d be able to join the local choir the following week. This was to be the beginning of my musical journey
Developing soft skills through singing
Singing has made me more self-confident and has helped me become resilient. The preparation and dedication required to produce a good sound requires much dedication. As a youngster I spent many hours rehearsing and travelling to different venues whilst many of my peers were at home relaxing, yet I wouldn’t have changed it for the world. Experiencing the big sound of a full choir is exhilarating and right from my first practice session I knew that I was part of something special.
Singing has taken me to many exciting destinations: Disneyland and Hollywood Bowl in USA, Cologne in Germany, Basel in Switzerland, Guernsey, Coventry Cathedral, York Minster, St. Martin-in-the-Fields in Trafalgar Square and more locally, St. John the Baptist in Norwich and the Norfolk Show Ground. Music provides so many opportunities for making lasting memories as it affects our minds, bodies and emotions. I will never forget the thrill of singing in the school musical production or the magnificently sustained echo of York Minster.
What skills does a choir leader need to have?
Choir leaders have the difficult job of correcting the singers without suppressing them; enthusing whilst remaining honest; leading whilst remaining a team member and maintaining a safe and trusting environment for all involved. After all, the singers are lending their unique, personal voices and are therefore making themselves vunerable. Singers need to feel relaxed, appreciated and challenged to the right level in order to feel good about themselves and produce their best sound. In addition to this, there need to be opportunities for the singers to socialise and to form friendships which each other.
Singing in Wymondham
There are many opportunities to sing in Wymondham: Our many places of worship offer a huge variety of spiritual music; there are choral societies bringing enthusiasts of great classical works together; upbeat secular choirs which promote the joys of rock and pop music; music groups which welcome people to bring along instruments and enjoy a sing along and a chat; theatre groups which offer drama and singing coaching for the children and for the tiniest residents there are baby music groups which instil the love of music and song at the youngest of ages to mention just a few.
Wymondham Young Voices
Wymondham Young Voices is a new singing group for children ages seven to twelve.
We meet up once a week for 45 minutes to sing and train our musical skills in a relaxed, fun and inclusive atmosphere.
My aim is to offer children the chance to discover the magic of music firsthand through song, using live music which both challenges and enthuses. I aim to create opportunities for the children to perform informally to their families and friends and to the wider community.
Music is meant to be shared, and I hope that the Wymondham Young Singers will experience that unique feeling which comes from dedication, perseverance, teamwork and a whole lot of wonderful emotions in their performances.
By engaging children through song at a young age and igniting their interest in music, they will develop useful skills which can be transferred further to secondary school level and beyond. Singing is an entry into the world of music and, if nurtured, can lead to all sorts of exciting musical journeys.
If you have a young person who would be interested in joining Wymondham Young Voices then please contact Julia using the registration form below.
Registration form
